Recent content by Dr. Jean Hofve

Plants absolutely raise urine pH. A cow's urine is pH 8, a cat pH 5. More meat and less veggies in the diet will lower pH and increase thirst because of its mild diuretic effect. I agree that 2 chicken necks is a lot for a small dog. Meat without the bone may work better to help regain balance...

You could try calling Merial to find a local vet who uses Purevax; I have done so but not in many years. Otherwise you'd just have to call around. Any feline-only vet should have it. All other rabies vaccines are killed, as are FeLV vaccines except Purevax. Most other vaccines are modified...

Agree that raw proteins are far less likely to trigger allergies. It's the denaturing (distortion) of proteins due to heat processing that can underlie many allergies. I personally don't recommend raw fish, though, since all kinds of fish and seafood can carry an array of parasites. I quit...

I have seen three indoor cats exposed to potentially rabid bats--all happened during the day, and hence the bats were likely to be sick. One came down a chimney, one got into the attic, and one was caught on a 14th floor balcony downtown. The Purevax rabies vaccine contains no adjuvants and is...

i/d canned isn't too terrible, a short trial might provide some useful information.

This article is based on a recent "study" looking at 20 years of avian flu infections in cats. Not only the one that's infecting them now. It's not a very good paper and in fact I am fairly annoyed about it! The 90% is a gross exaggeration. Surveillance suggests that most infections are...

This looks fine. It recommends 1/4 rounded tsp but if you're feeding in meals just split that between them, you can mix into the food. Then you wait... see how they do, what the response is. If it keeps working, keep giving it!

Hi Amanda! I agree that systemic treatment is absolutely warranted, especially since Gio is so young. I looks to me like his diet is too high in carbs and fish, and may not be balanced, especially in terms of calcium, which is important for nerve conductivity. If the salmon is farm-raised...

Yes, the spay seems early; generally we wait until the kitten is at least 2 lbs. (which they typically are at age 2 months). The weight is a better guide than age. Agree with Dr. Jeff that giardia is the most likely culprit for the prolapse, it can cause a lot of straining. Metronidazole is...

Hi Judith! I’m not seeing much calxium in the diet unless the pollock includes bones. (Though I am on my phone so it’s hard to read and I may be missing it.) i’d suggest something like Pitcairn’s Healthy Powder to make sure that and other trace elements are covered. The fecal-oral route is...

It's not unusual for cats to have large hairballs like that. It's not "normal" according to our holistic standards of energy imbalance, but it may not be a problem for an individual cat unless there are other symptoms that, in totality, indicate that a remedy is needed.

High moisture is the primary prevention for bladder stones. No ingredients will “prevent” CaOx, but be sure to limit oxalate containing veggies that can increase risk, like spinach and kale.

I don‘t see a full list of ingredients, just highlights. When a website is not 100% transparent, I cannot recommend the product. It does mention manganese, which can be overdosed on top of a balanced diet.

I would not use that product on top of the other supplements, it has kelp in it which can harm the thyroid, and will throw off the balance of the Alnutrin. Just get plain digestive enzymes.

Not a dumb question! There is plenty of magnesium in meat, but no calcium. This product is intended to balance pure meat.