By Carola Schleuss

Every day while I am out walking with Quinoa and Niles, my two animal friends, I see dogs suffering with hip dysplasia. If hip dysplasia means abnormal growth and development then why aren't we doing something about it? Abnormal growth and development has in part, to do with a lack of nutrients from the mother and father passed on to the offspring. Before the 1950's it was very rare to see hip dysplasia, gingivitis, tooth decay, cancer, diabetes or renal failure in dogs and cats. It was around the 1950's when commercial pet foods were put out on the market. When I see an animal friend having hip problems I'll ask the owner "how old is your dog? What do you feed them?" The answer is almost always the same, between six and nine years of age, and dry pet food.

Quinoa will be nine this September and when she was five her hips began giving her problems which affected her knees. At six her right hip/knee went out. I took her to a veterinarian and was told she had hip dysplasia and was recommended pain killers and anti-inflammatory to see if that would help or do surgery. I took her to another veterinarian and was told it was her knee and that she probably would not be able run, jump or really play again. Swimming and slow walks is what she could do, and that acupuncture might work.

I left the clinic very upset. Quinoa had been on only living foods for a good year, how could this have happened? One year was not enough. She came into this world with weaker hips and therefore she needed more support and more time to build up her entire body. I really learned through Quinoa when her hip/knee gave out that persistence and healing intentions is what got her up and going, playing, jumping, running again. It took 4 months of very hard work but she went from not being able to get up on her own to her playful happy energetic self again. Being told that my baby was never going to be able to run and play again made me even more determined to assist in her healing.

I began with: Acute phase: herbal compresses twice a day to stop the pain and inflammation and arnica 30c, 3 tabs 4-5 times daily for pain and inflammation. When it was too stressful I gave her and myself Rescue Remedy. I massaged her everyday very lightly and did craniosacral, she also received acupuncture 3 times a week, which was donated. I upped her phyto-estrogens through golden flax meal, gave her milk thistle to aid in liver health, used blood cleansers as well as increased her calcium with bone meal and raw bones. It took four months for her to walk and almost 8 months before she was playing. I have continued to massage her and when I notice she is stiff I give ATR : formula, a herbal remedy for stiffness. Quinoa is doing:' great and she rarely has any hip/knee problems., Yeah!

Our good friend Amos, a black lab, was in the same condition at age nine. His hip/knee went out so he was put on whole living foods and supplements., He returned to his active self quickly. He had a relapse at 11 years old, which is when we met. He received craniosacral and chiropractic adjustments. Amos had another setback at 13 years, which put him down for a month but after Very kind veterinarian; he is doing great. Yes, it does take time depending on how long your animal friend has been on dry or wet pet food: Even an older dog such as Amos who didn't receive living foods until he was nine years old recovered with a few setbacks. I find when working with hip and knee problems, that massage will help keep the flow open and is the key, as well as a real whole food diet. Since we are nature, nature's remedies work wonderfully.

Carola Schleuss; CNC CMP, is the co-owner of Simple Remedies in Victoria. Visit  www.simpleremediesherbalsolutions.com