The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats: A Holistic Journey on the Road
to Healing by Dr. Shawn Messonnier, DVM

Selecting a type of health care is very much a personal choice.  For
those of us who have chosen an integrated approach, combining the best of
conventional medicine with the best of "natural" therapies, the road
began with a search for "something more" that conventional medicine was
not able to offer.

Part of the journey for me involved a search to offer better care for my
patients, and one fork in this road convinced me to share my healing
discoveries with others through a series of books.  These books, which
became the Natural Vet series (published by Prima,) allowed me to share
with other doctors and pet owners around the world everything I had
learned about natural pet care.  As a result of this series, those of us
who believe in the importance of integrative medicine are now changing
the way we care for our pets.

Why did I begin my search for "something better," and why did I feel the
need to share this with readers around the globe?

To start with, I had to admit something that was a bit uncomfortable.
Even though I felt that I was a good doctor when I began my search, I was
forced to admit that there had to be more than simply what I was already
doing for my patients.  While I had been trained to be a good "treater"
of disease, I had to face the facts that I was not a good "healer."  Only
when I admitted that I needed to become a healer rather than treater
could I admit my shortcomings and search for something better.

Once I found this great new world of natural therapies, I started seeing
positive results in my patients, many of whom I had not been able to help
with only conventional medicine.  As a result, my motto became "hope for
the hopeless."  No longer did I have to tell a pet owner that I couldn't
help his pet, because now I had twice as many treatment options
available.

Not wanting to be selfish with this new-found knowledge that gave hope
and healing to many patients, I wanted to find a vehicle to share my
excitement. That's when Prima and I teamed up to share this exciting new
information with readers by creating the Natural Vet series.  The 3 books
currently available in the series, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, The
Arthritis Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health
Bible for Dogs & Cats, are already changing the way pet owners and
veterinarians are treating and caring for pets.  No longer are pets
considered hopeless just because conventional medicine can't offer help.
With the well-referenced therapies presented in each of the books, pet
owners can learn to "just say NO to drugs" for their pets and instead
rely on natural, healing therapies.  Instead of covering up symptoms and
"treating" disease, we can now "heal" pets and create true health!

The best selling book in the series is the award-winning The Natural
Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. There are over 200 therapies in this book.
Pets with various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cognitive disorder,
allergies, and arthritis are living longer healthier lives thanks to
owners incorporating the natural therapies discussed thoroughly in this
book. 

Some of the topics covered in The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats
include:

*Choosing the best diet for your pet.  After reading the section on diet,
no longer will pets be forced to eat processed foods which contain
potentially harmful chemicals, additives, and by-products.  Instead,
owners can use the information in the diet section of The Natural Health
Bible for Dogs & Cats to learn how to read pet food labels and select the
healthiest diets for their pets, or even better, they can use the recipes
in the book to prepare nutritious, fresh diets for their pets right at
home.

*Minimizing unnecessary vaccination. Part of my goal of changing the way
we care for our pets is to reduce the frequency of vaccinations.  Many
pets receive repeated immunizations, despite the fact that most pets do
not need these shots. Instead, owners should rely on vaccine titers
(antibody levels) and let the pets' bodies determine which vaccines if
any are needed. 

*Alternatives to conventional medications.  While conventional
medications can be used safely and correctly in a holistic program (as
discussed in the appendix,) there are many instances when safer and less
expensive alternatives exist. Arthritis is best treated with glucosamine
and chondroitin rather than non-steroidal medications.  Allergies are
best treated with herbs, whole food supplements, diets, and topical
decontamination with minimal need for corticosteroids. Cognitive
disorder, often called "doggie and kittie Alzheimer's disease," is best
treated with choline, lecithin, or ginkgo biloba, which is much less
expensive than conventional medication (and conventional medicines are
not approved for cats with this disorder.)

Using the information in  The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, pet
owners and veterinarians can begin to take a holistic approach to pet
care.  By taking a holistic approach and listening to the pet's body, we
can fine tune any therapy needed.  This truly holistic approach allows
true healing rather than simply treating a disease.  And this is what
natural pet care is all about.