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The Effect of Toxins On The Dog - Most Specifically AntiBiotics & Steroids
Toxins are everywhere in our lives, in pollution, in pesticides and fertilizers used on our crops, and subsequently, in the ingredients used in our foods.
Some extra toxins are added as colourant agents, preservatives, sweeteners; yet more are added or present under the guise of ‘being good for us’ - like flouride in our toothpastes and mouthwashes.
The liver cannot eliminate all toxins, so some are always there,building up within our, and our pets, bodily systems making it essential therefore that we do all that we can to eliminate as many as possible by not using chemicals in the home and our environment, using chemical free personal care products and flouride free oral products.
The body still tries to deal with the toxins in our system, so putting stress on, and lowering our immune system all the time to a certain extent. Some ways toxins affect the body [human or dog] are through problems with the skin like psoriasis, excema, itching rashes, blisters. Toxins can also cause seizures to occurr in sensitive individuals.
With the toxins which build up which the body is unable to deal with effectively, they can cause immuno-issues because of rna dna changes brought about by the introduction of different toxins to the body as discussed in my previous Blog on the negative consequences of over-vaccination.
With anti-biotics, we have the problem that often-times we cannot absolutely know that the one being given is the correct one and thus can not only delay the issue being dealt with, and prolong the pets discomfort and illness, but they pose a serious risk as new strains emerge which are resistant to the anti-biotics available, meaning more strains of diseases are in existance.
There is also the fact that anti-biotics kill 'All' the bacteria in the gut - good and bad - upsetting the fine balance needed of both good and bad gut bacteria and can thus cause immune problems as at least 80% of the immune system is in the gut, aswell as candida and leaky gut problems. Major health problems can be caused by yeast and candida problems, and gut damage, needing long term attention and probiotics to help replenish the good bacteria needed there.
There are now strains of bacteria so anti-biotic resistant, that they pose a serious threat to those infected and can cause the death of those infected as there are no allopathic medicenes to treat them.
Professor Graham Bell, from McGillUniversity in Canada warns that the new antibiotics pose "a serious and unprecedented" risk to public health. He warns that regulatory authorities tend not to look many years ahead when deciding whether to grant licences to new drugs. "They are poorly designed to detect even grave and highly probable risks to public health arising from the population biology of microbes. "Instead of dismissing the possibility that widespread resistance will evolve, we should use the bitter experience that we have gained from conventional antibiotics to plan for it." Learn about safe, effective, natural alternative to antibiotics.
( http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/antibiotics.htm )
Books have been written by a number of qualified doctors to raise awareness of the dangers linked with anti-biotic over-use :
Paul A. Offet M.D. - “Breaking the Anti-biotic Habit”
Dr Mary Ann Block - “No More Amoxycillin”
Dr John McKenna - “ Natural Alternatives to Antibiotics”
David A. Holland, M.D -Antibiotics -- to Take or Not to Take?
"Antibiotics Kill Your Body's Good Bacteria, Too, Leading toSerious
Health Risks"
Drs. Schmidt, Smith, and Sehnert - “Beyond Antibiotics”
[www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/community/anitbiotic-resistance.htm]
Anti-biotics also commonly have side effects which range from a small rash, to allergies, to anaphylaxis.
Some antibiotics have been reported in the medical literature as causing asthma in certain individuals include penicillin, ampicillin, amoxycillin, cephalosporins, tetracycline, spiramycin, and erythromycin, other drugs and antibiotics have also been reported to cause asthma.
( http://www.whale.to/drugs/antibiotics_asthma.htm )
The most common side effects with antibiotic drugs are diarrhoea, feeling sick and being sick but more serious side effects, include the formation of kidney stones with the sulphonamides, abnormal blood clotting with some of the cephalosporins, increased sensitivity to the sun with the tetracyclines, blood disorders with trimethoprim, and deafness with erythromycin and the aminoglycosides. Colitus is also an unpleasant side effect, more common in older people.
"It is ironic that this humbled fungus, hailed as a benefactor of mankind, may by its very success prove to be a deciding factor in the decline of the present civilization." -Dr.John I. Pitt, The Genus Penicillum, Academic Press, 1979
More specifically with animals:
Richard J. Holliday, DVM - "Antibiotics disrupt the normal population of beneficial microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of all animals,these beneficial bacteria are the first line of defense against most diseases, without them the animal is more susceptible to other infections. Antibiotics depress the immune system by decreasing the number of circulating white blood cells. This lowers the animal's ability to fight infections. Some antibiotics, such as chloramphenicol, can cause irreversible damage to the bone marrow. Many bacteria develop resistance to the effects of antibiotics, This resistance can be passed
to other bacteria, The concern is that if humans are exposed to resistant bacteria from animals then the use of antibiotics may be Ineffective in treating any resulting disease. This is the major controversy regarding the use of antibiotics on a regular basis in food producing animals."
RichardJ. Holliday, DVM
And so to Steroids.....
Ronald Hoffman, M.D. - "Steroid injections for arthritis and bursitis are another favorite tool of orthopedists. As we’ve noted, they are progressively less effective, and repeated injections can damage joints and induce osteoporosis. In the case of Rheumatoid Arthritis, doctors often prescribe more powerful second-line drugs.These are the so-called DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs). These agents are designed not just to control symptoms but actually to delay progression
of the disease. Unfortunately, many of them can cause severe adverse effects. They include such drugs as hydroxychloroquine sulfate, gold, penicillamine, sulfasalazine, prednisone, azathioprine, and methotrexate. The last-named is a powerful chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of cancer. Some of these drugs possess potent immunosuppressive effects."
One of my own dogs in the past was given a course of steroids when it appeared she had Enteritis, which is very serious in collies [she was a Rough Collie] - it took months for her to pick-up and looking back now I don’t think she ever totally did, as every year after that for the rest of her life, as autumn came on, she would go down and ‘need’ further steroids.
Dr. Jeffrey Levy - "Corticosteroids (cortisone-type anti-inflammatory drugs) are the most abused and dangerous class of drugs. Not only do they not cure the underlying cause of the problem, they usually make the underlying problem, that is, the real problem, worse." Dr. Levy
Dr. Joseph Mercola - "...the treatment of a patient with prednisone at 60mg per day for about three months can actually cause AIDS. This treatment and doses often given to patients suffering from lung fibrosis, thrombocytopenia, or other chemically induced chronic illnesses.""...AIDS is caused by the heavy use of corticosteroids and/or cytotoxic drugs to treat many health problems. Fauci described in detail the effects of corticosteroids on the immune system. These effects resemble the immune abnormalities that are found in patients suffering from AIDS or Idiopathic CD4 T cells lymphocytopnea (ICL) which are also described by Fauci et al" Dr. Mercola
Steroids mimic the action of the adrenal glands, the body's most powerful regulator of general metabolism.
Steroids cannot cure one single condition, the way they work is that they suppress the body's ability to express a normal response. Occasionally this type of suppression will give the body a chance to heal itself. But more often, the effect is immediate, devastating and can cause permanent damage.
Steroids can routinely cause over-activity of adrenal hormones, which produces Cushing's disease. They can also cause muscle wasting, hyperglycemia, water retention, bruising, insomnia, serious mood changes, menstrual problems, impotence, loss of libido, or even allergic shock and diabetes.
(Source: Physicians DeskReference).
In “Coping With Prednisone and Other Cortisone-Related Medicines: It May Work Miracles, but How Do You Handle the Side Effects?” by Eugenia Zukerman, Julie R., MD Ingelfinger; we find out about some unpleasant side effects :
“When flutist Eugenia Zukerman developed a rare lung disease and began taking the powerful drug prednisone as part of her treatment, she was subjected--with little choice and less preparation--to a barrage of side effects: intense mood swings, bloating, changes in her hair and skin, gastrointestinal problems, and more. Physician (and sister) Julie was shocked to discover how few materials were available to help patients cope with this difficult medication. Together, the distinguished sisters created a highly readable, easy-to-understand, and complete guide through the treatment experience.”
The major side effects from abusing anabolic steroids can include liver tumors and cancer, jaundice (yellowish pigmentation of skin, tissues, and bodyfluids), fluid retention, high blood pressure, increases in LDL (bad cholesterol), and decreases in HDL (good cholesterol). Other side effects include kidney tumors, severe acne, and trembling. In addition, there are some gender-specific side effects:
# For men - shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts,increased risk for prostate cancer.
# For women - growth of facial hair, male-pattern baldness, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, deepened voice.
# For adolescents - growth halted prematurely through premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes. This means that adolescents risk remaining short for the remainder of their lives if they take anabolic steroids before the typical adolescent growth spurt.
In addition, people who inject anabolic steroids run the added risk of contracting or transmitting HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, which causes serious damage to the liver.
Scientific research also shows that aggression and other psychiatric side effects may result from abuse of anabolic steroids. Many users report feeling good about themselves while on anabolic steroids, but researchers report that extreme mood swings also can occur, including manic-like symptoms leading to violence. Depression often is seen when the drugs are stopped and may contribute to dependence on anabolic steroids. Researchers report also that users may suffer from paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility.
The question is, how do we know when these drugs really ‘are’ ‘needed’ - and with the over-use of antibiotics and steroids in today’s world - is what would routinely be prescribed by a vet for your pet, actually, really, steroid abuse and over-use ?
As we really cannot know unless we are qualified in those areas ourselves, I would rather stick to homoeopathy and holistic therapies as much as possible, where side effects are much less common, and less severe.
Some extra toxins are added as colourant agents, preservatives, sweeteners; yet more are added or present under the guise of ‘being good for us’ - like flouride in our toothpastes and mouthwashes.
The liver cannot eliminate all toxins, so some are always there,building up within our, and our pets, bodily systems making it essential therefore that we do all that we can to eliminate as many as possible by not using chemicals in the home and our environment, using chemical free personal care products and flouride free oral products.
The body still tries to deal with the toxins in our system, so putting stress on, and lowering our immune system all the time to a certain extent. Some ways toxins affect the body [human or dog] are through problems with the skin like psoriasis, excema, itching rashes, blisters. Toxins can also cause seizures to occurr in sensitive individuals.
With the toxins which build up which the body is unable to deal with effectively, they can cause immuno-issues because of rna dna changes brought about by the introduction of different toxins to the body as discussed in my previous Blog on the negative consequences of over-vaccination.
With anti-biotics, we have the problem that often-times we cannot absolutely know that the one being given is the correct one and thus can not only delay the issue being dealt with, and prolong the pets discomfort and illness, but they pose a serious risk as new strains emerge which are resistant to the anti-biotics available, meaning more strains of diseases are in existance.
There is also the fact that anti-biotics kill 'All' the bacteria in the gut - good and bad - upsetting the fine balance needed of both good and bad gut bacteria and can thus cause immune problems as at least 80% of the immune system is in the gut, aswell as candida and leaky gut problems. Major health problems can be caused by yeast and candida problems, and gut damage, needing long term attention and probiotics to help replenish the good bacteria needed there.
There are now strains of bacteria so anti-biotic resistant, that they pose a serious threat to those infected and can cause the death of those infected as there are no allopathic medicenes to treat them.
Professor Graham Bell, from McGillUniversity in Canada warns that the new antibiotics pose "a serious and unprecedented" risk to public health. He warns that regulatory authorities tend not to look many years ahead when deciding whether to grant licences to new drugs. "They are poorly designed to detect even grave and highly probable risks to public health arising from the population biology of microbes. "Instead of dismissing the possibility that widespread resistance will evolve, we should use the bitter experience that we have gained from conventional antibiotics to plan for it." Learn about safe, effective, natural alternative to antibiotics.
( http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/antibiotics.htm )
Books have been written by a number of qualified doctors to raise awareness of the dangers linked with anti-biotic over-use :
Paul A. Offet M.D. - “Breaking the Anti-biotic Habit”
Dr Mary Ann Block - “No More Amoxycillin”
Dr John McKenna - “ Natural Alternatives to Antibiotics”
David A. Holland, M.D -Antibiotics -- to Take or Not to Take?
"Antibiotics Kill Your Body's Good Bacteria, Too, Leading toSerious
Health Risks"
Drs. Schmidt, Smith, and Sehnert - “Beyond Antibiotics”
[www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/community/anitbiotic-resistance.htm]
Anti-biotics also commonly have side effects which range from a small rash, to allergies, to anaphylaxis.
Some antibiotics have been reported in the medical literature as causing asthma in certain individuals include penicillin, ampicillin, amoxycillin, cephalosporins, tetracycline, spiramycin, and erythromycin, other drugs and antibiotics have also been reported to cause asthma.
( http://www.whale.to/drugs/antibiotics_asthma.htm )
The most common side effects with antibiotic drugs are diarrhoea, feeling sick and being sick but more serious side effects, include the formation of kidney stones with the sulphonamides, abnormal blood clotting with some of the cephalosporins, increased sensitivity to the sun with the tetracyclines, blood disorders with trimethoprim, and deafness with erythromycin and the aminoglycosides. Colitus is also an unpleasant side effect, more common in older people.
"It is ironic that this humbled fungus, hailed as a benefactor of mankind, may by its very success prove to be a deciding factor in the decline of the present civilization." -Dr.John I. Pitt, The Genus Penicillum, Academic Press, 1979
More specifically with animals:
Richard J. Holliday, DVM - "Antibiotics disrupt the normal population of beneficial microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of all animals,these beneficial bacteria are the first line of defense against most diseases, without them the animal is more susceptible to other infections. Antibiotics depress the immune system by decreasing the number of circulating white blood cells. This lowers the animal's ability to fight infections. Some antibiotics, such as chloramphenicol, can cause irreversible damage to the bone marrow. Many bacteria develop resistance to the effects of antibiotics, This resistance can be passed
to other bacteria, The concern is that if humans are exposed to resistant bacteria from animals then the use of antibiotics may be Ineffective in treating any resulting disease. This is the major controversy regarding the use of antibiotics on a regular basis in food producing animals."
RichardJ. Holliday, DVM
And so to Steroids.....
Ronald Hoffman, M.D. - "Steroid injections for arthritis and bursitis are another favorite tool of orthopedists. As we’ve noted, they are progressively less effective, and repeated injections can damage joints and induce osteoporosis. In the case of Rheumatoid Arthritis, doctors often prescribe more powerful second-line drugs.These are the so-called DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs). These agents are designed not just to control symptoms but actually to delay progression
of the disease. Unfortunately, many of them can cause severe adverse effects. They include such drugs as hydroxychloroquine sulfate, gold, penicillamine, sulfasalazine, prednisone, azathioprine, and methotrexate. The last-named is a powerful chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of cancer. Some of these drugs possess potent immunosuppressive effects."
One of my own dogs in the past was given a course of steroids when it appeared she had Enteritis, which is very serious in collies [she was a Rough Collie] - it took months for her to pick-up and looking back now I don’t think she ever totally did, as every year after that for the rest of her life, as autumn came on, she would go down and ‘need’ further steroids.
Dr. Jeffrey Levy - "Corticosteroids (cortisone-type anti-inflammatory drugs) are the most abused and dangerous class of drugs. Not only do they not cure the underlying cause of the problem, they usually make the underlying problem, that is, the real problem, worse." Dr. Levy
Dr. Joseph Mercola - "...the treatment of a patient with prednisone at 60mg per day for about three months can actually cause AIDS. This treatment and doses often given to patients suffering from lung fibrosis, thrombocytopenia, or other chemically induced chronic illnesses.""...AIDS is caused by the heavy use of corticosteroids and/or cytotoxic drugs to treat many health problems. Fauci described in detail the effects of corticosteroids on the immune system. These effects resemble the immune abnormalities that are found in patients suffering from AIDS or Idiopathic CD4 T cells lymphocytopnea (ICL) which are also described by Fauci et al" Dr. Mercola
Steroids mimic the action of the adrenal glands, the body's most powerful regulator of general metabolism.
Steroids cannot cure one single condition, the way they work is that they suppress the body's ability to express a normal response. Occasionally this type of suppression will give the body a chance to heal itself. But more often, the effect is immediate, devastating and can cause permanent damage.
Steroids can routinely cause over-activity of adrenal hormones, which produces Cushing's disease. They can also cause muscle wasting, hyperglycemia, water retention, bruising, insomnia, serious mood changes, menstrual problems, impotence, loss of libido, or even allergic shock and diabetes.
(Source: Physicians DeskReference).
In “Coping With Prednisone and Other Cortisone-Related Medicines: It May Work Miracles, but How Do You Handle the Side Effects?” by Eugenia Zukerman, Julie R., MD Ingelfinger; we find out about some unpleasant side effects :
“When flutist Eugenia Zukerman developed a rare lung disease and began taking the powerful drug prednisone as part of her treatment, she was subjected--with little choice and less preparation--to a barrage of side effects: intense mood swings, bloating, changes in her hair and skin, gastrointestinal problems, and more. Physician (and sister) Julie was shocked to discover how few materials were available to help patients cope with this difficult medication. Together, the distinguished sisters created a highly readable, easy-to-understand, and complete guide through the treatment experience.”
The major side effects from abusing anabolic steroids can include liver tumors and cancer, jaundice (yellowish pigmentation of skin, tissues, and bodyfluids), fluid retention, high blood pressure, increases in LDL (bad cholesterol), and decreases in HDL (good cholesterol). Other side effects include kidney tumors, severe acne, and trembling. In addition, there are some gender-specific side effects:
# For men - shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts,increased risk for prostate cancer.
# For women - growth of facial hair, male-pattern baldness, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, deepened voice.
# For adolescents - growth halted prematurely through premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes. This means that adolescents risk remaining short for the remainder of their lives if they take anabolic steroids before the typical adolescent growth spurt.
In addition, people who inject anabolic steroids run the added risk of contracting or transmitting HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, which causes serious damage to the liver.
Scientific research also shows that aggression and other psychiatric side effects may result from abuse of anabolic steroids. Many users report feeling good about themselves while on anabolic steroids, but researchers report that extreme mood swings also can occur, including manic-like symptoms leading to violence. Depression often is seen when the drugs are stopped and may contribute to dependence on anabolic steroids. Researchers report also that users may suffer from paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility.
The question is, how do we know when these drugs really ‘are’ ‘needed’ - and with the over-use of antibiotics and steroids in today’s world - is what would routinely be prescribed by a vet for your pet, actually, really, steroid abuse and over-use ?
As we really cannot know unless we are qualified in those areas ourselves, I would rather stick to homoeopathy and holistic therapies as much as possible, where side effects are much less common, and less severe.
There is also the fact that steroids actually act very quickly to cause damage to your body; permanent, crippling damage can occur weeks after you've begun treatment, which is very different from what the doctors tell you, which is that it is only over long-term use that problems occurr :
* Osteoporosis can occur within a matter of months. Steroids cause 8% reduction in bone mass after four months (Ann Int Med, November 15, 1993), the equivalent of the effect on your bones of having your ovaries removed. Even low doses of inhaled steroids (400 micrograms per day) reduce bone formation (The Lancet, July 6,1991).
* Low doses (10-15 mg prednisone) for a year can cause cataracts (Surv Ophthalmol, 1986; 31: 260-2).
* Topical steroids may begin to cause eye damage or raise pressure
after two weeks. Extensive visual loss can be caused by a 1 per cent
hydrocortisone ointment, which is available OTC(BMJ, August 20-27,
1994).
* Rub-on steroids have caused Cushing's syndrome in children as soon
as a month after treatment has begun(Arch Dis Child, 1982; 57: 204-7).
* Inhaled steroids slowth growth in children after six weeks (Acta Ped,
1993; 82: 636-40. See also, The Lancet, December 14, 1991).
* Bilateral cataracts and glaucoma induced by long term use of
steroid eye drops
* Dr. Al-Bayati - "High doses of corticosteroids and other
immunosuppressive agents cause AIDS"Dr. Al-Bayati
J.Arnold
* Osteoporosis can occur within a matter of months. Steroids cause 8% reduction in bone mass after four months (Ann Int Med, November 15, 1993), the equivalent of the effect on your bones of having your ovaries removed. Even low doses of inhaled steroids (400 micrograms per day) reduce bone formation (The Lancet, July 6,1991).
* Low doses (10-15 mg prednisone) for a year can cause cataracts (Surv Ophthalmol, 1986; 31: 260-2).
* Topical steroids may begin to cause eye damage or raise pressure
after two weeks. Extensive visual loss can be caused by a 1 per cent
hydrocortisone ointment, which is available OTC(BMJ, August 20-27,
1994).
* Rub-on steroids have caused Cushing's syndrome in children as soon
as a month after treatment has begun(Arch Dis Child, 1982; 57: 204-7).
* Inhaled steroids slowth growth in children after six weeks (Acta Ped,
1993; 82: 636-40. See also, The Lancet, December 14, 1991).
* Bilateral cataracts and glaucoma induced by long term use of
steroid eye drops
* Dr. Al-Bayati - "High doses of corticosteroids and other
immunosuppressive agents cause AIDS"Dr. Al-Bayati
J.Arnold
