You have read about how toxins accumulate in your pet and what happens when they are not removed. You can view the video from Part 1 and 2 HERE.

In this final article (part 3), you will learn what to expect as your pet detoxifies, what is a "healing crisis" and why it's a normal part of detoxifying and why it's important to supplement as this process occurs.  

This is part 3 of a 3 part series on detoxifying your animals.  

The topics covered in Part 3 include:

1. What to expect when your pet begins to detoxify 
2. How to best support detoxification
3. What is a healing crisis?

DETOXIFYING YOUR PET – PART 3

What to expect when your pet begins to detoxify

The best support you can give your pet is to feed a premium, holistic food, along with fresh, filtered water daily. Your dog and cat are meat eaters and since most pet commercial foods include corn, rice, wheat, oats and and soy, you pet may be lacking the vital nutrition he or she needs, as well as may be accumulating toxins from foods it cannot readily utilize.  The irony is that if you suddenly switch your pet's food from a commercial food to a premium, high quality protein diet, your pet might experience negative symptoms that surprise you; first related to diet change; secondly to the physical changes your pet may experience in eating upgraded protein and carbohydrates and third, related to toxin elimination. 

Toxic, non-nutritious fillers, inferior proteins, grains, chemicals, preservatives and other additives common to most commercial food can cause malnutrition in your pet; even without you realizing it. Once you introduce a high quality food, your pet can have digestive problems due to the premium proteins and the supplementation premium foods contain. Your pet might require a transitional period just like if you switch from eating fast food to organic. Your pet will first need to cleanse itself of inorganic compounds before it can accept healthy nutrition. Detoxification symptoms can include loose stools, vomiting, diarrhea and skin reactions. 

Adjustment and associated symptoms are a natural part of the purification and detoxification process. Your pet's symptoms may range from nothing, to mild or even severe. Your pet's reaction are dependent on many factors, including overall health, previous diet, age, breed, genetics and environmental factors. 

When you have a cold, you have to purge whatever symptoms you have. Really, it's no different for your pet. But once the symptoms are rid of, a healthier, happier pet emerges. Detoxification symptoms should last approximately 2-4 weeks. If your pet has a history of poor health or has used steroids or antibiotics and repeated vaccinations, detoxification symptoms may last longer. If your pets symptoms last longer than a few weeks, see your vet immediately.  

As your pet enters into deeper phases of detoxification, you may choose to reduce herbal and supplement dosage by ½ to allow toxin die off, but also to allow your pet’s body to acclimate to the regimen before resuming full dosage. A typical timeframe of ½ dosing may range between 7-14 days, depending on the age, breed, general health and number of symptoms presenting. 

The end result of the detoxification process is a healthy, vibrant animal unburdened by toxic invaders, enhanced immunity, general disease prevention and improved wellness and longevity. We love our animals and can’t imagine life without them! Cleansing regimens are useful in ensuring more time with our furry family members! 

It is recommended that you consult your holistic vet before administering natural detoxification products to your dog and cat. If during the detoxification process you observe any symptoms that concern you, stop the herbal regimen and contact your holistic veterinarian. 

Your pet is less likely to experience these types of symptoms if you first start your pet with a detoxifying starter pack, such as Shake Ur Groove Thing, which contains products that synergistically flush out toxins, and then after detoxification, it is recommended that you introduce a reparative herbal into your pet’s health regimen for optimal results. 

How to Best Support Detoxification:

1. Basics to add: If your pet begins a healing regimen, be certain to supplement your dog or cat’s diet with additional filtered water, extra bathroom breaks and Probiotic to help balance native gut health.

2. Bathing: During the detox time, it is also important to bathe your pet. Bathing is a good way to clean the skin and wash surface toxins away. Use soap and detergent free-shampoo formulated specifically for dogs or cats. Avoid purchasing shampoo at grocery store or big box store chains. Choose instead an independent retailer that specializes in truly natural dog and cat shampoos. Remember to rinse all the shampoo out to avoid itchy, irritated skin.  

3. Probiotic: During detox, it’s also recommended that you add a probiotic supplement to your pet’s diet to aids in the digestion of the new foods you are feeding, which can help alleviate some of the detox symptoms. A daily multi-mineral and multi-vitamin may also be beneficial. Always keep fresh, filtered, pure drinking water. (Recommended products:The Daily Paws, Yummy Tummy.)

4. Attitude: The detox process is likely going to be much more stressful for you as the pet owner. The animal body is a magnificent machine that compensates for all kinds of variations and mistakes. Ultimately, the body is designed to heal itself from the inside out. In providing a healthy, holistic whole food diet, you provide your dog or cat with the nutritional tools to achieve and maintain balanced health. View detoxification as a necessary means to eliminate harmful ingredients that are stuck in the pet’s body and may actually harm your pet's health over time.

5. Immune Support:Your pet's immune system works in concert with its elimination organs to help keep your pet healthy, and supporting immune health keeps your pet's liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines and skin optimal so they can carry out their detoxification work. (Recommended products: Bionic Body, I Feel Good)

6. Multi-vitamin and mineral support: 

For healthy pets, daily immune support is found in a quality multivitamin & mineral supplement, such as The Daily Paws. 

Extra immune and antioxidant support is of particular benefit to older, active, immuno-compromised or convalescing pets, found in products such as I Feel Good and All Shins & Grins.

7. Grooming: Dogs and cats eliminate toxins through their skin, and regular brushing removes excess coat, allowing your pet's skin to breathe, which is another important aspect that supports detoxification. 

Foot soaks and regular baths remove dust and debris that may contain toxic residue and help to ensure your pet ingests fewer toxins from personal grooming. As mentioned in Part 2, make sure you use only a high quality, all-natural shampoo formulated for dogs and cats that does not include toxic ingredients. 



8. Healthy Digestion: We know that in an animal’s body, all systems and organs are interconnected and inter dependent, so an under performing digestive system will create stress on other organs, likely reducing the body’s ability to cleanse. 

Since most of the toxins eliminated pass through the colon, a healthy digestive system is critical to keep the toxins moving through the body before they can damage the intestinal walls and/or be reabsorbed. 

When your pet is constipated, toxic materials can be released back into its bloodstream before they are eliminated. When imbalance is present, existing bacteria, yeast and other microbes can produce an even greater toxic load.  

A sluggish (constipated) or highly sensitive (diarrhea) bowel may indicate an imbalance in the micro flora of the gut, which slows the process of elimination.
 Consider adding an all-natural Probiotic that supports digestion, gastrointestinal balance as well as related organs found in Yummy Tummy or Gland Candy. 


9. Kidney Support: As discussed previously, healthy, filtered water is an essential part of toxin elimination. In chronically dehydrated animals, toxins that are excreted through the kidneys become highly concentrated and can actually damage the kidney's filtration system. 

Change your pet’s water daily, using filtered water! For picky drinkers, consider adding a fountain that encourages animals to drink frequently. 

Further, when urine is highly concentrated, minerals collect and the kidneys become susceptible to infection, creating an environment for crystal and stone formation, which can irritate and block the urinary tract. This occurrence can set up the mechanism for ongoing, chronic infections. In chronic situations, the kidneys can become damaged over time. 

Recommended product for crystals and stones is Stix & Stones to support the kidneys as well as address kidney and liver stones, crystal, gravel and calculi. 

10. Your Home, Your Pet’s Palace: You may be surprised to learn that air quality within our homes is generally worse than outside! If we do not use toxic indoor cleaners, dryer sheets, body lotion and perfumes in our home environment, we must contend with outdoor pollutants. Keep floors and rugs free of dust and harsh chemicals can greatly reduce your pet’s toxic load.  And just as you wouldn’t eat off of dirty plates or drink from dirty glasses, keep your pet’s dishes clean and sterile. 


11.  Herbs & Homeopathies: We have learned that an annual detoxification plan is a healthy investment in your pet’s general health and wellness and quite possibly, your pet’s longevity. Herbs are a natural, safe, gentle but effective way to cleanse and balance our animal’s bodies. 

Recommended products include Shake Ur Groove Thing, which supports general detox, excretory function but also addresses parasitic infestation as well as unwanted critters that may be tasking all of your pet’s bodily systems. 

Love Your Liver is recommended to be combined with Shake Ur Groove Thing, as they provide gentle yet effective liver cleansing support as well as enhances the function of the gall bladder (another critical toxin eliminator) and treats symptoms of toxicity such as digestive issues (Irritable Bowel, diarrhea, etc). 

Another option is Hepa Protect, which is a multi-blend herbal that provides enhanced cleansing and support of liver, kidney, bladder and gall bladder function. For thorough and complete liver and kidney cleansing, there are 3 deeper stages to complete toxin elimination of these vital organs, which will be discussed in a future article.

We hope you have enjoyed this three part series on detoxifying. At Natura Petz, we are dedicated to delivering products that promote pure, natural, pet health, but also, inform our proud pet parents how to improve animal health and wellness. 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 877-306-1744 or contact@naturapetz.com. 

You may find many resources on our website at www.naturapetz.com.

We hope you enjoyed the newsletter. Thank you from the Natura Petz team!

Read Detoxing Part 1 
Read Detoxing Part 2