Spring Diet

Max

The Lhasa Apso

A few years ago in the Spring, a groomer friend called and she was very upset. A customer had brought in an old Lhasa, named Max, to be bathed and groomed. Max was in bad shape -- matted hair, long and brittle toenails, and green, gooey discharge from his eyes. He did not look healthy. Max had been rescued from the local humane society and my friend’s customer had wanted to provide him with a comfortable home in his old age.

 

My friend bathed Max, cleaned his eyes, cut his nails, put him into a cage and turned the dryer on. She then made a brief phone call and when she returned and checked on Max, he was dead. She was frantic, not knowing what had happened. 

Expressions of Liver and Gallbladder

The element of wood is Spring, the color is green, and the emotion is anger. It is also a time associated with a rancid smell and loud barking. The body’s energy is in the liver and the gallbladder. Any weaknesses in these organs express themselves in the eyes and in the nails.  

 

Muscle weakness is also common, and tears in ligaments and tendons appear more often in the Spring than any other time of the year. Some dogs experience violent headaches, and may rub their head on the carpet, against you, or against the wall.

 

Aggression is more common in the Spring than during other seasons. All these symptoms are exacerbated on a windy day.

Interpretation

 
In the case of Max, his condition was made worse by wind, in the form of the dryer, with no way to escape. Obviously poor Max had liver degeneration,

not uncommon in older dogs, which was evident by his eye discharge and his long, brittle nails.

 

After sharing this information with my friend, she felt a little better,

knowing that Max even without the bath and grooming, was a sick dog

and did not have too long a life ahead of him.

 

 Conditions Associated with the Liver/Gallbladder

  • irritability or aggression.
  • eye discharge, vision problems.
  • pain in the upper back and hernias.
  • tremors in the legs, paralysis, lumps and swelling.
  • vomiting food,
  • brittle nails.
  • lick granulomas,
  • some forms of epilepsy,
  • headaches, pain in the jaw or under the front legs, side of the chest and thigh,
  • some problems of the back legs, including hip displaysia.
  • greenish discharge from the eyes or genitals

Any tendon or ligament damage is associated with the gallbladder. Eye discharges, vision problems and muscle damage are associated with the liver. Behavioral manifestations are irritability, aggression, frustration and agitated depression. The dog may also be sensitive to touch in the middle of the back or the rib cage

21-day cleansing and balancing diet for a 50-pound dog

Feed twice a day and adjust according to weight. 

Maintenance Diet

After the three-week cleansing diet, the dog can be switched over to the Natural Diet recipe for his weight. Start on day 5 of the Transfer Diet of the home made diet, or day 3 of the Natural Diet Foundation or half the normal amount of food for one day if using NDF2.

 

It is possible that a dog who has had liver problems one year, may show some or all of the symptoms again the following year, but less severely. This dog can be put back onto the cleansing diet, but for a much shorter time.

A quick and easy solution is to cleanse the liver using the following flush:

  • 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice.
  • cup of warm Spring or Willard Water.
  • 1 large teaspoon raw honey.

With a turkey baster give 1/2 cup in the evening before bedtime, and 1/2 cup upon arising in the morning. Put the baster into the dog's flews (lips) at the side of his mouth. Squeeze slowly to allow the dog to swallow. Keep his head parallel to the ground. Use for 4 days, before feeding in the morning, and after feeding and before bedtime at night. Store what is not used in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before using again. Feed normally during this flush. 

Working with your veterinarian

Diseases of the liver and gallbladder need to be carefully monitored by your veterinarian with frequent blood tests.