Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
I have loved the pet health books of Dr. Richard Pitcairn since 1995 when I first bought a copy of his revised edition, and respect his wealth of knowledge. Since that time, I have bought each successive newer version of his book for my pet library. Dr. Pitcairn is the foremost veterinary homeopath in the U.S. His expertise is legendary, and he continues to teach veterinarians on this important and effective healing modality. He details the judicious use of pet vaccines, and yet the dangers of overvaccination. He also discusses pet nutrition and the horror stories and failings of the commercial pet food industry in inferior pet food made from the "Four Ds": Dead, Diseased, Dying (livestock) animals and Decayed food ingredients that are by-products of the human food industry. (Don't believe this? Google it and the writings of Dr. Karen Becker, DVM.) Dr. Pitcairn makes several wonderful suggestions to improve the health of one's dog or cat, including a section on how to make homemade pet meals. Personally cooking for one's pet (using veterinary guidelines) is a sure way to know your dog or cat is getting the most nutritious, delicious and freshest meals.
HERE IS THE CAVEAT: Dr. Pitcairn goes into a discussion the vegan diet--for humans and their pets. His reasons for doing so are for compassionate, cruelty-free eating, the environment and health. Although it is very laudable for a human to choose a vegan lifestyle on moral, ethical and healthful grounds, it is unfair to make this decision for our dogs and cats who were designed by nature--anatomically and physiologically--to be carnivores: their teeth are made for tearing flesh (see those teeth and fangs?); their powerful digestive systems are made to digest flesh protein, fats and calcium; and their jaws cannot move side to side to chew the way a cow or horse can. Dogs and cats were made to eat meat. We cannot ignore this zoological fact. Will dogs and cats eat vegan food? Yes, but they will not thrive the way nature intended. This is why meat-based dog and cat diets are called "species appropriate." You would not give a shark in an aquarium a kelp-based diet and expect him to thrive. To do so would be laughably absurd. It is equally absurd to expect our cats and dogs to thrive on a vegan diet.
Dogs can occasionally eat non-meat protein, but it must be kept in mind they must have meat as their main protein source. Cats, on the other hand, are "obligate carnivores," meaning they MUST eat meat. This is why I personally cannot condone the vegan diets for cats and dogs. Moreover, wheat gluten is a common protein source in many of the recipes, and this can be VERY problematic for both humans and pets. Also, many of the diets contain soy as a protein (such as tofu/soy bean curd), and soy is a known goitrogen (goitrogens reduce healthy thyroid function) and may have undesirable estrogenic properties for men and male animals. Soy contains phytoestrogens.
My own dogs like to eat an occasional bit of fruit or vegetable as a treat, but I would never make a meal for them of vegetables and fruits.
This said, I still have a copy of this book and I will surely buy subsequent editions. The illustrations get better and better with each new edition thanks to Susan Hubble Pitcairn, the author's wife. Apart from the sections on vegan diets for dogs and cats, there is a wealth of information in these books that will benefit every dog and cat guardian.
HERE IS THE CAVEAT: Dr. Pitcairn goes into a discussion the vegan diet--for humans and their pets. His reasons for doing so are for compassionate, cruelty-free eating, the environment and health. Although it is very laudable for a human to choose a vegan lifestyle on moral, ethical and healthful grounds, it is unfair to make this decision for our dogs and cats who were designed by nature--anatomically and physiologically--to be carnivores: their teeth are made for tearing flesh (see those teeth and fangs?); their powerful digestive systems are made to digest flesh protein, fats and calcium; and their jaws cannot move side to side to chew the way a cow or horse can. Dogs and cats were made to eat meat. We cannot ignore this zoological fact. Will dogs and cats eat vegan food? Yes, but they will not thrive the way nature intended. This is why meat-based dog and cat diets are called "species appropriate." You would not give a shark in an aquarium a kelp-based diet and expect him to thrive. To do so would be laughably absurd. It is equally absurd to expect our cats and dogs to thrive on a vegan diet.
Dogs can occasionally eat non-meat protein, but it must be kept in mind they must have meat as their main protein source. Cats, on the other hand, are "obligate carnivores," meaning they MUST eat meat. This is why I personally cannot condone the vegan diets for cats and dogs. Moreover, wheat gluten is a common protein source in many of the recipes, and this can be VERY problematic for both humans and pets. Also, many of the diets contain soy as a protein (such as tofu/soy bean curd), and soy is a known goitrogen (goitrogens reduce healthy thyroid function) and may have undesirable estrogenic properties for men and male animals. Soy contains phytoestrogens.
My own dogs like to eat an occasional bit of fruit or vegetable as a treat, but I would never make a meal for them of vegetables and fruits.
This said, I still have a copy of this book and I will surely buy subsequent editions. The illustrations get better and better with each new edition thanks to Susan Hubble Pitcairn, the author's wife. Apart from the sections on vegan diets for dogs and cats, there is a wealth of information in these books that will benefit every dog and cat guardian.
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Several decades ago, I used Dr. Pitcairn's original edition of this book to learn about feeding home-prepared diets, homeopath, and herbal medicine for my dogs and cats. I no longer own that book, so I ordered the 4th edition so that I could get back to diet basics with my Boston terrier. I was heartsick to see that Dr. Pitcairn has changed his approach to feeding dogs and cats and is now advocating feeding no meat. This is very dangerous advice. Dogs are carnivores that thrive on animal-based proteins, and cats are OBLIGATE carnivores, meaning they MUST have animal-based proteins to survive. I am returning the book, but I cannot in good conscience recommend it for anyone. Dr. Pitcairn was one of the major pioneers in making holistic health care available to pet owners. He is entitled to his own beliefs, but his advice on nutrition is dangerously wrong.
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Helpful
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
Update June 6th: All is well. Q: Has anyone here had success in cooking up larger batches of the Lentil Stew in a slow cooker or rice cooker?
We've been round the veterinarian, Big Pharma and diet block to many times here. Raw diet meat, and then to the dreaded renal kibble by Virbac recommendation. The last being further destruction of my dog's immune system. Homeopathic vet believes our sweet guy was being "starved" and when he had bouts of repeated ear infections, that was the final straw. The meat source is somewhat questionable here, even though they claim this to be organic/non compromised when we were making raw.... he kept getting worse.
Future updates to follow. This is stating 3 weeks into Pitcairn's recipe, using the Lentil Stew.
First off: He has energy again. He initiates rough housing with the younger 1 1/2 year old. Before he had that look on his face of here comes this puppy again... Please do something to stop him!
Secondly: The recommendations in this book for using nutritional or brewers yeast (we use extra nutritional yeast) have finally made a dent in younger dog being a flea magnet. Before we had done one round with a toxic spot on, and two more rounds with a less toxic spot on, and it was not getting rid of them.
Note: We use diatomaceous earth in these floppy eared dogs to protect them from ear mites. This makes it impossible for them to take up lodging, until the immune system is repaired. It also helps us avoid the toxic mite ear killing remedies sold by pharma, which made the older dog very ill. That incident was quite scary.
It's all about building up their immune system. Now we are not vegan, but since the meat sources here are questionable and the renal numbers on older (6 yr old) dog's blood work up was borderline and suggestive of something renal to come... We figured lets begin here. I have also ordered edition 3 (yet to arrive) so we may vary our approach later (more recipes) should numbers stay calm and dog continues to build in stamina/health.
I am impressed.
I must admit due to health issues (what was potentially early stage renal? doubtful) and wanting to take a load off of my dogs kidney's, I have taken an added measure of doing all ingredients organic. That does take extra effort and slight extra funds (worth it). Effort: Also takes extra effort waking at 2 - 4 in the morning with an ill dog, who is terrified and begging me to do something as he pukes... No pukes yet, and we have been off the renal kibble for 3 weeks. I'd rather put my effort forward cooking and sourcing organic, than to be up at 2 am with the other terror.
For those whom have similar concerns, I will check back here in a couple more months, after hopefully all goes well and we do some blood workup on the older dog. We had already lost one from renal at the age of two. She was my healthiest... We do not trust the meat supply, over vaccination, or the Pharma /vet bedmate connection. Everything has it's place, vet care, vaccination wise, moderation is due for an industry that will not moderate themselves but overdoses our pets. When something is due, there is no need to overdo it. Less is more and we have now invested in our dog's health and actually been lead to the Pitcairn regimen by our Homeopathic Vet.
I like that they use the vegedog. I do not have to scramble putting together my own powder, as i have heard is used in edition 3.
Alert, mischievous, feisty and full of mental energy... wow... it has been a while since I saw that in this beautiful family member of ours.
Tips and personal use feedback regarding dosing/recipes: I tried to double the recipe, but it didn't cook up the same. I have two 60 pound dogs. Thus, I prepare ahead of time, and freeze in glass containers.
I use organic red lentils sold right here on amazon. I do not add the vegedog until I warm up each portion. Vegedog said that was the best route of preparation, the specific amount daily, added to the food after warmed, rather than mixed into the recipe.
That is the one thing that I didn't quite get/felt confused with: The amount in the recipe if made as is, is much less than the amount that vegedog recommends daily. Yet the recipe says it can be added in that smaller amount to a recipe or daily amount added to each serving. As a point of reference: My 60 & 50 pound dog eat 2 cups of the lentil stew recipe daily. If the older one asks for more, I give him 1/4 cup more. PS He has had weight issues since the fattening renal kibble and has lost 2 pounds since being on this recipe at that amount. The younger 1 1/2 year old, has been a steady 50 pounds, and gained 1 pound since being on this amount. We are still adjusting the final serving amount. The amount of daily serving for each dog of vegedog that I put in their food is as per their ideal weight: 50 for 2 year old and 55 for 6 year old.
We've been round the veterinarian, Big Pharma and diet block to many times here. Raw diet meat, and then to the dreaded renal kibble by Virbac recommendation. The last being further destruction of my dog's immune system. Homeopathic vet believes our sweet guy was being "starved" and when he had bouts of repeated ear infections, that was the final straw. The meat source is somewhat questionable here, even though they claim this to be organic/non compromised when we were making raw.... he kept getting worse.
Future updates to follow. This is stating 3 weeks into Pitcairn's recipe, using the Lentil Stew.
First off: He has energy again. He initiates rough housing with the younger 1 1/2 year old. Before he had that look on his face of here comes this puppy again... Please do something to stop him!
Secondly: The recommendations in this book for using nutritional or brewers yeast (we use extra nutritional yeast) have finally made a dent in younger dog being a flea magnet. Before we had done one round with a toxic spot on, and two more rounds with a less toxic spot on, and it was not getting rid of them.
Note: We use diatomaceous earth in these floppy eared dogs to protect them from ear mites. This makes it impossible for them to take up lodging, until the immune system is repaired. It also helps us avoid the toxic mite ear killing remedies sold by pharma, which made the older dog very ill. That incident was quite scary.
It's all about building up their immune system. Now we are not vegan, but since the meat sources here are questionable and the renal numbers on older (6 yr old) dog's blood work up was borderline and suggestive of something renal to come... We figured lets begin here. I have also ordered edition 3 (yet to arrive) so we may vary our approach later (more recipes) should numbers stay calm and dog continues to build in stamina/health.
I am impressed.
I must admit due to health issues (what was potentially early stage renal? doubtful) and wanting to take a load off of my dogs kidney's, I have taken an added measure of doing all ingredients organic. That does take extra effort and slight extra funds (worth it). Effort: Also takes extra effort waking at 2 - 4 in the morning with an ill dog, who is terrified and begging me to do something as he pukes... No pukes yet, and we have been off the renal kibble for 3 weeks. I'd rather put my effort forward cooking and sourcing organic, than to be up at 2 am with the other terror.
For those whom have similar concerns, I will check back here in a couple more months, after hopefully all goes well and we do some blood workup on the older dog. We had already lost one from renal at the age of two. She was my healthiest... We do not trust the meat supply, over vaccination, or the Pharma /vet bedmate connection. Everything has it's place, vet care, vaccination wise, moderation is due for an industry that will not moderate themselves but overdoses our pets. When something is due, there is no need to overdo it. Less is more and we have now invested in our dog's health and actually been lead to the Pitcairn regimen by our Homeopathic Vet.
I like that they use the vegedog. I do not have to scramble putting together my own powder, as i have heard is used in edition 3.
Alert, mischievous, feisty and full of mental energy... wow... it has been a while since I saw that in this beautiful family member of ours.
Tips and personal use feedback regarding dosing/recipes: I tried to double the recipe, but it didn't cook up the same. I have two 60 pound dogs. Thus, I prepare ahead of time, and freeze in glass containers.
I use organic red lentils sold right here on amazon. I do not add the vegedog until I warm up each portion. Vegedog said that was the best route of preparation, the specific amount daily, added to the food after warmed, rather than mixed into the recipe.
That is the one thing that I didn't quite get/felt confused with: The amount in the recipe if made as is, is much less than the amount that vegedog recommends daily. Yet the recipe says it can be added in that smaller amount to a recipe or daily amount added to each serving. As a point of reference: My 60 & 50 pound dog eat 2 cups of the lentil stew recipe daily. If the older one asks for more, I give him 1/4 cup more. PS He has had weight issues since the fattening renal kibble and has lost 2 pounds since being on this recipe at that amount. The younger 1 1/2 year old, has been a steady 50 pounds, and gained 1 pound since being on this amount. We are still adjusting the final serving amount. The amount of daily serving for each dog of vegedog that I put in their food is as per their ideal weight: 50 for 2 year old and 55 for 6 year old.
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