Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats (4th Edition)

I'll start by saying this: *read* the book - see what he has to say and the evidence he cites for his recommendations (don't just skim one page and make a kneejerk judgement), then decide for yourself. In our experience, this book has been nothing short of life-changing for our pets. It is informative, provides information around *why* he suggests what he suggests, and our animals have done a complete 180 in a positive direction since implementing many of his suggestions, INCLUDING the dietary restrictions. They have more energy, get sick so much less often, and bounce back more quickly when they do.Regarding some of the concerns I've seen in other reviews, Dr. Pitcairn very clearly offers *both* plant-based and meat-inclusive diet recipes for people uncomfortable weaning their pets off meat. That said, he clearly goes into the reasons he advocates certain diets for pets, not the least of which being the literal junk and poison in meat-based pet food. Would you rather your dog eat fresh, protein- and vitamin-filled plants, or feces/collar shards/and euthanasia leftover in the animals ground up for unregulated pet food? Our dog has eaten a plant-based diet since the day we discovered she had severe allergies to many different meats and has been healthy and happy as we've ever seen her since we made the change (over the course of years now). Many dogs are allergic to chicken, which we only found out after she continued to break out in terrible rashes. The rashes have completely disappeared since we put her on a plant-based diet and she's been thriving for years. We get glowing compliments from our (traditional, non-homeopathic) vet about the state of her health, coat, and energy level. Now - you have to do it carefully, of course! As you do for your own diet. But a plant-based diet, especially for dogs, can be done and if done the right way, is very healthy. For anyone curious about trying this, we rotate her diet between a huge variety of plants, including beans, lentils, tofu, fresh fruits and vegetables of all sorts, and things like hemp seeds, nutritional yeast (which animals LOVE and is so good for them), peanut butter for treats, etc. A sample day is oatmeal, pinto beans, blueberries, and nutritional yeast for breakfast; sweet potato and cucumber for snack with an occasional peanut butter kong; and Wild Earth kibble (fantastic new brand, check out the ingredients for yourself) for dinner. Please read what he has to say and the evidence he cites before discarding it. I don't know about you, but we're not trained in animal nutrition so instead of relying on trending MSN articles and Uncle Bob's Opinions, we prefer to get information from a trained vet who's chosen to research this as his life's work (most vets have zero training on nutrition, so we can't rely on the overwhelming majority of vets for this).In terms of the treatments in the back of the book, they've already helped us cure our cat's respiratory infection within 36 hours after trying a barrage of medication from the vet that didn't work and made him lethargic.Give the book a chance, read what he has to say, then decide for yourself.

I misplaced my copy, ordering this as a replacement. I've referred to it over the years for our cats. It arrived on time, well packaged and in perfect condition.

I personally am enjoying this book. I have a pup that has alot of health problems. She can benefit from Homeopathic and Western medicine! In fact she does! I look forward to learning about feeding her healthy foods, supplements etc.I highly recommend this book!

I had an older volume of this book and decided to see what changes have been made over the last 15 or so years. Complete change in thinking and research regarding food for your furry friends. Vegan, really? I never though of feeding my Pug food without meat but I have made the switch and am so pleased with the results. She isn't as slugish and enjoys her new meals and even enjoys her walks more! Bathroom hadits couldn't be better, My girl has a very sensitive stomach and I was a little liery of switching from homemade meat and veggie combination to this new vegan diet. She had no problems at all over the week transition. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GO THIS ROUTE but I couldn't be more pleased. The supplements have also changed from the older publications. There is a recommended resource for them which are premixed in powder form with precise measurements according to weight. The resource company was very helpful when I called to ask questions. I wish there were more bulk recipes. A lot of the meals are individually prepared along with your own meals. I prefer to make a large batch and freeze and there are some recipes that allow me to accomplish this easily in the food processor. Just be sure to read plenty before delving into the cook. Dried beans require a lot of soaking and washing which isn't difficult, just an awareness. All in all the meals are much less expensive than meat meals as well. Her treats are fruits, carrots and banana chips. i haven't yet made baked treats. Another benefit is not having to worry about meat contamination during prep. 👍 Time will tell but I have very high hopes this will help keep her healthy for many years.

I am very pleased with the book, I first got, "Obligate Carnivore" which put to rest many of my fears about giving a plant-based diet to my cats. I then got this book to see the recipes inside but I think I most appreciate the homeopathic/herbal remedies in the back section. I recently picked up a few of his suggestions to help my older cats' dental health. In terms of transitioning to plant-based eating, it was quite easy to adjust them to it, I still have canned and other meat food that I'm using to transition them, but they like the palatability of the vegeyeast/nutritional yeast and I have noticed a better coat in my older cat. So far, so good.

As a wellness and herbal practitioner, I research all my formulations. The one's I do for pets, such as a vegetarian canine nutritional supplement, requires I ensure all ingredients are well-suited for dog's wellness and to support any health claims I make. This book helps me do that. As well, it is a 'within arms reach' resource for many pet questions and wellness issue, such as herbal remedies, emergency health care, homeopathic therapies, special situations and common health complaints. A great book in my opinion. I use it in tandem with other resources to formulate and discuss with customers their queries in regards to their pets (and conveniently for me, as well, since I am well surrounded by many animal family members) and be confident that the material in this book is verified, well-researched, and well documented.

every animal lover should have it

Excellent, well worth reading. Very interesting book. I would recommend it for all dog owners.

Well, I was looking forward to buy this book for a while since I'm studying natural food for cats and dogs, but I'm really disappointed with those recipes including Vegecat or Vegedog (and its related products), since I'm not reading it to learn how to make a recipe only with comercial products. I wan to learn how to supply the cats with taurine, arachidonic acid with the natural ingredients directly. I have absolutely no clue where I can buy this product in my country, so it becomes a really pointless information and a cheap marketing all over the book. I needed a recipe for kittens and even with the book I still need it. In this case, specifically, it was a waste of my money and my time.

Fabulous and informative for those wanting to cook healthy food for their fur babies.