Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: As a student of veterinary medicine and an animal lover, it is very refreshing to find a practicing veterinarian who believes in prevention, not just the cure! It's also appalling to hear exactly what is in commercial pet food- that includes the so-called "high-quality" foods.I took in three feral (wild) kittens who all had tapeworm, eye infections, fleas, ear mites and gum disease last year. For the eyes I used an antibiotic eye ointment, but the rest of the problems went away within 2 weeks after feeding them the homemade diets recommended by Dr. Pitcairn and administering various herbs also recommended in the book. I've never seen such healthy, happy cats!
Rating: 
Summary: SOME GOOD ADVICE - AND SOME NOT SO GOOD!
Review: I am an avid animal lover and have always surrounded myself with cats and dogs. At the moment my animal companions consist of two Persian cats who allow me to share their space, and a ten year old Shi-tzu who now takes over my space and everyone's space. The bed is hers, my husband's favourite chair is hers and she has proclaimed the porch to be her own private "senior's unit", a sanctuary she chooses to share only with the cats. I have been a firm believer in holistic health rememdies for humans and animals. Holistic and natural treatments can have a tremendous value in prevention and in treating a variety of health problems, particularly herbs, as long as one has adequate knowledge of what to take, what not to take, and what not to combine with other herbs. I found this book to be of considerable value in many respects, especially in the area of prevention. One section of the book I did have a major problem with concerned home-made pet foods. Many home-made preparations simply lack the proper vitamins, minerals and nutritional value that is contained in a HIGH QUALITY pet food. For example, protein comes from a variety of sources; therefore, your home-made pet food may contain plenty of protein but from the wrong sources. Remember, animals in the wild generally receive their protein from meat sources. Also bear in mind that animals are as unique as people and many often have special needs. While I do support many aspects of holistic health care, I would never consider making my own pet food for cats or dogs, nor would I ever feed them a cheap, low-end commercial food often found on supermarket or department store shelves. Buy a nutritional pet food from your vet or quality pet store! You can always add supplements if your vet recommends it. Holistic treatments are not the answer to every problem, so if you are not sure what is going to help or harm your beloved friend, check with a qualified vet before attempting any new treatment. While the book was strong in areas of prevention, it was weak in pet nutrition.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Resource!
Review: Never before a true believer in holistic medicine, I felt that I had no other alternative when one of my cats was diagnosed with heart disease at barely 5 years old. Conventional meds were making him lethargic and thin, with no appetite and constant vomiting (and put him at a greater risk of developing kidney disease). The vet had given him 3-6 months to live at the very best. This was no way to live, and as a last resort to euthanasia I looked into natural health care and found Pitcairn's book, among others. I decided to feed raw, organic foods supplemented with herbs and vitamins specifically for his heart condition. The change was immediate. I guess he knew what was good for him because for the first time in weeks he wolfed down his food and looked forward to mealtimes. Within a few weeks his fur became fluffy and shiny, eyes bright, and he started bouncing around like a kitten! Well, it has been ONE YEAR since his diagnosis and he is still going strong. Although I wouldn't recommend removing conventional meds altogether (which I did b/c my cat was reacting so badly to them) in favor of purely holistic treatments, it would be beneficial to develop a program with a vet that incorporates both conventional and holistic therapies in a safe and supervised manner. Pitcairn's information and advice in easy-to-read text makes this book an extremely valuable resource for all pet owners.
Rating: 
Summary: My dog has never been happier
Review: When I first started feeding my dog using the homemade food recipes in this book I was skeptical. Now I've been converted. Newt actually looks forward to her meal times now instead of turning her nose up at the same dry chunks every mealtime! her coat has never looked better, and she is even bouncier (which is wonderful since she is now considered a 'senior' and was just diagnosed with a touch of arthritis). I felt as though by feeding her chunks of dry kibble I was treating her like a second class citizen. The ingredients in those foods are of such quality that starving people from a third world nation wouldn't eat them. Companion animals should receive as much respect and kindness as any person, and to feed them unhealthy rotten scraps would be considered abuse and neglect if they were a human child.
Rating:
Summary: No steroids needed
Review: During the Christmas holidays I had to take a Lab puppy (found abandoned in a park) to the vet. He had intense and chronic itching, to the point he no longer had hair on his underside nor his rump and parts of his legs. The skin had become red and oozed. It smelled fierce and began to turn gray. After reading Levy's book I wanted to feed him a natural diet but wasn't sure exactly how. Dr. Pitcairn's book took her wonderful info and put it into recipes that I could deal with. The Lab now has regrown his coat which is now so soft and silky. His continual hot ear problem has almost completely cleared as well. The vets had all given him cortesone and steroids. They said he would have to take them the rest of his life. Now he is totally drug free. I also have a daschund and a cocker who have both had wonderful changes occur. The cocker's eyes no longer run and stain her face and she doesn't stink anymore! The daschund has a sleek and silky coat now and has quit wheezing. If you honestly care for your dogs you must give them the benefits of this book. It should be required reading for all animal owners. My mom and sister have borrowed my book so I am now ordering one for them. Best of all after seeing the changes in my dogs I've been more careful in my eating and I've lost 20 pounds. Thank you Dr. Pitcairn.
Rating:
Summary: A Valuable Book for Your Home Library
Review: I highly recommend this book. The information is invaluable and the subject is presented in easy-to-understand English (not filled with technical and medical jargon). Dr. Pitcairn covers just about every major aspect of your dog's/cat's general and nutritional health. I did not receive the impression that Pitcairn was advocating a complete switch to home-cooked foods versus manufactured kibble or you would put your dog at risk. Most of the animals he presents as case studies were elderly or chronically sick to begin with and had nothing to lose. He merely points out that nutrion is the foundation for good health and our dogs and cats are often being compromised in this due to the nutrional choices we make for them. I purchased this book mainly so I could enhance my own Cairn Terrier's super-premium kibble with tasty and nutritious additions that would further optimize her food. Let's face it, most premium foods opt for good nutrition over gourmet taste. I asked my vet but he had no recommendations. Dog and Cat owners should be careful. Very few vets today have any great understanding about the pet food industry because it is not covered during their studies. I was shocked to learn that the pet foods offered for sale in my vet's office were there because the manufacturer rents the space from him and places the products on the shelves. That is the reason this book is so important. The chapters on flea control, weight problems, and general topics like spay and neutering, and even the death of your animal were a truly pleasant surprise. Every dog or cat owner should have this book.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous book on feeding!
Review: I am a vet tech. For SIX YEARS, I have been feeding my seven dogs Dr. Pitcairn's recipes. As a result, they are the healthiest dogs I've ever owned. Dr. Pitcairn's recipes are perfectly balanced and nutritionally sound. At the vet's office we recommend this book again and again to our clients. Every dog, without exception, has thrived on these recipes. To the woman whose dogs had hair loss problems, I would suggest that something else was going on, perhaps some major irritant in the household or environment...pesticides, chemicals, etc. Rest assured, Dr. Pitcairn is a highly respected vet who has done his research. Each edition of this book has been a best-seller for years and years...because it turns dogs' lives around for the better!
Rating:
Summary: A excellent book on natural diets for Dogs and Cats.
Review: I'm a veterinaryan myself, so I know about all the cemicals and additives thats being put into comercial pet food, both for dogs and cats. And I know also that we are seeing more and more allergic skin problems and other problems that can be direktli linkt to the food the animals eat (comercial food). I have two dogs, and one of them had an allergy that showed its selv as an skin itch, so she had to have steroid tablets every day. I found this book and read it, and decidet to try out the recepies. And what a wonder, her skin itc and foul smell stoppet. I have tried som more remedies from the book and have found them all to be good. I must as an dog owner and as an veterinaryan to recommend this book to all dog and cat owners, hurray for this book.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource
Review: for those whose pets have special dietary requirements. Having fed a super-premium, human grade kibble I was very happy with the status quo. My dogs were extremely healthy and happy - until a food allergy damaged my older dog's pancreas causing chronic pancreatitis. No longer could he digest even the best of dog food. The only alternative was prescription food filled with by-products and chemicals or a homemade diet. Together with my vet, we are beginning to put together a healthy homemade diet to ensure that my dog will live a long and happy life. I bought this book in hopes that there would be recipes to provide variety. Instead of a list of recipes, however, I got an an education in nutrition and how "alternative" remedies can go hand-in-hand with traditional veterinary care. The book also provided an eye-opening glimpse into food production. Not only am I changing my dogs' diets, I'm change my own as well.
Rating:
Summary: Great Information
Review: This was a great book although the main focus is on dogs. The receipes are quick and easy, but don't offer alot of variety for cats. All in all it was well worth the money and my pets (all 6 of them) have been eating the receipes in the book for 2 months and love it!
| 
