Natural Resistance – Even Against Fleas!

By Christina Chambreau, DVM, CVH.

Your dog can be healthier with less intervention, therefore less cost to you. Canines of all kinds have lived for tens of thousands of years on their own and have adapted to humans for thousands. Even with our breeding manipulations which can cause problems, when treated as a dog capable of self healing, most can live a long healthy life.

“But…what about getting mange…fleas…viruses…wound infections…bacterial infections…worms…and so much more that we are giving chemicals and drugs to prevent or treat? The internet, trainers, pet stores, veterinarians, groomers – all give me different opinions. My Chinese medicine veterinarian in North Carolina says to give Nexguard. ”

As a conventional veterinarian I did not think about how resilient our bodies are. I was taught to give more and more vaccines; feed commercial canned and kibble; prevent fleas ticks, worms with chemicals; bathe them a lot; treat to stop each symptom that appeared. Now there has been a health crisis, partly from our actions. When I graduated in 1980 it was rare for the teaching hospital to diagnose Cushings, Addison’s, Diabetes. Now local clinics treat new cases weekly. Wait! I don’t want fleas. I do want a healthy dog. What can I do?

Dogs have naturally healing bodies

For a few minutes, forget about which chemicals or even holistic treatments you should be using for specific issues. Think about this marvelous body we all have. Human (dogs are similar) DNA codes for over 100,000 proteins forming 10,000 enzymes and organelles with 200 million membrane receptors for each of the 37 trillion cells of the body. Each cell has thousands of mitochondria, each with their own DNA that interact with the nucleus. Hold on to your leash, now, because there are around 6,000 chemical reactions per second happening in each cell. Now, add in the trillions of cells in the microbiome of the skin, digestive system, urinary system and more. They are communicating as well with the DNA and cells of the immune system. This is the same way the underground network of fungi (and many other mechanisms) helps plants, trees, water communicate, heal and put out chemicals to repel insects.

Let’s look just at the skin for a moment. The bacteria, fungi and even parasites living on the healthy skin number in the tens of thousands to millions per square inch, at all levels of the skin. When not disrupted by our modern life approaches, even the normal Demodex mite causes no problem. Their communication with your dog’s body cells actually decreases inflammation, aids in healing, blocks allergens, UV radiation and oxidative stress. Maybe this explains my 40 years of observing that healthy dogs rarely attract fleas.

Thinking of this efficiency may help you pause and question if you are supporting or weakening this elegant system. Bodies are designed to resist disease, repel fleas, remove or disable invaders of all sorts, even to process toxins – when allowed to do it. When unable to resist, they are designed to recover from the illness. Some individuals may need help.

The key is the terrain. National Institutes of Science lists the factors that can influence this underlying ground of natural resistance and resilience:

• Genome
• Microbiome
• Lifestyle
• Environmental exposures (present and past)
• Presence of “illness”

While the genome is a given, epigenetics dictates how the genes express themselves. For the rest of their lives, you have a lot of control over how the genes trigger the body. How do we build such a vibrant terrain/energy field/Chi/Vital Force/Prana that the dogs in your life can be naturally healthy, you do not need to spend money on keeping the bugs away nor worry about every new infection scare that comes down the media?

Practical steps

First, step back and see the body as a capable of health and try not to interfere. Decrease your level of fear. For every choice you face in your dog’s life, ask if it is building vitality, merely being a temporary fix or disrupting the amazing communication system present in your dog. Recently, a woman was telling me about her many adopted dogs. One, she said, had so many problems, especially anxiety. For the first few months there was little change. Then the fresh food diet, gentle patient loving, energy healing, exercise, grooming and more showed that some gene expressions were changing. After a few years the dog was healthy and joyful. Her body was allowed to return to full vitality. Please read Dr. Jeff Feinman’s articles in the Happy Healthy Dog Magazine for more on enhancing the soul, spirit, energy, vitality rather than focusing on preventing or temporary treatments.

Second, think about the consequences to your dog and the planet for each decision you make.

To prevent distemper you could: not socialize (but what about mental health?), vaccinate (what about the side effects, the cost to planet of producing vaccines, syringes and disposing of them, etc?), work with holistic veterinarians to develop natural immunity (patience and planning needed, along with observation of early clues to lower vitality, etc). Each family and dog may need different approaches. You must stay current on Rabies vaccine if it is the law in your country, unless your holistic veterinarian can get an exemption for poor health.

To prevent fleas and flea allergies you could: put on topical chemicals or use chemical flea collars (but do you want to hug them, let toddlers or other pets lick them, pay money regularly, poison the environment?). You could give a pill that prevents fleas, ticks, worms, heartworms all in one monthly pill (cost, toxins in dog and environment, is this weakening the natural healing ability?) Use the presence of fleas to indicate your dog is not completely healthy and take steps to build vitality, use a flea comb daily just in case, use the many more natural approaches until he is so healthy you rarely see a flea. Trust, love and know there are no right answers, so keep on trying different approaches, then carefully evaluate the response.

You can build mental and physical health that can repel fleas, decrease chances that what a tick injects into your dog could cause disease, not become ill when exposed to toxins, bacteria (even ones like MRSA), viruses (like Parvo), fungi (normal body is full of fungi), parasites and more.

Steps to build vitality are found now in many books, articles, magazines, my newsletter and classes, Holistic Actions Academy. Feed a fresh food varied diet (there is no one correct one), decrease toxins in their life, stimulate and excite them mentally and physically, learn and regularly offer energy healing approaches (Reiki, TTouch, HTA, Eden, EFT and more), decrease their stress (mostly by decreasing yours), assure plenty of good nap time during the day.

A key step is to develop your holistic health care team now, before illness strikes. My website has a great article on how to find the vets. Locally you can find many resources, some of whom will share this perspective of gently building health and vitality. My consulting can help you with all of the above.

Really possible?

In my 45 years as a veterinarian, speaker and teacher, I have seen a huge percentage of dogs who became more balanced avoid becoming ill when others around them were infected with viruses, fleas, lyme, lepto, infection from injuries. These dogs were not using monthly chemicals, frequent bathing, expensive veterinary visits. No fleas, even in the south. Ticks, yet no Lyme, even in Connecticut.

Pathogenic invasion of any sort (even ones we have not yet seen) are most likely, though not always, seen, in dogs who may seem healthy but actually are not truly vital and balanced. When we focus on maintaining dog’s internal balance, resistance to disease is optimal. Certainly I have seen dogs become flea infested, get a virus, develop cancer or chronic disease. Each of our life journey’s is unique. When you learn to focus on vitality, they will recover faster and you will be less fearful, understanding that the best defense is a well-maintained internal terrain.

Know what is working

You will know what helps the most if you track of your pet’s symptoms, energy level (BEAM) and not accepting common issues like dandruff, doggy odor, vomiting hairballs, drippy eyes or smelly ears as you try different foods recommended by testing, or improve mental and physical exercise. Keeping a journal makes it much easier. Other articles here have mine as a gift.

The path to health for your animals can be fun and challenging. Your animals will love your attempts to learn many different forms of healing and lifestyles. You will learn how to be healthier yourself. You will eat better, exercise more, be less stressed, help the planet – for the love of your dogs.

Graduating from veterinary college in 1980, Christina Chambreau was using mostly homeopathy in her practice, teaching classes, writing, speaking around the world (yep – pre zoom) to anyone wanting healthier animals. She now advises, virtually, people how to help their animals maintain health, recover from illness and create a health care team. Email her at HealThyAnimals@aol.com for a gift of a 15 minute advising call.