Holistic pet help

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

By Susan L. Wagner - The Wayland Town Crier.

"How to Get Your Dog Off Drugs: A Holistic Approach" is the title of what promises to be a thought-provoking presentation next Thursday evening, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. at the library by Shirley Moore, founder and director of the Wayland-based humane society Save A Dog, and Dr. Ronna Kabler, a holistic vet who practices in MetroWest.

Moore, it will be remembered from several Town Crier stories last year, gave up a career in high-tech back in the late 1990s to establish Save A Dog, a foster-based nonprofit dedicated to rescuing dogs and puppies in danger of being abandoned.

Over the years, Save A Dog has been instrumental in saving hundreds of dogs whose lives and hopes were languishing everywhere from urban shelters to rural areas in the south. Moore was particularly active in rescuing dogs that had been abandoned in the wake of Hurricane Katrina last year.

All of her dogs are first put into foster homes, where their personalities, medical needs and other issues can be evaluated. When the animal is ready for a permanent placement, Save A Dog carefully works out the best match possible for both the adopter and the adoptee.

Not so long ago, Moore said, while reviewing the records from people who have recently lost their pets and are looking for a new dog, she spotted a pattern - otherwise healthy dogs dying prematurely from auto-immune conditions, many of them within a month or so after receiving their annual vaccinations.

Her response was, first of all, to contact and hire Kabler and to begin to adopt more natural measures when dealing with canine medical issues.

In the course of this process, Moore has become wary of a number of common practices and products that, she says, are harmful to dogs (and cats) over both the long- and short-term. Thus, she said, her upcoming talk will cover four main issues.

Vaccinations: "We need to know which vaccinations are necessary and which are potentially harmful, especially if they're given annually. For example, there is no scientific basis for giving repeat distemper vaccinations. And, when you do have to vaccinate, there are homeopathic remedies that you can give to your pet to prevent adverse reactions."

Medications: "As a nation of consumers, we tend to overuse antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs," adding that we're vulnerable to marketing by drug companies at the expense of our own health and that of our pets.

Flea and tick products: According to Moore, these products contain pesticides and may well be related to an increase in the incidence of cancer in pets. "There are natural alternatives to these products that are safe and that won't risk your dog's overall health."

Food: "There are many harmful ingredients in commercial pet food these days that result in poor health and premature death," Moore said.

After her talk, Moore will show a video clip, followed by a short presentation by Kabler devoted mainly to the long-term effects of prescription drugs. The evening will end with a question-and-answer session.

"This is a very important topic," Moore said, "not only to those in the dog rescue community, but to every pet owner who wants their pet to live a happy, healthy life."

The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information call the library at 508-358-2311. For information about Save A Dog, visit "www.saveadog.org" or call 508-877-1407 or 508-358-7578.