Comments on Microbiome: The Organisms In and On Us All

Someone is our SA group has a dog that was just diagnosed with MRSA, the Conventional Vet put dog on 30 days of Sulfamethoxazole, this is the 3rd antibiotic the dog has been on, not counting the antibiotics he was on for SA. She was trying to go all natural, had dog on raw, and supplements, the dog was thriving, and now the MRSA. Also, dog now has a bad SA flare up. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you for your time.

Dr. Will,
Thanks for this article and forum for sharing. My herd does not have a place to just be dogs - the property I'm on is unfenced. Maybe it's time to fence it in? They so long to be outside and our nightly walks are full of sniffing, marking and more sniffing. I have endless deer (taking carrots out of my hand and fingers - the buck know this is a safe zone) but maybe should figure out something at the back door for land they can dig in - rest in - walk in - many composted leaves? I'm presuming the scholopendra heros will scamper when they feel the land rumbling? The deer are walking through it, and my alpha dog continually wants to eat deer scat...time for a change?

Our family does a lot of fermenting to support our microbiome, veggies, fruits, raw milk kefir, water kefir, Kombucha, sourdough, etc. I've read that just like we let veggies basically "spoil" using their natural bacteria to ferment to support our digestive systems, dogs gain beneficial bacterial flora from raw meat that is starting to spoil. Supposedly that is why they can burry meat/bones and go eat it a week later. Does anyone know any more about this? I know that there are some die hard fermenters that do this with meat on purpose and eat it. They claim to get much energy and healing from it. I've heard it called "high meat." I've eaten some unusual fermented foods but I don't know if I could get myself to eat that. I have seen our dog find a piece of meat from a previous meal (she is fed outside) that has been around a while and eat it with great pleasure and no ill effects. I put away or throw away any uneaten food but I swear sometimes she will hide it so she can go back after it's "ripened" and eat it.

I often wonder why vets and doctors have such long training periods when all they dish out is antibiotics and steroids. Couldn't they learn that in a day? OK, I'm being mean, but...

I fully agree with this article! Since ive started the "natural route" for my pets, and me, over 15 years ago..no vaxs, chemicals of any kind in or on us, no unnecessary baths, and raw diet for the dogs/cats/ferrets, i have not had a cold or stomach bug since, nothing! Not one. I also bath "as needed" ... with plain goat milk soap. When needed i bath my service dog with spa mud to clean his coat, shed out dead hair and cleanse his pores..no shampoo. He has no doggie odor anyways!
I am briefly living with my elderly folks, both who smoke and dad drinks vodka at night. Mother has copd/asthma/allergies high bp, cholesterol ect and on loads of drugs. Dad has heart disease and is on cholesterol meds. Both bath daily in anti-bacterial stuff. They also get the flu and pneumonia shots yearly, and both get the flu 2-3x yearly! They have ironically become healthier since me and my "filthy" animals have moved in! Thankfully they smoke only in their bedroom/bathroom, and i keep myself and my animals FAR away from their room, but the house still reeks of a cheap bar.
Hopefully their bad health stays on them.. and away from me and my crew!

Always enjoy your posts and gorgeous photos Doc. The Coyote turd made me laugh out loud :)
I took my pack on a trail hike recently to get away from toxic park grasses, unruly dogs and their people. I have to say it was nice and we were certainly alone, except for tons of poison oak along the trails. But it felt like we had been on a cattle drive, we were so hot and dusty. Baths for all! Enjoyed ourselves very much.

This all makes so much sense. I think over-bathing falls into this topic as well.
The dog stinks and has skin allergies - so owners bathe at least once a week sometimes every other day and it gets worse and worse.
The skin biome is pretty robust in a healthy dog. You honestly don't need to soap up a dog to keep him smelling nice and hotspot free.