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PHChristy: Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us tonight!

PHChristy: I'm Christie Keith, the Director of Community Services for PetHobbyist.com. On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at DogHobbyist.com and CatHobbyist.com, I'm very pleased pleased to welcome Dr. Christina Chambreau to the opening night of our Seventh Annual Chat Week.

DrChristina: I selected a picture (frog) but saw no way to submit it.

PHChristy: Dr. Chambreau is an internationally known homeopathic veterinarian and lecturer. She is a founder of the Academy Of Veterinary Homeopathy and is on the faculty of the National Center for Homeopathy Summer School. As vice president of the Veterinary Advice Line, she provides a referral service so people can find the best care for their animal’s specific problem.

PHChristy: I wanted to just very briefly say that I first met Dr. Christina many years ago when she was a speaker at the Scottish Deerhound Club of America National Specialty

DrChristina: The people who log in and then log out right away - they don't like me, right?

PHChristy: I was very shocked to see a holistic vet there back in those days, when I was nearly blackballed from the club for feeding my dogs raw <G>

PHChristy: LOL Christina, no, usually they have browser problems

PHChristy: anyway, Thank you so much for joining us, Christina, and welcome!

DrChristina: Was the Scottish deerhoud gp the one in VA?

PHChristy: did you want to start with a few comments?

PHChristy: yes, in Virginia, I believe

PHAbymom: Who is doing what?

DrChristina: Actually I can speak about so many things that I would love people to ask what they would like to hear about - keeping a journal, selecting a holsitic veterinarian, nutrition, principles of homeopathy, how to give remedies, specific problems, etc.

LoriLeigh: ?

Liz77: ?

PHChristy: Lori, ga
Captain Video: ?

LoriLeigh: Will there be any way to get a transcript of this chat?

PHMowgli: WB Welcome to our guest chat with Dr. Christina Chambreau on "Can Homeopathy Make Your Pet Healthier!" During the guest chat, please don't chat in the room - if you have a question or comment, type ? or ! and wait for the host to call on you. Thanks!

BarbW: ?

PHChristy: ga means go ahead, by the way

PHChristy: Yes, the transcript will be available and I'll email it out to the reminder lists and it will be posted with a link to the chat schedule

PHChristy: Liz, your turn!

DrChristina: Pleae ask any question you would like.


queenscorpio_nr: ?

Liz77: I have a question about Vitamin E - for a healthy dog, why use it, and can it cause pancreatitis in a healthy dog?

Liz77: ga

buddy_nr: ?

DrChristina: Vit E is dose dependent. In very high doses it can cause many problems. IT is fat soluble, so can be toxic. HOwever doses recommended by Susan Wynn run from 100-3,200 IU for a dog. I recommend 100-400 IU depending on weight. Vit E is a great antioxident and we certainly need that with our toxic environment

LoriLeigh: ?

DrChristina: OH, the best Vit E according to Dr. Wynn is the succinate form.

Liz77: Why would one use it on a young dog?

Liz77: ga

Scottie_nr: ?

DrChristina: Vit E is a great antioxidant and we need to start young to prevent damage to the body from free radicals.

Minuet: ?

Liz77: ?

PHChristy: Capt Video is next
Captain Video: Ready for the question?

PHChristy: Yes, Capt!
Captain Video: We have a dog with multiple in operable liver shunts. We are feeding her Hills Prescription Canine L-D and Lactulose and some liver support vitamins. Anything else we can do for her?

PHChristy: ga
Captain Video: ga
chez_nr: ?
PHStray: ?

PHChristy: Just a reminder to everyone, when you're done with your question, please type "ga" so we know you're finished. :)

RebelV: ?
Captain Video: I'll repeat...GA.

PHAbymom: Queue is: Lori, BarbW Queenscorpio, Buddy, Scottie, Minuet, Liz77
Captain Video: We have a dog with multiple in operable liver shunts. We are feeding her Hills Prescription Canine L-D and Lactulose and some liver support vitamins. Anything else we can do for her? GA

DrChristina: While people are thinking of questions, I will talk about some of my hot topics. Though I am a homeopath, I believe that there are many forms of treatment that are helpful and curative. That is why I always suggest working with animal intuitives or learning yourself to be intuitive or use a pendulum. This is not the way to select an herb or remedy randomly, but a support to help guide you. When you have a dog like capt video who is very ill, it is useful to ask which holistic modalites, in concert, are the best.

TracyGinger: Is it possible to give homeopathic remedies(pellets) to a cat/dog with diabetes?

PHChristy: Christina, you had a question... do you want it again?

PHChristy: oh, I see, you did see it, I'm sorry .... end of a long, long day for me <G>
PHStray: ?

DrChristina: For instance, in my book I give a brief list with definitions of some of the holistic modalities available to treat animals. YOu could use the list and ask if LD was the best food or if there were better. (I would suggest raw food diet). YOu could ask if flower essences, or acupuncture, or homeopathy would be best. You can even ask which practitioner would be the best.
PHStray: just 1
Captain Video: Thanks Christina - GA with next question hosts...

PHAbymom: BarbW

BarbW: I am interested in your take on doing blood titers rather than vaccinations...especiallyinstead of the Rabies re-vaccintation. ga

DrChristina: this is answering the diabetes question as well. First you make a list of current and past symptoms - that is your master symptom list (In my book, the Healthy Animal's Journal I have a cool bookmark to list them on) then you give the homeopathic remedy or acupuncutre treatment, etc. and rec ord that. Then you wait the right length of time and recheck ALL tyhe symotoms, especially the energy level and emotional level. ga

PHAbymom: Queenscorpio you're turn

TracyGinger: Thanks!

Jiggle_nr: ?

DrChristina: Vaccines are lethal to many animal, so I am for any thing you can do to not vaccinate. I bet you all know of the great list serve about vaccines - jstssayno2vaccs?

LoriLeigh: ?

BarbW: Yes, and I don't vaccinate...but do you trust blood titers?

DrChristina: Titers do not really tell you if the dog is fully protected since every dog is an individual and one may need a higher or lower level of antibodies, if that is reallly what protects anyway. The best protection is to feed the best diet, vaccinate the least (really little), treat symptoms with deep healing, not superficial or suppresive treatment.


queenscorpio_nr: H. I have a small toy dog that has two major problems First he is hypothyroid. I was giving him .2 mg of soloxine twice a day but after talking to Dr Dodds and some people on the list I have now put that down to .1 mg twice a day. I have to get his blood drawn to test his t4s

BarbW: Thank you !

BarbW: ga

Valkyrie: ?

DrChristina: NOw, rabies is a different issue since it is legally required. I find that I can get a dog healthy enough, in most cases , to tolerate the every 3 years rabies if we also use reeiki or other energy to "clear" I do not recommend nosodes or "clearing" homeopathic remedies.

DrChristina: oh, that was ga on the vaccines.

DrChristina: HYpothyroid dogs are oftren affected by vaccination and therefore respond very well to homeopathic treeatment and do not need to continue with any drugs. ga

buddy_nr: ??

PHAbymom: Buddy, you are up

queenscorpio_nr: He seems tobe ok but hewas ok before the vet started him on twice the meds. What can I give him until I get his blooddrawn. Secondquestion he was diagnosed with a heart murmur and isnow on enacard but he still coughs from time to time sometime early in the morning, not necessarily with exercise. I have started gining him COQ10 and Suma root

BarbW: Are you finding the therimosol (sp) Rabies vaccination available for dogs? ga

queenscorpio_nr: ga

BarbW: that should read therimasol free ga

buddy_nr: Could you speak in general about cancer & homeopathy & nutrition? ga

DrChristina: For anyone who would like a second opinion about their animals or to find a holsitic vet - call vetadviceline.com 866-4-VETNOW. ga

DrChristina: I cannot tell you a homeopathic remedy for "low thyroid". Homeopathic remedies treat the individual animal and so 10 low thyroid dogs may each get a different remedy.

BarbW: ty Valkyrie

DrChristina: Co-Q 10 is always good for any dog with heart problems and can even be good preventatively in older animals as it is another good antioxident. I would recommend working with an acupuncture vet or ahomeopath for both dogs. ga

queenscorpio_nr: Thanks! Nita

DrChristina: I was just in a study group where 2 practitioners talked of 100 cases of children who were severly damaged by thimerosol and responded to a remedy made from thimerosol when they had not responded to other well selected remedies. 60% responded well. I think the meriel vaccines do not have the thimerosol. ga

DrChristina: Cancer. Well, sadly we are so much cancer. The time to treat cancer is at or before birth. The more healthy you can make your dogs the less chance of cancer. The more intuitive you become so you can choose the appropriate treatment for that individual dog, rather that what you or your vet or you neighbor believes in the better chance you have.

DrChristina: I do think that avoiding toxins is critical in many animals to prevent cancer. Where are toxins? Flea products, heartworm preventatives, tick products, yard products, household cleaners (look at www.pulseparty.com/132195 for their household cleaner that even does laundry and is made from food), vaccines (they have lots of chemicals in them), drugs, AND FOODS.

DrChristina: You can make a big difference by choosing to not vaccinate much and to feed yourself and your animals foods that are local and organic.

PHQuills: ?

buddy_nr: Thank you!

DrChristina: Homeopathy canhelp when an animal has cancer. Homeopathic treatment from a young age, or of the parents in a breeding program, can change the genetic prediliction to cancer. Once an animal has cancer there is the classical method of one remedy at a time or the newer method of a cancer remedy alternating with the animal's remedy.
berta: /
berta: /

DrChristina: There are other protocols as well. What ever method is chosen, the animal needs to get fairly continuous treatment, even when symptpoms sem to regress. Homeopathy and other holsitc approaches can help the quality and sometimes have the cancer regress completely.ga

PHChristy: Christina, are you talking about something like Dr. Ramakrishnan's protocol for cancer?

PHAbymom: Scottie, you're next

PHChristy: sorry!

Scottie_nr: Any suggestions--homeopathic or otherwise--for combatting diseases, such as Cushing's, caused by environmental toxins in the form of hormone disrupters?

PHChristy: <---bad person going out of order!

DrChristina: Yes, the olternating was Ramakrishnan's method.

DrChristina: Not sure what you mean about hormone disrupters.

Scottie_nr: Xenoestrogens, e.g.

DrChristina: For Cushings you do want to go to the great cushing'-autoimmune list serve run by Heidi.

DrChristina: I am not familiar with the Xenoestrogens. Have heard of them but no opinion. ga

Scottie_nr: Right, that is one terrific source!

DrChristina: I want to re-iterate that each dog is unique and many are very healthy who are vaccinated and fed crappy food.ga

PHChristy: Here is the URL for the Cushings list for anyone who is interested: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineCushings-AutoimmuneCare/

DrChristina: OK - the url for my book and for the vet advice ine are:

DrChristina: http://www.HealthyAnimalsJournal.com and http://www.vetadviceline.com

PHChristy: those URLs are on the chat schedule page also, and will be in the transcript. :)

PHAbymom: Minuet, you are next.

Minuet: My vet is just now taking classes in this type of service. She said my 11 year old greyhounds tongue has a purplish tinge to it, but didn't know yet what it means. She was very stressed and panting alot. She also had an injury to her wrist area, that's why she was there. Would you have any thoughts on that? ga

Scottie_nr: I am concerned about diseases such as TCC, Cushing's and elevated liver enzymes that are epidemic in my chosen breed and seem related to exposure to environmental toxins that disrupt the endocrine system. Short of avoidance, what can one do?

DrChristina: Minuet - your vet is studying chinese medicine, so I would follow her guidance and ask her to consult about the purple tounge withone of her teachers. They are always willing to help students. It could have just been the panting. Watch her at home and see if her tongue is purple. Acupuncture, chiropractic, homepathy, herbs can all help the wrist injury. ga

TracyGinger: ?

Minuet: Thank you! ga

PHAbymom: Liz You are next

PHChristy: ooops!

DrChristina: Scottie, all the things I have said so far will help your breed keep their liver's healthy. You may work with an intuitive healer and discover that your breed should be started as pups on milk thistle or a certain flower essence and that they should have liver test starting at a young age.

PHAbymom: Chez...

Scottie_nr: Thank you. ga

PHAbymom: Looks like Chez left as well... Stray

DrChristina: By treating the breeders with homepathy or other holsitic approaches you may decrease the genetic potential for this problems. Of course, for our planet and our children's children's dogs it is good to decreaase all environmental toxins. Use cloth bags. I do not use plastic badgs for garbage - goes right into the trash can. Etc. ga

PHAbymom: Stray's gone... RebelV

RebelV: I have a year old Vizsla who is on pheno for epilepsy. He has been on it for the past 6 months. This past month he has been having a seizure every other week. He gets hives whenever we up his dosage. Which makes us afraid to change meds. Is there anything that I can give him or diet I can put him on to help with the seizures?

LoriLeigh: I have seen Vit E with 2 names: Tocooherol and tocopheryl. What is the difference and what is succinat form? And why do you not reccomend clearing homeopathic remedies? ga

DrChristina: Homeoapthy is very effective for seizures, as is acupuncture. Sometimes they will implant gold beads to give the continued energy work. Also, give Rescue Remedy anytime a seizure begins to shorten its length. Use an intuitive. Remove all toxins, especially smoke. ga

LoriLeigh: Oops! That wasn't suposed to happen... Not sure what key I hit, sorry

DrChristina: First tocopherol is misspelling I think. I just learned about the succinate, so no knowlege yet except that DR. Wynn very expert on nutritionals.ga

PHFlea: ?

queenscorpio_nr: ?

RebelV: His seizures only last 2 mins. Im just worried about them worsening.

PHChristy: !

RebelV: ga

PHAbymom: Jiggle you are next

DrChristina: I do not recommend "clearing" remedies because which one do you give? Some give Thuja after every vaccine, some sulphur, some Ledum, some Hypericum. Homepathy works besst when a remedy is selected to match the individual animal's imbalance int he energy field, so I recommend using remedies after vaccines only when there are symptolms upon which to prescribe. There are so many other wonderful clearing energy means that are not so specific - use those. ga

Scottie_nr: ?

TracyGinger: ?

Jiggle_nr: Nice frog! Back to vaccinations. I'll be getting a 10 week old puppy soon who will have had two sets of three way puppy vaccinations (despite my best efforts to talk the breeder out of it). Should I automatically assume I need to do something homeopathic for this puppy? Are there particular symptoms to be on the lookout for? Do you subscribe to the idea that titers at least tell you that the immune system has been activated for a particular pathogen? IOW, if I have my puppy titered for parvo and distemper and get a positive read will that be meaningful information? You already answered part of this when you said many dogs can be healthy despite vaccinations, but I won't edit now. Don't feel that you hae to repeat yourself. ga

DrChristina: Rebel - I would definitely worry about the seizures - get going ASAP with the holsitic route, esp diet.ga

LoriLeigh: ?

DrChristina: Frankly, I would give no more vaccines and not waste your money on titers. How many of you get yearly (or ever) titers for measles and Polis and Whooping cough that you were vaccinated for as a kid? No more vaccines fro the pups, feed raw diet unless their aruvedecid or chinese type neeeds cooked, use fresh ingredients, use energy work and intuitive help, select a holsitc vet and buy journals for each pup so you can track their early warns signs of illness. They only need a remedy if they have any illness. This could be goo in the cornedr of the eyes, dull hair coat, etc.ga

DrChristina: Other early warnign signs of energy imbalance can be found on my website. ga

Jiggle_nr: Thanks. ga

BarbW: ?

PHAbymom: Lori

DrChristina: Remember, most important is to not believe everything you hear. With the internet you can find many opposing opinions, so things need to make sense to you. I do not randomly say feed raw meat. I have never yet seen a dog build a fire and cook the mouse. I have never see a dog pull out a knife and debone the rabbit before eating. They have ripping and tearing teeth, not grinding teeth - so not carbs and no pureed canned foor or dry food. Make sense? ga

LoriLeigh: I have a 3 year old newf that I am going to breed. I am currently working on my contract. What vaccine protocol do you recommend? Dr Black and Facinelli are recommending 14 and 18 week DP and 6 mos rabies, and 3 year rabies only after.that.

PHChristy: everyone, we already have more questions in the queue than we'll likely get to... so I'm afraid we're going to need to not take any more. If you have a question and at the end we have time we'll re-open it then. We will do as many as we can before the end of chat.

DrChristina: Those vaccines sound fine to me. If I were working with vets as good as they are, I would tend to give no vaccines (except maybe rabies for the law) and trust they could treat any problems as long as you help them stay healthy. ga

PHAbymom: Valkyrie you are next

DrChristina: Christy, let everyone keep sending questions. Then send them to me by email. I will answer them and you can post them. ga

Valkyrie: Dr. Chambreau, what I can I do as an RVT to make myself valuable to a homeopathic and/or a holistic vet that would set me apart from other technicians? Thank you. ga

PHChristy: that sounds great, Christina! if your question doesn't get answered tonight, email me at phchristy@pethobbyist.com and I will forward to Dr. Chambreau!

DrChristina: Take my homeopathy class this summer (NCH is not holding summer school this year, so Timm and LInda Saffell of PG Ferral is hosting the animal part of the sumer school. The last 2 weeks in JUne I will do into, intermediate and advanced homeopathy. IF you can find a vet who wants to offer homeopathy you can do it under his professional auspices.

DrChristina: I teach vet techs homeopathy in a tech program in MD. Just an intro. You can build yourself a business and actually make a living as a tech. Not sure what the R was, but I assume you are a vet tech. Also, learn essential oils, flower essences, massage, TTouch, massage and that will set you way above other techs. You can even become financially independent by using the Brain Garden's essential oils (It is MLM, so you can become wealthy). ga

Valkyrie: yes, registered vet tech

Valkyrie: Thank you very much, Dr. I will look into it all. ga

PHAbymom: Quills you are next

PHQuills: I deal with a species (not dog or cat, sorry) that seems to be very prone to mite outbreaks. Any holistic remedies to A.) prevent the outbreaks or B.) to treat them?

DrChristina: OH, I think the web site for the animal homeopathy summer school in Bowie MD (people fly in from all over the country for these courses) is, I think, www/HomeopathicAnimalCare.org

DrChristina: What kind of mites?

PHQuills: demodectic usually

PHChristy: we have time for this question and one more....

DrChristina: Demodex is an autoimmune disease in dogs. What species are you talking of?

PHQuills: hedgehogs

PHChristy: if Dr. Chambreau was not able to answer your question, please email it to me at phchristy@pethobbyist.com and I'll forward it to her!

Jiggle_nr: Christy, will the extra questions be part of the transcript?

DrChristina: Hmm. I would probably try topical essential oils (maybe peppermint, geranium, tea tree - carefully. Also make sure best diet. ga

PHAbymom: Next up is Berta

PHChristy: jiggle, yes, I will add them

PHQuills: Ok, will look into that more. :) ga

PHAbymom: TracyGinger...

TracyGinger: What would you recommend to treat high blood urea levels in cats? What about opotheraphy?

DrChristina: HIgh BUn means renal disease, so all the above that I have said. Homeoapthy is great for renal disease. ga

PHChristy: I'm so sorry that is all we have time for tonight. I want to thank Dr. Chambreau and I hope you will join us again! This was a great chat, thank you SO much!

PHChristy: Thank you to all who joined us tonight as well. I will email a transcript of this chat to everyone on the chat reminder list, but there will also be a link to it on the chat schedules at http://www.doghobbyist.com/DogChat7.html and http://www.cathobbyist.com/CatChat7.html

TracyGinger: Thanks!

PH FasDog: Thank you DrChristina!

PHChristy: Please be sure to join us on Thursday nights at 9 PM Eastern for our weekly Holistic Dog and Cat Care Chat in the Dog Den chat room.

DrChristina: Bye now - you guys are gerat

PHChristy: goodnight CHristina, THANK YOU!