https://articles.mercola.com:443/members/psambrose/default.aspxen-USCommunityServer 2008.5 SP1 (Debug Build: 31106.3070)https://articles.mercola.com:443/members/psambrose/comments/default.aspxThu, 08 Mar 2012 22:12:57 GMTswinnHey sweetie ~~ haven&#39;t heard from you in a while (or been on Facebook much). How are you doing? Everything okay?https://articles.mercola.com:443/members/psambrose/comments/default.aspxTue, 28 Jun 2011 20:01:07 GMTswinn<p>It&#39;s hard to know how a new baby is going to affect our lives.&nbsp; With Phoenix my daughter, Steph, did great.&nbsp; However Phoenix had to be in the hospital in ICU for three weeks so she kinda had everything down before heading home.&nbsp; And, of course, I was at the hospital every day but just a couple.&nbsp; Damon was sent home at 4 days old and was a screamer.&nbsp; I think Steph was ready to pull her hair out after the first few days.&nbsp; AND, I had Phoenix the first two days she was home with Damon.&nbsp; </p> <p>I started indoctrinating Steph into holistic health when she was still in grade school.&nbsp; She doesn&#39;t remember the particulars of why this or why that but she remembers the info.&nbsp; She will tell Casey, babys daddy, this or that and when he asks why she will say &quot;cause mom said&quot;.&nbsp; At first that didn&#39;t fly with Casey.&nbsp; She had him call me and then I would explain WHY not to do what it was etc..&nbsp; It wasn&#39;t long and I found out Casey was having a conversation with him mom and he told her &quot;because Shawna said&quot;.&nbsp; He actually called me to see if I would tell his mom why they weren&#39;t vaccinating Phoenix :)</p> <p>So much of what parents are told is actually damaging to the baby..&nbsp; One of the first foods they tell us to feed baby is grains (rice)...&nbsp; Grains are just as inflammatory for babies as they are for dogs and cats...&nbsp; In fact, probably more so..&nbsp; Grains are high in omega 6 and we don&#39;t always counter that by giving adequate omega 3 to babies..&nbsp; Babies (and adults)&nbsp;are no more able to neutralize the phytates in grains then dogs/cats.&nbsp; Babies don&#39;t make the digestive enzyme amylase until about the time their molars come in (around 2 years).&nbsp; Amylase is required to digest grains.....&nbsp; Wow, startin to get preachy here ---- sorry :)</p> <p>A good rule of thumb with most dogs weight -- you should be able to see a waist when you look down at them.&nbsp; You should be able to feel their ribs but not have the ribs protrude.&nbsp; You should be able to feel the hip bones but not see the shape of the bone..&nbsp; I looked online at pictures of French Mastiffs and they aren&#39;t particularly skinny but not stocky either..</p> <p>There are two kinds of mites -- sarcoptic and demodex.&nbsp; Sarcoptic mites are contagious from dog to dog.&nbsp; The more common demodex mite is actually a normal inhabitant on the canine body.&nbsp; Humans have mites too.&nbsp; They live in the crease of the nose and in the eyebrows etc..&nbsp; We, and dogs, live symbiotically with the mites UNLESS the immune system is immature or weak.&nbsp; The mites then can reproduce without the immune system keeping them in check.&nbsp; The result of this is mange.&nbsp; You can see hair loss, scabbing, intense itching that can be generalized in one area of the body or can affect the entire body..&nbsp; Mange can be a nightmare to treat.&nbsp; The mites burrow down into the skin.&nbsp; Tea tree or neem shampoos can kill the mites but it takes some time as it has to come into contact with the mites -- won&#39;t kill them in the egg stage.&nbsp; Can takes several weeks of frequent shampooing to get under control.&nbsp; In the meantime adding fresh garlic will help kill from inside out (you know me and my garlic) :).&nbsp; They will also need to work on why the immune system is lacking enough to let the mites to over populate causing the mange....&nbsp; If he&#39;s still a pup (6 months or younger) his immune system is still developing.&nbsp; If older the immune system should be developed enough to handle mites.....&nbsp; <a href="http://www.thewholedog.org/artDemodex.html">http://www.thewholedog.org/artDemodex.html</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demodex">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demodex</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>If&nbsp;it is mites (sorry I was calling her a him) it needs to be identified if sarcoptic (the infectious kind) or demodectic (the normal skin inhabitant) before she is introduced to Chief.&nbsp; If demodex then no&nbsp;issue&nbsp;being around chief.&nbsp; If sarcoptic however she needs to be free of them before&nbsp;coming around chief...&nbsp; If she has not been exposed to other dogs&nbsp;(and it&#39;s mange) then likely demodex..&nbsp; Ohhh dusting her with human grade diatomaceous earth in between baths is supposed to help kill them off too..&nbsp; Its important to use neem or tea tree too as the sores left by the mite can become infected by bacteria.</p> <p>No problem on the venting :)&nbsp; I do it enough myself!!&nbsp; I&#39;m a good listener too :) :)</p> <p>Hope you have a book or something for that horrible layover.&nbsp; WOW that is a LONG time..&nbsp; </p> <p>I have 8 (including 7 dogs) females in the house and 2 (including 1 dog) males...&nbsp; Girls rule !!! :)&nbsp; Audrey&#39;s birthday is today (my baby with kidney disease).&nbsp; </p> <p>I&#39;m at work and the phone is ringing off the hook so better wrap this up and get back to work!!</p> <p>Have a safe flight!!!</p> <p>Shawna</p>https://articles.mercola.com:443/members/psambrose/comments/default.aspxMon, 27 Jun 2011 21:41:37 GMTswinn<p>Things are going well here, thanks for asking..&nbsp; I had baby Phoenix Friday evening through Sunday evening.&nbsp; Give mom some time away from Nixy and give Nixy some time away from mom and brother baby Damon :)...&nbsp; Phoenix is going to be a commedian I am sure of it.&nbsp; She LOVES to make people laugh and will purposefully do things that she knows will get a laugh -- like make faces..&nbsp; You know the pucker face?&nbsp; The face you make when you eat a lime or lemon -- she loves limes and lemons but loves to make the pucker face more..&nbsp; </p> <p>Steph and I never had the same problem that Nicole is experiencing..&nbsp; Poor girl!!!&nbsp; Kudos to her for trying and trying again to find what ended up working!!!!&nbsp; Formula IS NOT an option in my opinion...&nbsp; EVERY single one I have looked at has MSG in it --- UGHHHHH..</p> <p>I bet the boys (assuming kitty is a boy too) will be glad to have you home!!!</p> <p>Glad little baby Gariel and family are well!!&nbsp; Not sure why but I got a little worried :)&nbsp; </p> <p>Have a safe trip home!!&nbsp; Patiently waiting for the I&#39;m home now update on the fur-kids and how they did without mommy!!!</p> <p>Shawna</p>https://articles.mercola.com:443/members/psambrose/comments/default.aspxThu, 23 Jun 2011 23:07:57 GMTswinn<p>Checked my inbox and didn&#39;t see anything :(</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>https://articles.mercola.com:443/members/psambrose/comments/default.aspxMon, 20 Jun 2011 21:09:38 GMTswinn<p>I think I might slow down for a bit with the Mercola site.&nbsp; Between the new grandkids, the Mercola site, work, nutrition seminars and the non-Mercolanites I am helping I&#39;m finding myself a bit run down trying to keep up.&nbsp; There has been a couple night this past week I was up til midnight answering online and email questions..</p> <p>I&#39;m hoping that Toxed and Run and a few of the other long timers will pick up the slack just a bit.&nbsp; Either that or I&#39;ll stay on but limit my response time to a couple hours every day..&nbsp; </p> <p>I wanted to let you know that in case I don&#39;t post much.&nbsp; I know you are still working things out with Chief.&nbsp; I&#39;m still here...&nbsp; Feel free to post comments to my profile page or use the link on my profile page to send me an email.&nbsp; </p> <p>Hope all is well!!!!!!!!!!!!</p> <p>Shawna</p>https://articles.mercola.com:443/members/psambrose/comments/default.aspxMon, 20 Jun 2011 21:04:29 GMTswinn<p>Hi Sylvia,</p> <p>I&#39;m hoping the lack of news is not due to bad news???&nbsp; Is your grand son and family okay?&nbsp; Are you still in Texas?</p> <p>I was thinking about you over the weekend and thought I&#39;d drop a quick line..</p> <p>Shawna</p> <p>P.S.&nbsp; I&#39;m working privately with a gal named Shirley :)&nbsp; Every time I communicate with her I think of you :)</p>