Itchy, red, irritated skin. Constant vomiting and diarrhea. Obesity. Diabetes. Allergies. These conditions affect the health and well-being of our pets, and seem to be becoming more and more prevalent. One reason for these adverse conditions could be the build-up of toxins in the body of the animal.
Why Toxins are Harmful to Pets
When people first hear about detoxification for pets, they often think it is nothing more than a new age money grab, but nothing could be further from the truth. A fair number of people experience negative effects from the constant bombardment of toxic chemicals we use in our everyday lives. How many people do you know that have asthma, or break out if they use certain soaps? If a one hundred and eighty pound person can suffer a skin or respiratory irritation due to a common household cleaner, imagine the effects the same cleaner could have on a six pound chihuahua.
The liver and kidneys are responsible for eliminating toxins in both the bodies of people and pets. As humans usually have bigger livers and kidneys than their furry companions, they are better able to process and eliminate the toxins found in everyday environments. A toxin that might cause someone only to become a bit itchy may cause a horrible rash on a small dog.
Another factor in why pets can become so affected by toxins is their close proximity to them. You or I usually do not sleep on, or eat from, the floor. How many chemicals are in the cleaners we use to shampoo our carpets and keep our floor tiles clean? We are taught to fear germs, to which animals have a much greater resistance, but what about the chemicals that kill the germs? Have pets developed a resistance to these? They literally roll around in these chemicals every day.
What about flea treatments? It is no stretch of the imagination to think that the residual action of the shampoos, collars, drops, and pills we give our pets to kill fleas can build up in their liver and kidneys, impeding the natural functions of their bodies.
What Can Be Done About Toxins
A pet owner may ask themselves what they are supposed to do about these toxins. Should they stop cleaning their floors, shampooing their carpets, and treating their pets for fleas? Of course not. All natural cleaning and de-fleaing products can be used, but many people find them expensive, inconvenient, and ineffective. Even a natural product can still contain toxins.
A detoxification product from a pet specialty retailer may be perfect for your pet. These products are relatively inexpensive when compared to a trip to the vet, and many pet parents find that they work wonders. Adverse conditions often disappear in cats and dogs once they begin a detoxification regiment, and the detoxification process keeps the animal happy and healthy.
When Should a Pet Be Detoxified?
Obviously, when any of the persistent health problems mentioned above occur in your pet, a detoxification will be beneficial. Many pet owners are now aware of how choosing a top quality pet food can greatly enhance the quality of life for their animal, and when their pet suffers from the aforementioned conditions, decide to switch to a better food. When switching from a low quality pet food to one that is more healthy, a detoxification will help eliminate the troublesome elements of the low quality food, thus preparing the body for better absorption of the new food.
When a pet is suffering from allergies, the animal will benefit from a detoxification. People often have to switch their pet's food because of the animal's allergic reactions to it. It takes a little while for the symptoms to go away, as the proteins causing the allergic reactions have built up it the fat cells of the animal. A quick detoxification will help eliminate these allergens, and help alleviate the symptoms faster.
Even if you have fed your cat or dog good food from the get-go, a detoxification every few months to a year is still beneficial. Environmental toxins are everywhere, and the indoor, sedentary lifestyle of most pets today exposes them to many toxins. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The twenty to fifty dollars you may spend (depending on the size of the animal) every few months to detoxify your pet will definitely offset costs of going to the vet.
Sources:
Carr, Joanne, RHN, BA. Detoxification for Pets. Omega Alpha Pharmeceuticals Inc. 2008. Print.
The Pet Alternative.com. http://www.thepetalternative.com/pet-health-symptoms.html
Ian Shoust - With a degree in Communications and a certificate in Digital Video Editing, Ian Shoust has worked as a freelance videographer, editor, and ...
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