The Passionate Olive (17 page)

Another use that Ellen makes of olive oil is in the care of her dogs’ footpads. Think of walking barefoot across hot sand (à la Dudley Moore in the film
10)
. Imagine walking barefoot in the snow or on hot pavement. Weather extremes (too hot or too cold) can hurt tender feet—whether human or canine. Applying olive oil can soothe your pet’s paws, as evidenced by Ellen’s well-tended dogs—there’s nary a cracked paw pad among her pack of bassets.

Remember, the same conditions that plague humans have also plagued our pets for centuries. For other ideas, please refer back to the many recipes, formulas, and solutions found in the health and beauty chapters. For example, when reading the health chapter, keep in mind that vitamins A, D, E, and K and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are also good for your pets. They can reap the same benefits, from alleviating arthritic pain to promoting digestion. And when reading the chapter on beauty, you may follow (for example) the same formula and procedure for your pets that you do for keeping your nails strong and cuticles moist. Give your pet a “peticure.” And remember, while this chapter deals mostly with dogs and cats, these uses for olive oil can be adapted to other animals as well.

ON THE INSIDE … INTERNAL

75)
SHINE YOUR PET’S COAT AND KEEP YOUR PET HEALTHY

Olive oil is wonderful oil that, when added to your pet’s favorite food on a regular basis, can help to maintain a beautiful, shining coat. In addition, supplementing your pet’s food with this marvelous oil maintains good lubrication of their bowels. This is especially important if your pet gets only dry food for its regular diet.

Here are Watson’s favorite recipes, generously provided by his owner, Ellen:

Watson’s Dinner Recipe

3 ounces raw ground turkey

3 ounces cooked brown and

white rice

4 ounces vegetables

1 tablespoon oat bran

¼ teaspoon powdered vitamin C

HOW TO PREPARE

1. Mix the ingredients and feed to your favorite canine
   
2. In addition, once a day, give your dog one 200 IU vitamin E,
   

1 tablespoon (for medium-sized dogs) of extra virgin olive oil (alternate with fish oil), and one multivitamin

Watson’s Liver Cookies Recipe

12 ounces oat flour

12 ounces rolled oats

3 teaspoons bouillon

granules (or 3 bouillon cubes)

2 eggs

1 cup cold water

1 pound liver puréed in the

food processor

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO PREPARE

• Preheat oven to 350°.
  
• Mix ingredients and pour into a 13×9-inch greased pan
  
• Bake for 1 hour; let pan cool and then cut contents into squares
  
• Serve during walks or as treats anytime
  
• If you freeze the cookies, they will last up to 6 months
  

My veterinarian suggests using liver from organically raised animals for the above recipe. He also recommends what he calls his Coat Conditioning Mix, which includes a combination of animal, vegetable, and fruit oils for coats that need that extra TLC. You should begin to see a difference in about three weeks.

Coat Conditioning Mix

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup safflower oil

1 tablespoon cod liver oil

HOW TO PREPARE

• Mix together and drizzle on your dog’s food, but do not overwhelm the flavor of the food
  
• The amount varies based upon the size of your dog (See serving instructions below.)
  
• This mixture can keep for up to one month in the refrigerator
  

Serving-Size Instructions

Remember to use your judgment for serving size of straight extra virgin olive oil or the Coat Conditioning Mix. For small dogs, weighing up to 20 pounds, use ½ teaspoon;
for medium-sized dogs, weighing up to 50 pounds, use 1 teaspoon; for larger dogs, weighing up to 100 pounds, use 1 to 2 tablespoon(s); for extra large dogs, use up to ¼ cup.

76)
SLOW THE SHEDDING PROCESS

Shedding occurs in all pets—dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, or hamsters. It is natural and an all-too-common problem, and one with which olive oil can help. Whenever your pet is shedding excessively, try adding extra virgin olive oil to her food, keeping in mind the serving-size instructions above. You will notice that the shedding process will slow … less hair on couches, floors, and chairs to vacuum.

77)
PREVENT HAIRBALLS IN CATS

When a cat gags and subsequently vomits, a hairball may be the culprit. This problem occurs most frequently with long-haired cats. Felines constantly groom themselves and their buddies; some seem to be professional groomers! The process requires a feline to lick herself from nose to tail, and a great deal of her fur (especially during the hotter months) comes off during this daily chore. After it’s swallowed this fur will lodge in the cat’s system, until the cat expels it through the mouth. Not only are hairballs quite unappealing, but they can also irritate your cat’s digestive system. Try adding a little extra virgin olive oil daily to your cat’s food, and you will notice the difference. Kathy, another friend of mine and quite the cat lover, swears by this remedy for her long-haired cats.

On the Outside … External

78)
MASSAGE YOUR PET

Make your pet her very own massage oil from calendula flowers and olive oil. Calendula, a plant with brilliant yellow flowers, blooms from spring through fall. The flowers are available at health food stores all across the country. Calendula flowers are naturally antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal. When the flowers are crushed and blended with olive oil, the resulting ointment can heal sores, cuts, eczema, psoriasis, and other difficult-to-deal-with rashes. The following healing pet massage is from Annie Bethold-Bond, at
www.care2.com
.

Healing Pet Massage

• Put one handful of dried calendula flowers on the bottom of a Crock-Pot; cover completely with olive oil (1 cup)
  
• Place on low heat for at least 6 hours
  
• Cool and strain and slowly add ¼ teaspoon grapefruit seed extract
  
• Pour the oil into your hands and massage deeply into the coat of your pet
  
• This mixture will keep for 1 to 2 months if refrigerated
  

A note of caution: When you finish giving the massage, make sure that your pet does not roll in the dirt or jump up
on your good sofa. Just as you would take a shower after your own warm-oil massage, you will need to give your pet a shower or a bath after such a treat.

The olive oil and calendula ointment may also be used to help heal dry, cracked, irritated, or itchy skin, especially bare-skin areas where a pet has scratched, chewed, or otherwise removed her fur. The ointment may also lessen scarring after wounds have healed or after stitches have been removed. If your pet licks the ointment after application, no problem. Any ingested calendula and olive oil will have additional beneficial effects on the overall healing process.

79)
REMOVE TICKS

Now here’s a trick that every pet lover will appreciate—an easy way to rid your pet of ticks. Ticks are serious pests for dogs and cats because they can transmit disease and cause discomfort and pain. If left untreated, they can cause “tick paralysis,” which can lead to death. Ticks breathe oxygen, and they can be suffocated with a coat of olive oil. As the tick struggles for air, it will start to release its grasp, and may even back out on its own, without injecting its poison into your pet.

If the tick does not come out on its own, dab on more olive oil with a cotton ball to paralyze and smother it. Never squeeze the body of the tick or sharply twist it, and do not pull the tick; its head may stay imbedded. Simply apply olive oil with a cotton ball, then slowly lift the tick away from the pet’s skin. Seek medical attention if you cannot remove the tick in this way.

80)
SOOTHE EARS

Ear mites live inside your pet’s ears, where they can cause a great deal of irritation and form a waxy material. If you notice vigorous head shaking and ear scratching, your pet may have ear mites. Any natural oil-based ear treatment (like olive oil) will ultimately drown the mites by covering their breathing pores and suffocating them. Oil can clean and heal damaged and inflamed ear canals.

The following two soothing oils can be used for your pet’s ears when they’re bothered by mites or after foxtails have been removed. One is made from olive oil and vitamin E; the other is made by adding mullein flowers.

Soothing Ear Oil #1

Mix 3 teaspoons of olive oil with the liquid from one 500 IU capsule of vitamin E (of course, you will need to puncture the capsule to mix)

Soothing Ear Oil #2

• Put about 4 ounces of mullein flowers or mullein leaves on the bottom of a Crock-Pot; cover completely with olive oil (1 cup)
  
• Place on low heat for at least 6 hours
  
• Cool and strain and pour into a glass jar
  
• See the dosage instructions below
  
• This mixture will keep for about one month if refrigerated
  

Dosage and Other Instructions

First of all, wear your oldest clothing; then select a place outside or in the house where “flying” oil will not harm anything; fill your pet’s ear with the soothing oil, massaging the base of the ear; wipe off the excess with a soft tissue. Repeat the process daily for three days. Then wait two days and repeat the process again. You want the ear to be clear and have no dark discharge. Check with your veterinarian if there is no improvement.

While ear infections such as those caused by ear mites often respond to olive oil herbal treatments, deeper infections (middle and inner ear) must be treated by a veterinarian. If uncertain as to what is bothering your pet’s ears, make sure first to get the correct diagnosis from a veterinarian.

81)
LUBRICATE THE SKIN ON YOUR PET’S NOSE

During the long, cold winter months, your pet’s nose can become dry, cracked, and misshapen. To return this delicate area to good health, put a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on your dog’s nose and very lightly massage or tap it. You may need to hold his muzzle for a few seconds after application, as dogs are great lickers. The nose will be
soothed and lubricated, and your dog will enjoy the taste of the oil.

82)
LUBRICATE YOUR DOG’S PAWS

Normal dog paws have a thick layer of tissue to protect the delicate pads from injury and abrasion. Cracks and fissures to pads are common, but they do not have to become a big problem. During wintertime, however, paw pads (because of severe weather conditions) will often become painfully dry and cracked. To help your dog, put a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on his pads and gently massage it in. Just remember, distract your dog for 5 to 10 minutes so that the application will have a chance to work. If you don’t, your dog will immediately start licking it all off.

Deep cracks to a dog’s pads can open up into the sensitive tissue beneath the skin. To heal this painful problem, add one teaspoon of salt to one pint of water and apply (soak for several minutes, if you can). Then use the olive oil massage treatment to follow up to soften the pads and help them heal completely.

If the fur or hair between the paw pads grows too long, it can mat and during the winter months become icy, making it very uncomfortable for your pet to walk. It’s like trying to walk with a pebble in your shoe. You can trim this fur or hair a bit for winter and then use olive oil to lubricate this area and melt the irritating ice.

83)
GIVE YOUR PET A “PETICURE”

Your dog will love you! Using warmed olive oil, massage it into the base of the nail and onto calloused footpads to
both soften and heal. Prior to giving the peticure, lubricate the dog’s nail clippers to keep them working smoothly. If you have a cat in your household, attempt a “peticure” only if you have a
very
mellow kitty.

84)
REMOVE “ICE BALLS” FROM ANIMAL FUR

During the winter, fresh snow often attaches to the fur of animals and forms little ice balls. Fill a plastic spray bottle or a mister with olive oil and spritz it on the fur to remove the snow and ice from paws and to smooth the fur.

Now that we have reviewed the many uses of olive oil around the house and for the health and beauty of ourselves and our pets, let’s turn to the centuries-old religious and ritualistic uses of this precious liquid.