Alternative Medicine for Pets/my dog

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Expert: Silva Mirovics - 5/12/2008


Question
my dog has addinson's disease so now he is overweight because of the steriods
what can i do to slim him down!

Answer
Dear Helen
It is important to remember that your dog is not overweight from overeating, but rather because of adrenal hormone imbalance, and subsequent cortisone medications.
Make sure to give him moderate exercise daily, taking into consideration his age and other physical ailments.  To maintain correct weight a dog should be eating approx 2-3% of their ideal body weight, so a 66 pound dog (this being the correct weight for size for that particular dog) should be eating approx 1.5 - 2.00 pounds of food per day.  This includes all food - raw meat, veggies, etc...
Although being stricter with how much food you feed him, remember that he may never be an "ideal" size due to the medications, which he may need to be on for the rest of his life.  
It is important not to starve him, or underfeed him as this will not help his condition.  Also, not good to overfeed as this leads to obesity, diabetes, joint problems and heart disease.
I hope this was helpful.
Silva.
www.roxysworld.com.au

Alternative Medicine for Pets

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Silva Mirovics

Expertise

I can answer questions on natural therapies for dogs. Questions can relate to diet, nutrition, herbal, flower essences and other natural remedies.

Experience

I run my own business - www.roxysworld.com.au - specialising in canine massage, natural therapies and nutritional advice. I am dedicated to educating owners in ways that they can take a more natural approach to caring for their dogs.

Publications
I write an article for every edition of the Peninsula Alternative newspaper, based on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Austalia. Each article is based on canine health, safety and lifestyle.

Education/Credentials
I am a fully qualified Canine Myofunctional Therapist, I am currently completing studies in Small Animal Naturopathy. I am also a fully qualified human therapist with an Advanced Diploma in Therapeutic Massage and I have a Bachelor Degree in Health Sciences.

Past/Present Clients
I provide a mobile massage service to the southern suburbs of Melbourne. I sell my products around Australia and New Zealand. I have even had a few customers from USA.

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