At the age of 20, I adopted my first dog when her original owners couldn’t keep her. Then it happened again, and again. It soon became clear where this journey was leading me…
Several years later, my family had grown to include six wonderful rescue dogs. Providing the best nutrition possible was very important to me, and I honestly thought I was doing everything right.
Among my last two dogs, Lexi my beautiful pitbull, came to me at 6 months of age. She brought so much joy into our lives, sharing countless moments of so much love and laughter. She also faced significant health challenges, battling severe allergies, relentless scratching, torn ACLs, and constant ear infections that eventually led to hematomas from continually shaking her head. Despite our best efforts with medication, she developed secondary infections. At the age of 11, I had to make the hardest and compassionate decision to allow her to find peace and let her go.
At age 5, Pirate, a handsome pitbull/American bulldog mix blessed us with 4 years of wonderful companionship, instantly becoming Lexi’s best friend. With a distinctive patch over his left eye, Pirate earned the affectionate nickname Petey and Petey Pirate, reminiscent of a previous rescue who held a very special place in our hearts. He was such a character and lived life with such spirited energy and had a very chatty personality despite his own health challenges. He developed a large soft tissue sarcoma, and after two surgeries, I realized a third just wasn’t fair to him. A year after Lexi left us, I faced the heart-wrenching choice to help him find peace, too. It was so hard to say goodbye, but it was the kindest thing for him.
I dedicated countless hours to researching natural treatments, including supplements and various other methods, for both Pirate and Lexi. I felt helpless watching them suffer..Then a good friend of mine, a Doctor of Animal Naturopathy, explained that changing their diet was essential. I tried putting them on a species-appropriate diet, however they were so accustomed to their food that transitioning was extremely difficult. Instead of persisting, I found it too challenging and unfortunately let it go..
Do I have regrets? Absolutely. Witnessing the struggles faced by both my beloved pets and the many others I’ve cared for is why I am so passionate about learning and educating others. By sharing my story, I hope to inspire and empower others to persevere, not give up, and allow their pets the chance to enjoy a longer, healthier life.
There’s so much information out there, and believe me, I truly understand how overwhelming and time-consuming it can be. My goal is to simplify it into bite-sized, easy-to-understand pieces that provide the information in a nutshell. For those who wish to explore further, I will provide additional information and share the resources where you can dive deeper and conduct your own research.
Just one small change can make a significant difference in the life of your pet. I am committed to guiding you on this journey to help your pet live a longer, healthier life.