A Dog's Life with Anna Webb. Alternative Vet Lise Hansen talks 'Itchy Dogs' and why the answers are environmental
I’m honoured that Lise Hansen is A DOG’S LIFE ‘house Vet’. I am a great believer in holistic healthcare.
When I was referred to a holistic vet 12 years ago, I never turned back! But continued to embrace the huge toolbox that underpins the more natural ‘drug free’ approach.
In this episode Lise explains so much about ‘Itchy Dogs’. It seems we’re living in a pandemic of itchy dogs!
Lise explains why she wanted to pursue further study into the realm of alternative medicine simply to have more tools in her tool box.
Talking about itchy dogs, Lise considers itchy, allergic skin to be the biggest problem in veterinary practice.
We discuss why the skin is such a mirror a dog’s health visibly on the surface rather than an internal organ.
So, dogs that itch are such a frustrating condition. Not least of course for the dog, but it’s very frustrating for pet parents and for vets.
I see so many dogs that are suffering. As a conventional vet you know you can help, but you also know it’s so hard to cure.
It boils down to the cause and symptom. Hence a difference in treatment in a compromised immune system. This goes back to holistic healthcare as treating the cause rather than the symptom.
Continual use of Steroids can compromise the immune system further and won’t help boost the immune system, which is needed to fix the issue / allergic skin disease.
We discuss whether allergic skin disease is caused by the environment or through what the dog eats.
Lise explains why it’s so difficult to remove the trigger in the dog’s world to simply cure the allergic reactions. Oftentimes ‘allergic’ dogs will react to so many triggers that its hard to remove these from the environment.
And we discuss why it’s a misnomer channelling pet parents down the route to particular proteins causing allergies.
Most dogs that present with chronic allergic issues – they’ve been through the mill, tried various diets and any alternative has not fixed the problem.
We chat about ‘allergy food’. And why this really is a misnomer as ‘Hyperallergic’ foods (sold in huge amounts) makes little issue. The problem is with an immune response and the fact that dry ‘Hypo-allergenic’ foods do not contribute to a healthy immune system.
There’s an irony that these diets actually promote allergic reactions!
Lise explains why from a dietary perspective the best route is to feed as nature intended, without grains, without storage mites and more.
Discussing environmental issues, we discuss why pharmaceuticals’ and vaccines contribute to itchy dogs. Basically, because we’ve been using vaccines wrongly.
By this Lise explains that the World Small Animal Veterinary Association has provided the science to prove that dogs are immune from their puppy shots. And thereon to use Titre Testing to prove your dog’s immunity rather than simply annually boosting.
The issue of over vaccination will compromise the immune system, which in turn compromises your dog’s health being elucidated in itchy skin conditions.
Lise enthuses about Titre Testing. The world’s leading experts have spoken and there are clear guidelines to use vaccines carefully.
Lise goes into detail about what a Titre Test is. And why if your vet does not Titre Test – they are not following global guidelines.
Managing itchy skin is complicated but the answers according to Lise are not in ‘Marketed food’.
Lise even claims that if your local vet doesn’t do an in-house Titre Test, it’s time to change your vet!
We even highlight that shockingly that vaccines are not made in small, medium, and large!!!!!!
REALLY? That’s why small dogs are more prone to vaccinosis as Lise explains!!
And for more on a Titre Test – please listen to the episode here