Just Like Humans, Our Pets Can Suffer From The Pain & Discomfort Of This Common Condition Too
Unfortunately our pets have followed in our footsteps (or should that be paw steps) with bad habits (not of their own choosing) such as eating processed food and not getting enough exercise. This inevitably can lead to poor muscle tone, to constipation and in some cases to hemorrhoids. Yes - dogs, cats, horses and other pet animals can all suffer from hemorrhoids, caused by too much pressure in the rectum brought on by sitting for too long, by constipation or by straining to make a bowel movement.
Canine hemorrhoids can be either internal or external
The internal ones are located deep inside the anus where there are few nerve endings so there is usually little or no pain or discomfort. But if you notice bleeding from the anus of your pet, be suspicious of internal hemorrhoids and treat accordingly to heal the condition. External hemorrhoids are more obvious both from appearance and symptoms. A typical symptom includes the dog dragging his torso along the ground to stop the itching. Again commence treatment because of the pain and discomfort your dog will experience as well as the risk of infection. Left untreated, hemorrhoids in dogs can lead to abscesses on the anal glands which may even damage the nerve endings and cause fecal incontinence. An impacted anal gland will often leave a smelly discharge when the torso is dragged across the floor or the carpet and will usually need to be surgically removed. Changing your pet's habits and diet will go a long way to avoiding hemorrhoids in the first place while treating them with a healing natural oils product will help with the healing process.So what should you feed your pets?
The healthiest foods for most pets (whatever their age) are whole, raw, unprocessed and in their natural form. This includes animal meat which should be the foundation of their diet throughout their life. Foods that have not been dehydrated or processed are the most easily assimilated for your pet’s body. These foods are biologically appropriate. All the moisture in the food remains in the food. Cats and dogs do best on raw organ meat and this is often the cheapest to buy because it is not so popular with humans. This can always be stretched with some vegetables and cooked rice. A little organic raw apple cider vinegar added to your pet's meal every day will help control fleas and promote a healthy shiny coat. If your pet is overweight, it makes sense to encourage more exercise – regular walks benefit both you and your dog – while reducing the calories and ensuring he has enough water to drink. Fortunately there has been a great increase and interest in providing and buying less processed but more organic food for pets. And that is a really good thing. Many owners are turning away from commercial pet food.Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.