Supplement Index

The underlying philosophy of all alternative medical therapies is the ’holistic’ approach, in which the patient is treated as a whole being rather than as a collection of organs and parts.  The patient is treated as an individual rather than as a diagnosis, and the treatment is determined by the way that he or she is responding to illness.  Once treatment has begun, the patient’s response must be accurately assessed, the cause of this response determined, and the treatment adjusted if appropriate.

These days, most people consider their dog a full-fledged member of the family. If you’re among them, you probably want to do whatever you can to boost your beloved dog’s health before illness sets in, just as you would for yourself, your children, and your parents. And who could blame you? Dogs bring so much unbridled comfort and joy that it seems only fair to be just as giving to them.

What is aminocaproic acid?
Aminocaproic acid is an anti-fibrinolytic agent (that is an agent that prevents the breakdown of fibrin, a protein needed for proper blood clotting) advocated by R.M. Clemmons, Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the University of Florida Veterinary College for the treatment of degenerative myelopathy (DM), a condition in which nerve tissue breaks down, in German Shepherds. While aminocaproic acid has been shown to provide very little benefit in the treatment of spinal cord trauma, Dr. Clemmons believes it can contribute significantly to a favorable outcome in up to eighty percent of cases of German Shepherd degenerative myelopathy (GSDM), especially when used with other supplements and diets. Details on the protocol can be found at http://neuro.vetmed.ufl.edu/neuro/DM_Web/DMofGS.htm.

What are antioxidants?
An antioxidant is any compound, whether vitamin, mineral, nutraceutical, or herb that protects against cellular damage from reactive oxygen species, including free radicals, single oxygen atoms and hydrogen peroxide.  Some of the more well-known antioxidants include ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E), beta-carotene, and enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase.

What is Bilberry?
Bilberry is an herb whose fruit has been used in human herbal medicine for centuries. Bilberry, related to blueberry, has antioxidant properties, and is most commonly taken internally in people to help with disorders of the eyes including macular degeneration (deterioration of part of the retina or back of the eye) and cataract formation. Interestingly, however, no trials on the efficacy of Bilberry in the treatment of eye disorders have been performed to date. Bilberry is also considered able to improve night vision, but studies have been inconclusive. The ability of Bilberry to increase vision may depend on the dose used and where the plant is from.

What are biological response modifiers?
Biological response modifiers are large sugar molecules (immune polysaccharides), or sugar and protein molecules (glycoproteins) that interact with the receptors on the surface of immune system cells. These receptors coat the surface of every cell with a nucleus, helping to facilitate communication between cells.  Essentially, immune polysaccharides and glycoproteins are used to stimulate the immune system.

What are black and green teas?
Tea is second only to water as the most consumed beverage in the world. Both black and green tea are made from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The highest quality teas are derived from young shoots, which are the uppermost 2 or 3 leaves plus the growing bud; poorer quality teas are made from leaves located further down the stems. If tea leaves are allowed to oxidize, they become black tea. This oxidation process results in decreased levels of catechin, the active ingredient in tea.  Green tea is preferred as it is less processed, resulting in a higher level of catechins.

"The good thing about plants is they don’t have such strong side effects as medicines that have drawn out the active ingredient without the tempering effects of the rest of the plant," explains Dr. Gerald Buchoff of Holistic Pet Care in West Paterson, New Jersey. Here, he runs through a list of powerful plant medicines that you and your dog’s vet will want to know more about.

What are calcium supplements?
Various forms of calcium are available for supplementation. Calcium bound to lactate, citrate, ascorbate, and other organic acids appears more easily and completely absorbed than inorganic calcium supplements, such as calcium carbonate.

What is Calendula?
Calendula (Calendula Officinalis), or Pot Marigold, is very commonly used in herbal medicine as a topical anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. Its soothing effect is due to an ability to scavenge free radicals (which are products of inflammation), preventing them from causing further inflammation, and to an ability to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation (a white blood cell associated with the immune system). Flavonoids and possibly terpenoids are believed to contribute to these effects.

What is it?
Carnitine (L-cartinine) is an amino acid (protein) that the body uses to turn fat into energy. Specifically, carnitine is required for transporting long chain fatty acids and their derivatives into the mitochondria of cells. The mitochondria are the tiny little powerhouses present in each cell that convert fatty acids into the ultimate chemical energy source of the body, known as ATP. Mitochondria are abundant in the cells of all organs that have a large energy requirement, including semen and the heart, epididymis, kidney, skeletal muscle and liver. Carnitine is not normally considered an essential nutrient, because the body can manufacture all it needs in the liver from lysine, methionine, and vitamins C, B1, and B6. However, it may be useful as a supplement to debilitated heart muscle that needs all the help it can get.

What is cetyl myristoleate?
Cetyl myristoleate (CM) is an ester (a compound produced by the reaction between an acid and an alcohol) of a fatty acid (myristoleic acid) commonly found in fish oils, dairy, butter, and animal fat. It was first isolated in 1994 from Swiss Albino mice found to be immune to the induction of polyarthritis (arthritis of multiple joints). Most commercial versions of cetyl myristoleate are now synthetic and not of animal origin. The mechanism of action of cetyl myristoleate is unknown but may be similar to that of omega-3 fatty acids.

What is Chamomile?
Chamomile (matricaria recutita) is commonly used in human herbal medicine as a mild sedative, and as an antispasmodic to relieve menstrual cramps. Both of these effects are contributed by one of its constituents, apigenin, which is one of the more well studied active ingredients in plant medicine. Apigenin acts similarly to aspirin by inhibiting production of the chemical mediators of inflammation. It also dilates smooth muscle to relieve cramping abdominal pain and is a mild sedative and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety effects). Another active ingredient of Chamomile is chamazulene, which also acts like aspirin to inhibit production of the chemical mediators of inflammation.

What is choline?
Choline is a vitamin supplement that is present in several forms, including phosphatidylcholine (PC).  The medicinal effects of choline are presumed to be caused by phosphatidylcholine. PC is a major part of the membranes surrounding our cells. When PC is eaten, it is broken down into choline rather than being carried directly to the cell membranes. Choline acts like another commonly used supplement, SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine), to provide the methyl groups used by the body in a number of chemical reactions, including the detoxification pathways of the liver. It is also used to make acetylcholine and dopamine, nerve chemicals essential for normal brain function. Choline may also aid in brain and liver function by assisting with the absorption of carnitine from the digestive tract. Carnitine is essential for mitochondrial function, ensuring the liver and brain have an adequate supply of energy.

What is chondroitin?
Chondroitin sulfate is the major glycosaminoglycan found in cartilage.  It attracts fluid inside joints, helping to ensure adequate shock absorption and adequate nourishment of the tissues that line the joint. Like glucosamine, with which it is often combined in supplements, chondroitin may also inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators that are destructive to the joint.

What is coenzyme Q-10?
Coenzyme Q-10 (co Q-10 or ubiquinone) exists in abundance in every human and animal body. It is a vital component of the mitochondria, which are the parts of the cell that produce energy from oxygen. It is thus especially important to the function of organs with a high demand for oxygen, including the heart and the brain, resulting in coenzyme Q-10 being studied as a treatment for heart disease and Parkinson’s disease in humans. Because Coenzyme Q-10 has a natural affinity for oxygen and other oxidizing compounds, it binds to them and serves also as an antioxidant.

What is colostrum?
Colostrum is the antibody-rich fluid produced from the mother’s mammary glands during the first day or two after birth. It contains a number of antibodies and growth factors, which young animals and humans can absorb intact for the first couple of days following birth. Once this ability to absorb colostrum is lost, it is still capable of exerting a local effect on body surfaces such as the intestinal tract when it is eaten, or the skin and mouth when it is applied topically.

What is DMG?
Dimethylglycine is a highly unusual supplement, in that it is extremely popular despite the fact that all of its touted effects have largely been refuted by clinical and laboratory testing. It is most widely used as a performance enhancer by athletes and in dogs and horses that are bred for racing purposes. Specifically, DMG is thought to be able to reduce lactic acid build up that might otherwise contribute to muscle fatigue. There is no immediately obvious reason why DMG should be able to achieve this, given its role in the body as a metabolite of betaine and a source of glycine. Reports of an ability of DMG to enhance athletic performance first appeared in the popular literature in the 1980’s. Controlled studies involving treadmill horses, male athletes, and patients prone to lactic acid build up due to a cytochrome oxidase deficiency fail to support these earlier claims. Other common uses of DMG which are refuted by clinical research include the treatment of autism and idiopathic epilepsy.

What is Echinacea?
Herbal remedies made from the Echinacea plant are exceedingly popular. Different chemical effects are observed with different species and different plant components. It is thus advisable to use a blend of Echinacea, containing E. purpurea herb and E. angustifolia root. Echinacea is of interest as an immune stimulant.

What are enzymes?
Enzymes catalyze (enhance through increased rate of chemical reaction) virtually every function in the body, from digestion to tissue repair, and from hormone function to energy production. Without them, these same processes would occur much too slowly to be compatible with life. Veterinarians may prescribe enzymes when they feel a particular body process needs to be supported. Commonly prescribed enzymes include combinations of lipase, amylase, protease, papain, bromelain, and cellulase.

What is Ephedra?
The herb Ephedra, known in Chinese medicine as Ma Huang, comes from the plant species Ephedra sinica and Ephedra equisetina. The active ingredients in herbal Ephedra are bronchodilating alkaloids, including ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, and norpseudoephedrine.  Bronchodilation means the opening up of the major airways in the lungs.  North and Central American species of Ephedra do not contain these substances.  Ephedra has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine as part of the herbal therapy for the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, respiratory problems, respiratory infections, and sinus disorders. Unfortunately it has developed a bad reputation due to its abuse as an appetite suppressant. Until most products containing Ephedra were recently removed from shelves in Canada and the United States, it was a common ingredient of many weight loss supplements.

What is Eyebright?
Eyebright (euphrasia officinalis) is an herb that has mild antimicrobial (antiseptic), anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. As the name suggests, it appears to have a special effect on the eye. It appears effective when used both orally and topically. Homeopathic preparations of Eyebright appear to have similar effects to herbal extracts.

What are omega 3/6 fatty acid supplements?
These are supplements made primarily from fish oil or flax seed oil, although some products may include other oils such as evening primrose oil or borage oil.

What are fish oil supplements?
Most commercially available fish oils are derived from coldwater fish, primarily menhaden, but also salmon and trout.  These oils are rich in the Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These two fatty acids are metabolized to series 3 prostaglandins, which can have a significant moderating influence on inflammation. Fish, in turn, obtain EPA and DHA from algae, making super green foods such as marine micro-algae an alternate source of EPA and DHA. Algae may become the dominant source of omega-3 fatty acids as fish populations continue to decline in the world’s oceans.

What is Flax Seed oil?
Also called linseed oil, flax seed oil is derived from the seeds of the flax plant and has been proposed as a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to fish oil supplements. Flax Seed oil contains higher levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than fish oil, and also contains omega-6 fatty acids. ALA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is ultimately converted to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in some species. EPA and DHA are of significant benefit in the management of chronic inflammatory and immune disorders. When acted upon by cyclooxygenase, they give rise to the series 3 prostaglandins, which are notable in their anti-inflammatory effects.