VITAMINS/ HORMOMES AND HEALTH.

My dog Babe has been gaining a lot of weight lately. She has also become very docile quite unlike her wild self. She used to love running around and playing. I would scold her for jumping up on people to play, even strangers who should be barked at. She would want to play because i was there.

Then suddenlly she changed and became quiet, sleeping a lot and then got fat, very noticably fat. Attempts to get her to execise have failed. She shows no interst whatsoever. I started wondering if she could be depressed. As funny as it sounds, animals do get depressed. I used to laugh at the

idea.

A friend suggested that I have her thyroid function checked out to make sure she is not suffering from hypothyroidism.

In my line of work, I recieve prescriptions for the treatment of all types of ailments for dogs and cats, and once in a long while other critters like rodents. Once there was this hamster who had a fungal skin infection and had a prescription called in for him. Ailments range from diabetes, epilepsy, infections, depression, anxiety, arthritis, eczema to cancer.

Some people spend outrageous amounts of money on their pets and I would wonder about it. Vitamin supplements are part of this expenditure.

Specialty pharmacies dealing soley in veterinary formulations and compounding are doing very well. Livestock like cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chiken and turkeys are at least being raised for food or recreation and source of income. Pets, on the other hand are like family and some people spend a lot of money monthly on their sick pet's healthcare and I would sometimes wonder why they won't just get another healthy pet. Then you see an individual mourn an animal which was put to sleep to end the suffering from pain, sickness or old age and the picture becomes clear why so much can be invested in a pet's wellbeing.

Taking care of health is very important for humans. Prevention is always better than cure. Healthy lifestyles and attitudes play a major role in maintaining good health.

Recently, I heard from two female friends who were very surprised at the alarm raised by their doctors at their vitamin D level. After routine checkups, they recived phone calls from the doctor to come pick up vitamin D prescriptions. One of them wondered aloud to the doctor----Vitamin D? Yes Vitamin D was the answer. She learned that her level was very low and needed immediate attention.

Some resarchers are now suggesting that Vitamin D is actually a hormone which plays in the functioning of many parts of the human body and in some diseases like Ricketts, Psoriasis, Colon, Breast, Prostate Cancer, Melanoma, Osteoporosis,Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Autoimmune diseases like Lupus , Depression,Macular Degeneration and more.

Researchers and experts have recently put out new dosage recommendations for Vitamin D.

Vitamin D, Sunshine and Health: Coming soon.