If you do not to read, hire someone to read it for you!!Your pets will thank you.I lost a cat to cancer two years ago. My feeling that I was somehow responsible for his demise at such a young age wasn't entirelygrief related. For instance, was there something wrong with feeding ananimal the same old stuff day and night for his/her entire life, oftendried stuff at that? If so, what other options were there? And how abouttap water? If we the people are concerned about drinking it, what about our pets? Inquiries about diet to everyone, vets included, almost alwayselicit the same response: do not feed table food or "scraps."Troubleis, most of us just do not have a scientific and/or medicalbackground with which to argue the point. Dr. Goldstein discusses food andtapwater and how it affects health in this book.
All that is requiredfor reading this book is an open, active mind and the ability to strive for something better. People who have added lots of fresh fruits andvegetables, whole grains and, yes, even soy products to their diets know that they feel better, look better, and are healthier. And so it would bewith animals. My 3 remaining cats are doing much better after onlytwoweeks on real MEAT, grains, and vegetables. I know my cats so you can trustme on this point. Some people will want studies. Well, scientists haveconcocted chemicals for making the RENDERED BY-PRODUCTS in commercial petfood appealing to animals via smell and/or taste. But show me a study whichsays it's GOOD for our animals. Isn't it golden age advertising and hasn'tit worked, especially in this busy world!! Incidentally, several naturalpet food brands are mentioned in the book for non-cookers.
Finally, I'veconcentrated my comments on diet (and maybe one or two too many on my ownopinions :)) because health starts with food and food isone aspect we petowners really have control over. However, Dr. Goldstein covers many othertopics including vaccines, herbs, supplements, natural remedies, anddevotes an entire chapter to cancer.Many of his patients are very sick.He explains why he believes in helping an animal heal itself by treatingthe disease rather than thesymptoms. Feeding real food is part of theprocess. Dr. Goldstein writes from experience. He even admits he doesn'tunderstand how or why some of the holistic methods work; he's just seen itwork year after year. His final chapters deal with the spiritual realm,including our relationshipwith our pets, and death of pets (choosing whento let go, euthanasia, grieving). There is an extensive resource guide atthe back.
I also recommend FOOD PETS DIE FOR by Ann N. Martin. She spent7 years investigating the ingredients in commercial pet food. If you readthat book first, you'll surely want to read this one (or vice versa).
Whoa, did I get ever get carried away here. But I've waited a long time for this book. Thank you, Dr. Goldstein, for writing it.
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