C. J. Puotinen

This book on natural health care for pets covers an incredible amount of material. There are chapters on herbs, homeopathy, flower essences, crystals, and nutrition. The heart of the book is a listing of major diseases with recommendation for treatment. While this book would not replace a trip to the vet in most cases, it does provide alternative ideas on treatments.

One complaint I have with this book is that it is mainly for dogs and cats, with parrots and rabbits getting only a few show more mentions. While dogs and cats do outnumber parrots, it would have been very nice to have more material on them.

Personally, I have used many of the techniques in this book from nutrition to homeopathy. It was the source for my introduction to TTouch. I do admit, however, I am still a bit skeptical of crystals especially when dealing with major problems such as cancer.

Still, for an introduction to various alternative treatments, this book can't be beaten! show less

This book begins with an excellent discussion of diet for dogs and cats. The author advocates for a raw meat diet, with a balance of supplements, and with a variety of protein sources. Then next major section is the herbal. The author presents a variety of herbal remedies for an assortment of problems, such as for fleas or heatstroke. While her list of herbs is long, most of the herbs are available at health food stores. If not, the final section is a list of suppliers.

While I find the book show more useful and have tried a number of the remedies, I have several problems with the book. First, the book seems to have been written more for dogs with the cat information added later. Some cat problems, such as feline acne, are omitted. Second, the herbal section is arranged more by treatment method than by disease. To find a specific problem, one must rely on the index. Third, some of the ingredients, such as garlic, essential oils, and tea tree oil, are now considered problematic for cats. The book was written before the problems were discovered, so if there is a newer edition, hopefully the author will deal with this problem.

Overall, I would recommend this book only to pet owners with some experience with herbs and/or holistic medicine. show less

This is my go-to book for alternative treatments. Mother Nature does know best!
DLS
"I hope The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care will inspire you to become more involved with your pet's care, to improve their diet, to question and learn about every medical procedure that anyone, including a holistic vet, recommends for them, to become actively involved in their care and to expect a lifetime of good health, glossy coats, bright eyes, strong bones, alert intelligence and calm disposition in your show more furred and feathered companions." Forward by Beverly Cappel-King D.V.M. show less