Welcome to Podcast Episode 62: Using Food Therapy To Help Your Dog Live a Healthier Life With Dr. Judy Morgan of Naturally Healthy Pets. On this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into what we feed our pets and how certain foods can impact your dog’s health and even be used as part of a treatment for dogs with cancer.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Morgan who is an integrative veterinary medicine expert on how the right foods can help your dog live a longer, happier and healthier life. Dr. Morgan has had great success using her methods to help dogs with cancer.

She also shares advice on natural flea and tick prevention. If you’re interested in learning more about pet nutrition and health, check out episodes 60, 57, 35 and 20. At the end of this conversation, you’ll also get inspiring advice on how to thrive on your entrepreneurial journey.

*Update: I’m excited to share that this episode has been recognized as an award nominee in the category of Excellence in Radio, Podcast or other Audio by the Dog Writers Association of America for their 2019 awards.

Using Food Therapy for Dogs with Cancer

Dr. Judy Morgan is a best-selling author, speaker, and certified veterinary acupuncturist, chiropractor, and food therapist. She currently operates two award-winning veterinary hospitals that offer an integrative approach combining holistic medicine with traditional Western techniques.

In her effort to educate pet owners, she is the author of four best-selling books on holistic pet care and feeding, along with hundreds of blog posts and articles reaching millions of pet owners worldwide. She also has a line of pet supplements called Naturally Healthy Pets which is available on her website and on Amazon. She lives with her husband, Hue Grant, along with their six rescue spaniels, four adopted cats, eight chickens, and four horses.

(00:00) Intro
(01:15) Introducing Dr. Judy Morgan
(03:53) What is an integrative approach to pet health
(08:16) Advantages of making your own dog food or dog treats
(13:05) What is the superfood for dogs
(20:35) Food therapy as part of treatment for dogs with cancer
(26:26) Natural flea and tick prevention
(35:32) Where to find Dr. Judy Morgan

Integrative Approach to Your Pet’s Health

Dr. Judy Morgan: A lot of times we think of medicine as being the traditional medicine that we’ve been exposed to from an American perspective. And that’s what the majority of veterinary clinics offer. And then we have the other side of the fence where there are holistic doctors who might practice acupuncture, chiropractics, food therapy or homeopathy. Those things that are not part of mainstream traditional medicine.

In integrated veterinary medicine, we take the best from both worlds and put them together. I don’t shun traditional medicine. There are some things I avoid as much as possible, but we don’t shun the whole approach. However, when we get into some longstanding chronic problems, traditional medicine runs out tools in their toolbox. When we’re trying to help the body heal from within and we look at the whole animal, a holistic approach is key.

Advantages of making your own dog food or treats

Dr. Judy Morgan: I have a very popular recipe that’s gone pretty viral. It’s called a pup loaf and it’s a super simple crockpot recipe and a good place to start with home cooking for your pet. I’m always hearing from clients who are cooking meals that lack vital nutrients for your pet’s health. Chicken and rice is not a balanced diet! Turkey and pumpkin is also not balanced, and neither is beef and peas.

I love feeding fresh foods to dogs and cats, but it’s vital to cover all nutrient needs. If you’re curious about getting started, seek help from a veterinary pet nutritionist to make sure you’re covering all of your pet’s nutritional needs over the course of each week.

Food Therapy as Treatment for Dogs with Cancer

Dr. Judy Morgan: We just designed a diet to treat a dog with cancer. The dog went into remission, but then he came back out of remission and cancer became active again. The pet parents decided to start doing chemo, so they’re using traditional medicine. But now, the dog developed kidney failure. So the traditional oncologist said to put the dog on this specific prescription diet for kidney failure. That diet was going to treat the kidney disease but make the cancer worse.

So I’m always looking at at situation with a pet from the perspective that you can’t ignore the cancer problem to treat the kidney problem, and you can’t ignore the kidney problem to treat the cancer problem. You have to look at the animal as a whole. So we redesigned the original diet to address both problems. From an integrated standpoint, we’re using the best of both sides of medicine.

Natural Ways to Protect our Dogs from Fleas and Ticks

Dr. Judy Morgan: I don’t use any chemicals on my dogs and I haven’t for years. We use essential oil sprays and apply them daily if I know my dogs are going to be in a tick-infested area. Fall tends to be a bigger time for fleas. With seven dogs and four cats, we can get a bunch of fleas in the house. But we haven’t had to resort to chemicals.

We give all the pets a bath in essential oil flea and tick shampoo as well as spray them with flea and tick sprays. We just kept repeating that cycle every week. And within a few weeks, no more fleas.

Advice for Entrepreneurs Starting in the Pet Industry

Dr. Judy Morgan: Entrepreneurs have visions and then those visions become a passion. And if you’re passionate enough about it, you will not let anything stand in your way. When I started doing holistic veterinary medicine and getting into food therapy, I started looking at what’s going on in the pet food industry as well as with over-vaccination. With the chemicals, it became very clear to me that I could not sit down and shut up. I had to be the voice for our pets. Somebody has to stand up for these guys.

Once you have a clear passion and drive, don’t let anybody stand in your way. And that is what entrepreneurs do. Once you get one thing going, then other things open up.

FIND Dr. JUDY MORGAN:

Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

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Originally published on May 22, 2019.