Development of Disease
When intake exceeds elimination this
creates an excess in the body. This excess can lead to one or
all of the following as the body attempts to maintain the balance
between intake and output:
1. Decreased intake by loss of appetite or development of a fussy
appetite.
2. Increased output as the body endeavours to eliminate the excess
from the system.
3. Storage of excess in the system.
Short-lived or minor imbalance will be dealt with unnoticed but
a prolonged excess will lead to the following signs of disease.
Storage of excess leads to weight gain. This is more commonly
seen in the less active pet.
Elimination of excess gives rise to one or more of the following
signs:
· Increased physical activity i.e. hyperactive, excitable
or overly boisterous behaviour
· Persistent moulting/shedding of hair
· Appearance of wax in the ears
· Scurfy, dry coat
· Itchy skin and ears
· Biting or licking the feet
· Occasional vomiting
· Occasional diarrhoea
· Discharges from orifices - eyes, ears, genital system
· Overfull anal glands
· Concentrated, strong smelling urine
· Unpleasant body odours
· Bad breath
· Tooth tartar
· Excessive grooming ( cats )
These signs, which indicate discharge
of excess, while unpleasant and uncomfortable are NOT symptoms
of true illness. They are actually signs that the body is making
adjustments in order to maintain health and that changes in lifestyle
- especially diet - are needed.
If we should attempt to “cure” these problems, with
medication for example, without dealing with the cause this would
be like switching off the fire alarm without putting the fire
out.
Development of disease – Stage 2
If imbalance between input and output
persists over a period of time, the build-up of wastes (toxins)
in the body will eventually begin to interfere with the proper
function of the body systems.
A vicious cycle of deterioration
develops
This may take weeks, months or years
depending on the individual pet. At this stage one might encounter
the following problems:
· Acute inflammatory reactions e.g. pancreatitis, hepatitis
· Allergic reactions such as eczema, auto-immune disease
· Hormonal imbalance - false pregnancy, irregular oestrus
· Stiffening muscles and joints (rheumatism, arthritis)
· Increased susceptibility to infection - because the body
is providing a suitable environment for infectious agents to thrive
At this stage things have started to go wrong in the body. The
problems tend to involve impaired biochemical and physiological
functions rather than signs of degeneration and failure of the
major organs.
Development of disease – Stage
3
As the build-up of toxins continues,
the major organ systems will start to show signs of degeneration
and failure. At this stage, quality of life is likely to be impaired
and the animal’s life may be at risk. One may encounter
for example:
· Heart disease
· Kidney disease
· Diabetes
· Tumour formation
Although I have described the development
of disease as taking place in three distinct phases, in practice
all stages develop simultaneously. For example, when the body
is eliminating toxic waste it is unlikely that all the waste can
be expelled.
It is probable that some clogging of the major organs will occur
at an early stage. Clogging of the organs of elimination themselves
(kidneys, lungs, liver, intestine) will further hinder the removal
of wastes from the system, thus accelerating the deterioration.
Some animals do not even show obvious signs of toxic discharge
but may develop a major disease without any prior warning....
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Common pet health problems
John Burns Pet Health Management
Programme
