Viral diseases have long been considered the scourge of the animal population, both wild and domestic. The viral disease of canine distemper is no less devastating to a dog than small pox would be to a human. Yes, a few survive, but most die. The advent of vaccinations has saved the lives of millions of domestic animals, just as vaccines have saved the lives of millions upon millions of people. Unfortunately, many pets get exposed to viruses before they are vaccinated or before the vaccines have time to take effect.

This is especially true of young dogs and cats in animal shelters. Over the years, we have seen many heartbreaking cases of newly adopted kittens and puppies presented for their checkup with their excited new owner. While they may have appeared healthy at the time, many of these puppies and kittens would later break with viral disease and die a horrible death within six to eight weeks, especially puppies with canine distemper virus.

In 1999, I began trying a combination of alternative therapies on these sick, sick puppies. (Conventional antibiotics did nothing for them.) We had two puppies in succession survive. They did, however, develop a secondary seizure disorder called ‘myoclonus' (rhythmic twitching), but they did survive. I altered our treatment protocol, and with a little luck and the grace of God, we saw a major change. The puppies began surviving without side effects—no seizures, no myoclonus. They were normal.

From these humble beginnings came a treatment protocol that has worked in a high percentage of distemper cases. Approximately 80% of over 120 cases treated (as of March, 2008) have recovered. This is remarkable, considering that any veterinary textbook or veterinary school teaches and believes that canine distemper is virtually incurable.

A fascinating fact began to emerge . . . This treatment protocol also worked for other canine viral diseases, such as parvovirus and hepatitis. I have also adopted this protocol, with minor modifications, to feline diseases, such as feline leukemia (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). We have treated dogs with distemper from as far away as Laredo , TX , and cats with FIP or feline leukemia virus from across the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex.

While it is always better to prevent diseases through vaccinations whenever possible, it has been very gratifying to see these patients, which would otherwise have died, survive and thrive. Treatment for these desperately ill puppies and kittens is now available. They don't have to die.