Happy Liver, Healthy Pet

Happy Liver

The Liver is the second largest organ in the body, the first being the skin.
The Liver and Gallbladder are extremely important as they are responsible for proper digestion, transforming food into useful nutrients and clearance of all toxins.
 

Please use the picture to the right to walk through the steps of digestion.

1) Mastication or chewing - Digestion begins with mastication or chewing, this is the step many of our animal friends prefer to skip. Eating too fast can actually result in poor digestion.

2) Breakdown of food particles -Once the food reaches the stomach, gastric juices/acids are used to further break down the food.

3) Enzymatic action of food-The food then enters the small intestine/duodenum where it is further broken down by enzymes secreted by the pancreas.

4) Breakdown of Fats -bile acids are secreted by the gallbladder and help to dissolve fats.

 

This organ, the gallbladder, is extremely important. It produces and supplies bile acids/salts which flush into the small intestine through tiny ducts - bile and cystic duct.

The liver and gallbladder then work together to break down fats, process proteins and carbohydrates and transform all that can be used into nutrients, while excreting and cleansing all that does not belong, ie. Chemicals, additives, GMO'd compounds, nitrates, nitrites, sulfates, artificial sweeteners, colorings and any other drugs or toxins.

These substances travel through the intestines and then are cleared through the colon or bloodstream which is further cleared through the liver - enterohepatic circulation and/or kidneys.

Functions of a Happy Liver

• It is responsible for the production of bile which is stored in the gallbladder and released when required for the digestion of fats.
• The liver stores glucose in the form of glycogen which is converted back to glucose again when needed for energy.
• It also plays an important role in the metabolism of protein and fats. It stores the vitamins A, D, K, B12 and folate and synthesizes blood clotting factors.
• Another important role is as a detoxifier, breaking down or transforming substances like ammonia, metabolic waste, drugs, alcohol and chemicals, so that they can be excreted. These may also be referred to as “xenobiotic” chemicals. If we examine the liver under a microscope, we will see rows of liver cells separated by spaces which act like a filter or sieve, through which the bloodstream flows. The liver filter is designed to remove toxic matter such as dead cells, microorganisms, chemicals, drugs and particulate debris from the bloodstream. The liver filter is called the sinusoidal system, and contains specialized cells known as Kupffer cells which ingest and break down toxic matter.

Causes of Liver Inflammation

 

Liver inflammation can occur for many reasons : bacteria or viral infections, parasites, unhealthy or fatty foods, ingested and clearance of drugs, chemicals, hormones and/or pesticides/insecticides, toxin or residue clearance such as vaccines

 

#1 cause of liver inflammation:

• Chemicals and/or pesticides and insecticides - clearance of monthly heartworm and/or flea medication.

Any chemical in the bloodstream must be cleared by the liver. Therefore, the oral flea medications and flea/heartworm medications can be extremely dangerous for your pet.

When these chemicals are cleared by the liver, it sets off an extreme enzymatic reaction, similar to a bomb explosion.

When these enzymes leak in large amounts they can create inflammation in the surrounding organs i.e. pancreas, gallbladder and even intestinal tract.

 

#2 cause of liver inflammation

• repeat/annual and biannual vaccines

Any time a pet receives a vaccine the residual chemicals and adjuvants such as mercury and polypropylene must be cleared by the liver. This also creates a reaction resulting in enzyme leakage.

 

Why Liver inflammation is serious



Each time the liver is hit with an overwhelming force - heavy chemicals or multiple-combo vaccines, the enzymatic force creates heat within this organ.

According to TCM, this liver heat is the source of many diseases.

This heat dries out the liver and further results in stagnation.

I like to think of the river as a dam in the middle of the body. Naturally the dam is open  allowing proper blood and energy flow from one end of the body to the other. However, when it is unhappy or overheated or dry or stagnated, the dam is closed not permitting proper blood and energy flow throughout the body.

 

A closed dam or stagnated liver can result in catastrophic diseases, such as:

• digestion issues - vomiting, diarrhea or constipation
• ocular diseases - conjunctivitis, corneal diseases, KCS, glaucoma
• dermatitis
• heart imbalances - arrhythmias, anxiety
• kidney and bladder imbalances, cystitis, fear
• imbalances of the brain and nerves - seizures or neurologic diseases, anger 
• deficiencies of blood, yin and/or qi thus weakening the entire body and immune system.

Signs of Gallbladder Inflammation

When the gallbladder is inflamed or not functioning properly the bile may sit and conjugate into gallstones or it may flush backward into the intestinal tract and become absorbed in the bloodstream. When either occur, proper digestion is slowed and the health will begin to suffer.

Signs of gallbladder inflammation are not always easily detected, especially if the pet is not experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or anorexia.

These signs may be non-specific signs of liver heat and/or damp heat :

• any gastrointestinal upset or abdonimal pain – vomiting, diarrhea and/or constipation +/- mucous or blood in stool
• halitosis
• red or irritated eyes, watery or mucoid ocular discharge
• dermatitis or skin disease, non-specific pruritus or itching
• stiffness, arthritis, gout-like symptoms

Causes of Gallbladder Inflammation

I am seeing more and more animals with gallbladder inflammation these days and the rising incidents are alarming. There are many causes so it is hard to point the finger at just one or two reasons. However, I am really beginning to see that dry dog food kibble may produce just enough heat to keep the cycle in perpetuation. Of course, if this is the only option, feeding a high quality, alkaline based, organic and minimally processed food such as Canine Caviar or Sojo is recommended. I also recommend consulting the dog food advisor page as well.

1. Stress
2. Diet
   a) dry kibble -processed food generates heat in the digestive process and this can overwhelm the liver/gallbladder
   b) cheap treats – those made with chemicals or unhealthy meats or additives
   c) fatty foods – cheese, any dairy -butter, milk, ice cream, processed deli meats – these contain high sodium and nitrates and nitrites, pork, beef fat, any rendered fats
3. Oral flea medications and even some topical flea medications – all medications and chemicals must go through the liver/gallbladder filtration-detoxification system
4. Seasonal change – weakened digestion slows and results in food stasis and decreased blood and energy flow through the liver and gallbladder for proper function
5. Parasites
6. Lack of healthy gut flora – This can result from overuse or previous use of antibiotics and residual inflammatory effects from vaccines
7. Candida overgrowth– Yeast infection resulting from unhealthy gut flora

Recommendations for a Happy Liver

• Consult with a holistic veterinarian
• Discontinue oral flea (Comfortis) or oral flea/heartworm (Trifexis) medication. Learn about alternative options for heartworm and flea preventatives. If you do not have a holistic veterinarian in your area or you prefer to use chemical preventatives, use Heartguard orally and a topical flea treatment. Alter the times of administration  i.e. try to schedule the heartworm on the 1st and the topical flea treatment on the 15th of each month.

• Consider feeding a RAW diet
• Consult with your holistic veterinarian regarding a liver cleanse and supportive herbs for your pets condition. I prefer using a combination of Eastern and Western herbs.
• Use a high quality multivitamin/mineral supplement to keep the liver functioning normally
• Use Vitamin E and high quality fish oils (Nordic Naturals)  to supply the liver with the proper fat soluble vitamins

 

The Christmas Angel

While walking into the cleaners today and I found myself holding the door for a man pushing a tiny Chihuahua in a stroller.
Yes, you heard me correctly, a MAN pushing a TINY Chihuahua in a stroller.
Surprised by this odd couple, I knew I needed to hear more about this precious creature who had her daddy wrapped tightly around her little finger.

Her name is "Angel", he said.
"She is very quiet. She never barks or growls.

She loves all people, especially children.
One of her favorite pastimes is waiting for the kids to load off the school bus at the end of the day. She runs with her tail wagging at fast speeds to greet all the children. And the children, well they just love her."

"Angel! Angel! Angel!!" They scream. 

I walk in listening to this man tell me all about his precious bundle of joy and then I see Angel move from her stroller to another gentlemen's (a stranger's) lap. While the rest of the world is busy shopping, buying and preparing for Christmas day, Angel was sitting HERE, living it.

So, I just had to ask, 

"Did you name her or is that the name she came with?" 

Well he said, "She's a rescue. You see before Angel, I had a tiny deer- Chihuahua named Tina who was my 4-legged soul-mate."
"After I retired from the Air Force I moved to Birmingham not knowing that my life would change rather drastically. My wife and I got divorced. Looking for another 4-legged soul mate, I put out a request to a rescue organization describing the type of dog I was looking for."
"I got a call one day about a Chihuahua they were rescuing from a backyard breeder. She was a tiny deer-Chihuahua just as I was looking for and her name was Angel. I don't think it could have been more fitting, as at the time, I needed an Angel!"

I was doing my best to hold back the tears when 2 little girls walked up, also cooing and doting on the tiny little Christmas Angel. Her big doe eyes so gentle inside her tiny little head with her big ears splayed to each side. She just LOVED to LOVE.
I thought of the life she had once known in comparison to her life now.
I wonder if she had ever dreamed of being rescued? I wonder if she had ever thought that one day she might be able to give love to so many different people? I wonder if she had ever dreamed of  a life outside a wire kennel in which she was likely housed 24 hours a day?

These sweet 4-legged furry creatures don't wallow in the past nor wish for the future. They find joy and contentment in each moment. It is us humans who can't seem to let go.
It seems with each generation we move further and further from THIS MOMENT.
We grow less and less content with each situation life gives us.
There is just so much we can learn from these little gentle 4-legged creatures.

But most importantly, I believe they represent the love of Christ, the unconditional love, unfailing love, more than any other being on earth.
They love us without any condition. They do not make judgments or discriminate. They don't choose who receives their love or who they will withhold from. They don't hold grudges or bury resentments in their hearts. Selfishness is nonexistent and offense is not a word in their vocabulary. They forgive quicker than we can apologize. They are concerned more with our heartaches than their own. Each day is a new one with more possibilities than the day before and somehow, someway they are joyful in all situations. They don't hear or receive negative reports nor succumb to self-pity when things don't go their way. They greet every one with a smile and hello.
 

I have heard it said that one of the reasons animals live a fraction of our lifespan  is that they are born with the ability to do something that takes most of us our entire lives to learn,
To LOVE unconditionally.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 has a wonderful description of unconditional love, let's see how they compare?
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.

Hmmm.... sounds like our animal friends were born with a perfect understanding of love.

So right here on earth, we can get close to the heart of Jesus by learning from His gentle creation that is all around us.  

I know each and every one of my fur-kids was sent to me at the time when we needed each other the most. And each and every one has come with a different life lesson.
Just as Angel swept into Mike's life, they have each swept in at the most perfect timing, God's perfect timing.
Sometimes, while holding them, I can't help but cry as I think back to the horrible situation in which they overcame. It hurts my heart to know what they endured. It hurts my heart to know that most of them were destined to die.
But they found someone who would listen, someone they could teach.
And their life and their lessons carry on every day.
A few lessons I have learned from them:
Life is not based on our past, but
Rather on our future.
It's not where we've been, but
Where we are going that gives us hope.
The more love we give, the more we will receive.
Love is a gift and should be given without conditions.
We must learn to live in THIS MOMENT and in doing so, we can learn to be anxious for nothing.
 

So let's celebrate the true reason for the season, Jesus Christ.
Rejoice.
Give thanks.
Forgive.
Love.
And if you haven't already, ask Him to help you understand the lessons your "angels" were sent to teach you.
There is no doubt, you will be amazed.




 

Vaccines and how they work

We have discussed before how the body is strategically designed with it's own healthy and natural immunity against ANY and ALL foreign agents (bad germs and/or bacteria, viruses and even cancer cells). However, in order for the immune system to work optimally, the body must remain in a state of a homeostasis. This is a healthy state of order that is maintained through lifestyle, diet, exercise and rest.

In the last 50 years there have been many changes in our life-style. We have developed a harder work ethic, erratic sleep patterns with business and stress far outweighing time spent resting and relaxing. We have moved away from the outdoors and become engulfed in a world of technology inside our homes, offices and even cars.We spend less time growing and harvesting or hunting our food and more time eating quick and easy fast or processed foods.
These dramatic changes have not only affected us, humans, but our animal friends as well.

 

Our pets spend less time walking and playing fetch in the park and more time lounging. Our fast paced diets have led to processed foods and cheap treats for our animal friends.
These subtle but IMPORTANT changes have resulted in lowered immune systems.
Just as our own culture has become dependent on artificial immunity, the animal community has as well.

 

I thought this quite funny!!!!

Vaccines will save you money if you only get 1 or 2 in a lifetime!!! But over the course of a pet's life, repeat injections are actually COSTING more money and more  lives, not saving them.

 

As you can see in the first schematic, vaccine immunity may prevent your pet from developing the disease, BUT natural immunity offers long-term protection.

Furthermore, the most important thing to understand when choosing a vaccine over natural immunity is: making sure the adverse reaction caused by the vaccine outweighs the risk of complications of natural infection.
Of course, we will all agree, Parvo, Distemper and Rabies vaccines and possible side effects far outweigh the risk of the complications of the disease.
BUT
1) Did you know that after the age of 1 for Parvo and the age of 2 for Distemper, that your pet is not susceptible to those diseases, with or without prior vaccinations?
Your dog will have either acquired a strong enough immunity through artificial or natural immunity by those ages that the effects of the disease will be contained or controlled by the body's immune system.
2) Did you also know that most vaccines contain other viruses that are no longer a threat to animal welfare such as Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and/or Corona virus?

It's important to know this information, so you can make an educated decision regarding your pet's health and protection thereof.
It's also every owner's right to understand that your pet is not getting vaccinated for 1 or 2 viruses at once but usually more along the lines of 5 to 7 viruses.
This creates a hefty immune response and can cause adverse reactions and overstimulation of the immune system.

You should also know that most vaccines produce immunity for 7,10,12 years. Therefore, each year, the subsequent vaccines are actually working AGAINST your pet's health.

So let's begin by understanding vaccines.

What is a vaccine?

A vaccine is a non-pathogenic biological preparation that provides immunity towards specific infectious diseases. OR
A vaccine creates a mimicked germ or microorganism in the body so the immune system can develop a weapon against the real germ or microorganism when it gets infected.

The preparation can either be killed or live and weakened forms of pathogens, or purified components such as proteins. Vaccination has been proved to be an effective method of preventing many viral and bacterial diseases. All vaccinations function on the principal of introducing the disease causing pathogens into the immune system in order to evoke an immune response by developing antibodies for those pathogens or antigens. These antibodies help the vaccine recipient to efficiently fight the pathogenic disease if and when it occurs.
Antigens (Ag) are chemical substances having the ability to stimulate the body to produce an antibody.
Antibodies (Ab) are chemical substances that react with the specific antigens and help the body in fighting against diseases. Antibodies play an important role in the defense mechanisms of the body. In generic terms, the immune system produces antibodies in response to the presence of the corresponding antigen.
A vaccine may be administered orally, or by intramuscular, intradermal or subcutaneous injection.

Mechanism

A vaccine contains dead, weakened or clinically altered antigens that stimulate the vaccine recipient’s body to produce antibodies. For example, a vaccine for parvo will typically contain a dose of the inactivated parvo virus. These dead microorganisms will be recognized as foreign particles by the leukocytes (white blood cells) of the vaccine recipient’s body.

• T cells become activated and begin activating both the B cells and the Natural Killer Cells.
• B-cells present the antigen (Ag) to plasma cells and these then work within the bone marrow to make anti-bodies (Ab). The Ab's float through the blood stream waiting to be used for battle against the Ag.
• The T cells don't have memory. They just come out to fight. They will fight when ANY Ag enters the body and the are stimulated EVERY single time a vaccine enters the body, which means they are stimulated year after year.

Once the leukocytes understand the structure and composition of the microorganisms, they start producing antibodies to fight the microorganisms. These antibodies are like memory cells of the immune system. Any future invasion of the parvo virus will be immediately taken care of by these antibodies.
To sum it up, the introduced antigens stimulate the vaccine recipient’s immune system to recognize the antigens as foreign substancees, destroy them, and remember them in case of any future infections. The vaccine recipient now develops immunity against that STRAIN of antigen. Antibodies are very specific and will NOT work the same with a similar strain of virus or bacteria.

*It takes the body 7-10 days to produce antibodies.
While the leukocytes learn to fight against these pathogens, the vaccine recipient may display symptoms of the disease, such as high fever, vomiting etc.
Pets may also have an immediate allergic response with the presentation of so many antigens resulting in symptoms of vomiting, high fever, facial swelling and/or hives.

 

 

Why ANNUAL vaccines  are NOT ok :

If your pet is getting vaccinated with 5 or 7 or more vaccines every year, each vaccine stimulates the T-cells to wage war against a whole host of foreign antigens. With this many antigens at once, the immune system literally sees a huge invasion much like being in a world war.
This does not mimic a normal scenario in life, where a pet might be presented with 1 or 2 antigens at a time.

This can be a problem for several reasons:

 

• It sequesters the immune system. This means it keeps the immune system busy with pointless repetitive vaccine Ag's when it could be on the lookout for other foreign Ag's or cancer cells. This results in immune-SUPPRESSION. The immune system is lowered from overworking which results in susceptibility with TRUE foreign Ags.
• It over stimulates the immune system. As I said above, every time the body is hit with 5-7 or more foreign invaders at once, it's like a sudden invasion during a huge World War. An over activated immune system can result in AUTO-immune diseases. These means the immune system gets so hyped up, it turns on itself and begins attacking the host (the pet).
• When antibodies (Ab) attach to antigens(Ag) this forms an Ag/Ab complex. After the neutralization has occurred, this complex should naturally get destroyed through phagocytosis - where it is eaten by another white cell or leukocyte (macrophages). However, in overwhelming situations such as repeat antibody stimulation by antigen presentation, some of these complexes do not get destroyed. After an Ag-Ab reaction, the immune complexes can be subject to any of a number of responses, including complement deposition or processing by proteases.
•  
• 
• When these complexes do not get phagocytized or eaten, they may get deposited as complements.These complexes are fairly large proteins, so they cannot just float around in the bloodstream. The body may try to rid itself of them by depositing into other organs - liver, kidneys and joints are the primary places. When this happens they may themselves cause disease e.g. in certain forms of vasculitis. Vasculitis is an inflammation of the wall of a vessel. Most of the overflow lodge in the synovial spaces of the joints which results in inflammation known as arthritis and others are pushed through the kidney tubules which can result in inflammation known as glomerulonephritis and even create inflammation of the liver resulting in hepatitis. This may further trigger a Type 3 sensitivity auto-immune reaction such as Systemic Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, auto-immune hemolytic anemia and auto-immune thrombocytopenia.
•  

• Every time a vaccine enters the body the liver and entero-hepatic system must try to rid the body of the foreign materials used in the vaccine, such as mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde and polyethylene glycol. This creates liver heat (from an Eastern medicine standpoint) and can even result in damage to the liver as these are heavy metals and dangerous chemicals.

 

Immunity and the Gut

Since the majority of the immune system is found in the Gut, I figured we could start our immune discussion here.
This is the area that comes into contact with the largest amount of foreign material.

As most of you know, my primary focus is Eastern Medicine and The Five Element theory. In my experience, this system has proved to be the most accurate and the most truthful. While western medicine has its place it has become fairly biased through pharmaceutically funded research.
This ancient system of Eastern medicine was developed through pure observation and has been used for several thousand years. The accuracy astounds me.

I will use TCM for Traditional Chinese Medicine and 5ET for Five Element Theory.

In TCM, it is said that we receive our life's energy or qi from 3 sources:
1) Jing - our genetic qi which we receive from birth.
I like to think of this as our maternal immunity - that which we received in the womb from our mother and father's DNA. Some of us were born with naturally strong immune function and some of us with weak immune function.
2) Food qi - this is the energy we derive from our food. It either works for us and strengthens our immune system or works against us and lowers our immune function. This is where I believe the American diet has failed significantly. Most doctors and veterinarians refuse to believe "WE ARE WHAT WE EAT."
3) Lung qi - this is the energy we derive from the air we breathe.
Some people are born into areas with clean open air and others are born into areas with poor air quality. Some may live in areas that are polluted from factories or traffic or live in an environment that is damp and moldy/mildewed or are exposed to chemicals such as formaldehyde, propane or low levels of carbon monoxide.

So as we see, there are really only 2 aspects of our immune health we can control:
The food we eat.
The air we breathe.

Below is a picture of the layers of the upper intestine, duodenum, where food is primarily absorbed.

Since the gut comprises the largest immune function in the body, the health of the gut is of utmost importance. The gut has many layers as you can see in the picture. The layer that is most affected through diet, poor health, disease, drug metabolism -especially antibiotics, and/or excessive vaccinations is the innermost layer, the mucosa. Within this layer are tiny finger like projections, called villi. These are responsible for the first line of defense in absorbing nutrients and keeping out invaders such as bad bacteria, viruses, chemicals, toxins, food additives, etc.
Below is a magnified view of the villi and how they receive particles through ingestion.

 

 

 

When the gut is unhealthy, the villi do not work properly. If the villi are not working properly foreign invaders may enter into the second layer. Here they will be met with the gut's store of immune cells - the lymphatic system but if the villi are unhealthy, the lymphatic system will likely not be functioning at optimal capacity.
Lymphatics: Just as blood vessels (arteries and veins) carry blood in the body, a parallel system called lymphatics carry lymph, a clear, watery fluid from spaces within tissues, containing various substances (including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and sometimes even microbes).
The lymphatic system and lacteals of the villi can become congested with cholesterol and/or other toxins which decrease the viscosity of the lymph fluid and further prevent immune protection.
We will discuss proper gut health in another discussion.

As you can see in this next photo, there is a lymphatic system (tiny green clusters) located in the mucosa layer, this should be the body's strongest defense mechanism.

Below is a short picture of what the system looks like working together to keep the body protected. As food, chemicals, toxins enter the intestinal tract the intestinal cellular health must be prepared to go to war. Eating seems so passive and even enjoyable but to our body is a constant battle. It is such a beautiful and unique system so intricately designed. I just cannot get enough of it.

I have also included a short video (just a few minutes long) which walks the viewer through all the steps above.
Please take a moment to watch this video, it will help you understand the importance of gut health and why it is imperative that we nourish our health through diet, supplements, life-style and partake very little in chemically derived medications, especially antibiotics.

Click on the link below to watch the video.

http://bcove.me/4wul3t4o

Understanding the body's Immune System

 

As most of you know, my passion is teaching against the harmful effects of vaccines.
While some vaccines may help prevent diseases, over-vaccinating actually creates disease.
Understanding vaccines begins with understanding the Immune System. I am amazed at how little our society is taught regarding this very important subject.
This will be geared towards our animal friends but much of the information relates to us people as well. There are very little differences in the immune system between the species.

One definition of disease is :
A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, esp. one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.

Regardless, I call disease, DIS-ease.
That means, I define disease as anything that causes the body to become imbalanced or affects it's natural state of homeostasis.
Homeostasis is a state of physiological equilibrium,  in which the body must remain to keep all cells and structures within the body functioning normal.

The body was designed to internally regulate itself for optimal health.
Our body was designed with its very own amazing IMMUNE SYSTEM in which it is designed to destroy ANY and ALL foreign agents that may enter or develop within the body which could cause harm.
Examples: bacterial agents, viruses, cancer cells, harmful chemicals, residual toxins.

                                    


The body was designed to deal with each and every one of the agents listed above.

Natural Immunity is far more powerful than artificial immunity.
However, over the last 50 years, our dependence has been geared toward protection from artificial immunity.

A few important facts about the Immune System:
1) The immune functions optimally in a healthy environment - in a normal state of homeostasis. Anything that may negatively affect homeostasis will, in turn, affect the immune system.  
    a) prescription drugs - anti-inflammatories, pain medications, other prescribed medications,     chemicals -topical or oral flea and heartworm preventatives, residual chemicals - mercury or formaldehyde from vaccine injections, ingested chemicals - processed foods, additives, food dyes
    b) poor diet - lack of fresh and/or organic vegetables, meats containing hormones, antibiotics, or growth stimulants
    c) stress - stress of disease - chronic illness or chronically suppressed immune system, negative changes in lifestyle or uneasiness of environment
    d) lack of exercise
2) The immune system was designed to be the body's primary defense mechanism.

3) The immune system's defense mechanism protects through
    a) mucosal protection of nose or nares - sinus - adenoids
    b) mouth beginning with tonsils and continuing through the gut mucosa
    c) skin - largest organ of the body
4) Immune cells are stored in the lymph nodes, thymus, peyer's patches of the intestinal tract and bone marrow. In humans, the spleen is a primary storage area for immune cells but this is not the case in the dog.
5) The largest immune defense mechanism resides in the GUT or intestinal mucosa - Peyer's patches.
6) The body is designed to tag EVERY abnormal cell with a flag, including cancer cells. A normal and healthy immune system is designed to destroy cancer cells as soon as they are identified.
7) The immune system uses 2 forms of protection
    a) Cell mediated immunity - this is the first line of defense to a foreign invader. The body instigates it's armed and ready soldier cells - macrophages, T-cells and cytotoxic cells to destroy the invader.
    b) Humoral immunity - this is memory immunity. The body has ANTI-bodies stored in the bone marrow from previous first invasion or artificial immunity - vaccines. The anti-body is specific for the antigen invading and the enemy is removed through identification and destruction.

 

 

The antibody combines with the antigen (the enemy) to form an Ag/Ab complex. Once formed, the complex must be cleared by the body. I will discuss the importance of this over the course of this tutorial.

*Important fact: artificial immunity is not effective, just as natural immunity is not effective in an unhealthy animal or in the face of chronic DIS-ease.
Vaccines are not medicine.
Vaccines will not benefit an animal in a diseased state and will not prevent disease in an animal already infected with the illness. In fact, it will lower it's body's natural immune response through pre-occupation and make the animal more susceptible to the disease.

one is better than none

"All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." John 1:3

Unknowingly, my husband had taken me back to a place that had left deep scars on my heart as a little child.
Fair grounds, flea markets, trade days were all places I had ventured as a child and they all had one thing in common : animal prisoners.
As a child these were not enjoyable places for me. The kittens and puppies reaching through the kennel asking for a hand...were not just asking for a hand, they were begging to be rescued from a life behind bars.
Freedom, that's all they longed for. Chains or bars? what's the difference?
I could hear their cries and feel their tears. I could not escape without begging to save them all.
But as a child, you have little influence. Your words go unheard and your parents make excuses.
But not this time. This time I was 25 + years older, nevertheless, I felt completely helpless.

My initial reaction always reverts to SELF. My mind buzzed with all the things I was going to say to the careless owners breeding my dear animal beings for a buck. Then I thought of buying all the puppies and kittens. But wait, what about the geese, ducks, chickens and goats? I couldn't save them all. Everywhere I turned I'd catch an eye - please help me, please pick me, please don't let me die here. I could feel my heart raging war in my chest, I felt panic welling up inside me. And that's when I decided to come clean. I decided my husband should know that he married a girl with an animal spirit.
He didn't seem surprised. He seemed more confused. He looked at me crossways when I explained that I could feel everything that "they" felt. That the pain was unbearable...
Do you want to leave? No, I want to stay.
I wanted to do something that I had never done before..I wanted to reverse the pain.
Pain can be overcome with love. Instead of forcing my negativity and hatred on such a people, I must, instead, love them....
This is not a love I have, this is only a love I can receive and therefore, freely give. Like a vessel receiving oil, I must let the Father's love pour into me and then out again.
I thought about Jesus walking through the market place, I thought about what he must have seen and felt and then I thought about what he did. He came to deliver. He came to deliver all humankind from the curse of the law, from the curse of sin and death. He is our example. He is our shepherd.

"In this is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because
as HE is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17

The spirit at this market was heavy with poverty. Poverty is under the curse. Poverty is the worst form of oppression.
Jesus came to deliver mankind from oppression. I recalled the only law given by Jesus.

'‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

As I walked and prayed, I could feel the heaviness lifting, a change was manifesting. Physically, change could not be seen, but in the unseen much was being accomplished.
I was praying "God's will to be done on THIS earth as it is in heaven."
God's will is not for poverty stricken people to sell animals for money.
God's will is not suffering.
God's will is not oppression from lack.

God's will IS for heaven to come to earth. Heaven knows no sorrow or misery. Heaven knows no poverty or oppression.
Heaven is freedom from the chains of this earth. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding.
I am not speaking from hear-say, I'm speaking from experience.

As I assessed my situation, I could, indeed, see that I had changed. I was learning to let go of the ties that bound me to this world, the past, hurts and emotions that tied me to my animal friends. Emotions that, all to often, would cause me to look past or through the human and see only the 4legged being.

Now, I was allowing my heavenly Father to work through me, to love people through me; to use my mouth to speak blessings, not cursings; to use my body as a temple to pray for change; to use me to call heaven to earth.

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." Deut 30:19

A sigh of relief came over me, a wave of joy, rather. I was breaking ties with this earth, with this life. Then, just as we were about to exit, I noticed a tiny red and white speckled puppy lying flat on her belly with legs splayed, trying her best to survive the sweltering temperatures.
The two men saw my face and offered her to me. "Wanna puppy?" I looked again to make sure she was alive. "She's free."
Then every thought of her possible doom rushed through my head. I looked to my husband begging for his approval. "No" he replied, "We have too many right now."
Then I tried, I tried to be someone else, I tried not to care. I walked away, sick to my stomach, wondering if I'd sleep again...I would always wonder...did they throw her off a bridge? did they drop her on a dead end road? did they toss her from the moving window of the truck? did she get passed on as a bait dog?
"PLEASE!!! I begged...PLEASE!!!!!"
I rattled off all the above sequences, feeling as if I was going to vomit...I began searching everywhere for her but the men and the puppy were gone.
I lost my trust in the Father and His protection of these beings. I swept up in a rush, a rage again ever so easily with one half opened eye from the puppy.
"Ok, maybe you're right." My husband agreed.
Then I spotted them, climbing into the truck, in the bed was the pet carrier strapped to a pile of garbage. I knew it. I knew it. They were just going to toss her.
"WAIT!!! I screamed running after them. WAIT!!! I'll take her!!!"
To my surprise, the man reached in the cab, not the kennel and handed me a semi-conscious, dehydrated, weak little puppy.
I wasn't as strong as I thought I was or maybe, maybe I had done what I was sent there to do. Maybe my obedience and prayers had released ONE angel to me, one that needed me.
My heart burst with joy as her little eyes met mine.
I felt so relieved....I had tried my best.... deep down I thought, "one is better than none."

Khaleesi went on to get adopted by a close friend who had lost her dog just a few months prior in a struggle with a difficult illness.

Po

I tried my hardest to put myself aside and attend a blast from the past with my dear husband. While spending a weekend away at the lake, he asked me to walk through "Trade days" with him. Oh the happy memories from his childhood. Now who was I to deny him this wish?

But he had no idea who he married when he took me as his wife. 

He thought I was just animal lover, veterinarian, softie, you get the picture. He didn't know he'd married a girl with an animal spirit.

The first time I learned that it had a name and was recognized in other cultures, I was floored. I came across it in my eastern medicine studies. 

Po- is the name given to the animal spirit. 

I grew up as a child being told animals do not have "souls" and they did not pass into heaven. If there was ever a teaching that turned my heart more to stone, I can't remember it now.  

That was told to me over and over. A kid who only identified with the 4-leggeds was told time and again that animals were just "that" and were only on this earth for our enjoyment. 

I was crushed. 

I focused very much on the afterlife- life in heaven- spiritual life and deeper purpose. And yet I was told that the only creatures I identified with, did not have souls!!! 

Those teachings turned me far away from God and later almost cost me my calling as a veterinarian. 

But, My Heavenly Father showed up just in time to straighten out a few misconceptions. 

I've started this blog for all those out there who can relate. For not only the animal lovers but those that know you belong to something bigger and greater than you can understand. This is also for those who have had such a passion for something that it has been a burden; It consumes you to the point that you try to hide it. 

Any passion that burns alive inside your spirit was likely put there by the one who created you.  The master creator, the one who breathed life and spirit into all flesh! The One who knows every hair on your head, every grain of sand on the beach, who clothed the lillies of the field and the birds of the air, this One knows and cares about the passions that burn quietly inside you. 

This is the scripture that changed it all:

And they went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there were the breath and spirit of life. (Genesis 7:15 AMP)

Spirit - not souls - they do have! Spirit is the gift of life. Soul is the gift of reasoning. (See my other blog for this) 

My 4-legged friends and I shared something, an animal spirit, Po,that was given by the very creator Himself. And my husband was just about to find out....