This is a huge encyclopedia of a book for dog and cat owners, and it's a tremendous source of alternative information. I'll be using it as a reference work, but it's also sensitive, humane, and wonderfully thorough.

A classic book on holistic canine and feline care. A withstanding reference in my library.

i like it

Just about everything that you need to know to take care of your pets naturally.

I took this book out of a Little Free Library in hopes of finding some recipes for homemade alternatives to my cat's diet of 100% canned wet food, on which he has done well since a UTI last year led me to take him off dry food but which is getting to be logistically and financially unsustainable. But the authors lost me with their grain-based recipes. Those may be OK for dogs but not for cats. Then I saw the section urging me to consider a vegan diet for my pet, why not, it will be good for the planet, and I was definitely done.

The rest of the book, which I skimmed, seems to come from the alternative-medicine and ethical-shopping trends of the late 90's and early 00's. While I am as wary of conventional medicine for my cat as for myself, I no longer see abstinence from science-based approaches as the way to save the world. I won't be using this book and I don't think I'll pass it on to anybody else either.

A comprehensive and helpful overview of raising a cat or a dog with natural, alternative, and homeopathic practices. Lots of emphasis on a natural, organic diet and creating a healthy, toxin-free environment.

First 150 pages are devoted to vegan diets. For dogs AND cats. I would never feed my dogs a vegan diet and I would never ever do that to my cats!! I only skimmed that section. Middle of the book is devoted to random pet care. Not necessarily to natural health care.
Last 100 pages are what I wanted. Actual health concerns with holistic treatment options. Author is a homeopath and I really wanted more of that throughout the book. And even more than 3 options per disease. If I could buy just the treatment section, I would. 4 stars- would be 5 if he didn't mention fasting and veganism for a cure to every disease.
Author is anti brachycephalic breeds. I do not want to live without a bulldog in my life.
Author is anti breeding. I like my pets to come from healthy, well-bred dogs.
Author is anti surgery. He states a pet can never be fully healthy or cured if an organ has been removed. And yet fully endorses gonadectomy. I am not sure how one can rationalize the 2 statements. Sigh. I wanted so much more.
I really want to buy the author's homeopathy veterinary repertory. But it is ridiculously expensive and now I'm not sure I want to invest in it.

3/8/12 ~ Mom & I also went to the church 2nd hand store in Red Hook. I got this one for free.

I saw this at the bookstore - it includes information on cat and dog diabetes.

If you're looking for a much more natural approach and for information that the typical vet will not mention -- this is the book for you.

The format of the book is like reading an encyclopedia and I found it to be handy on more than several occasions with my senior dog that was suffering from liver cancer.

This book marked the beginning of my holistic journey with my dogs almost 20 yrs ago when I was a teen. I got it on the recommendation of my conventional vet when I mentioned wanting to make my dogs' meals at home. He knew of this book and liked it because the recipes inside are "balanced" and were created by a vet, so figured it would be a great starting point for me.

Firstly, I'll state that this book is far more than a recipe book. It covers a multitude of topics surrounding almost every aspect of pet health, with a handy symptom/disease based guide in the latter part which goes over homeopathic, diet, and herbal treatment options. Dr Pitcairn is considered a pioneer of natural pet health, and very knowledgeable on the subject.

My experience with this book is very mixed. It certainly ignited my interest in natural health for animals, and I followed the recipes faithfully. At the time, I had two senior dogs, a malamute mix and a husky mix. The husky mix succumbed to cancer which I believe was likely present when I adopted him two years previously, and my malamute experienced symptoms of hormonal imbalances that led to a neuter surgery, followed by a brief stint of seemingly good health in which my vet boasted that he should live to at least 15, before passing away a year or so later at 12 from a sudden extreme health decline that I believe was either poisoning from my neighbor or else potentially intestinal cancer (necropsy was inconclusive). What I've learned in the years since then about diet is that dogs really have no need for carbohydrates, and a carb-heavy diet can contribute to hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and cancers. Unfortunately all of the recipes in the book are *very* heavy on the carbs (rice, oats, corn meal, bread, etc), and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone looking to feed their pets a homemade diet consequently (fortunately their are a lot of excellent resources online now for formulating a balanced raw or cooked diet).

Aside from the diet problem, this book is a wealth of information for lots of different health issues, even if its just to start you on the path of asking questions and learning different view points regarding natural health. My own personal journey has led me down a diverse path that doesn't necessarily align with all of Dr Pitcairns beliefs as well (i.e. whenever possible I will never again vaccinate, spay/neuter, use flea/tick or heartworm medications, etc) but it was this book exclusively that set me on my learning path. But in light of more recent developments regarding nutrition and nutrigenomics/epigenetics, I can't get behind the nutritional recommendations in this book (hence the 3 star rating).

a must have if you want a holistic approach to healthcare for you pet.