Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - BioPreparation

Ginger's PCV was 28 when she had it checked last night so her vet increased the pred. and we have to go back in another week for a recheck. I am thinking about trying the BioPreparation and I was wondering if anyone has used it and has any positive or negative comments on it they would like to share. They suggested she try the BP-f3. Thanks Cheryl & Ginger

Cheryl & Ginger Pineville PA

I used it with Oliver almost from the onset of this disease. I think it kept him "clincally" in good shape for quite awhile. I have two bottles left if you would like them. No charge. I would be more than happy to send to you. email me, if you are interested and address where I could send. I want to see someone get some needed use out of them.

Mardi Northern Calif

Oh my gosh, grab some as soon as you can. I totally think this has helped my dog. She had a PCV of 25 for two weeks straight, then I found out about Bio Prep and I have been giving her two pills a day with her food. I totally believe that after two weeks of this, it gave her her results of going from 25 pcv to 32 pcv in two weeks. Even if this was not the case, she is still acting well and even has a shinny coat. So at least I know I'm giving her something healthy. She takes the F3

Pam Illinois

Is this product only available on line or can it be bought in a health food store? By the time I get it over the border it get so expensive if I order on line. Thanks for your help, Brigitte

Brigitte BC Canada

Brigitte I have Nollaig on it and I get it from the rep in UK, so I'm sure there will be someone in Canada selling it too. If you email this guy Russell Louie he will tell you about stockists in Canada. Russell@OptimumChoices.com also if you email me direct I can send you lots of helpful info on bioprep. Cheers Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

Mardi Thanks for the generous offer, I did send you and email. Cheryl & Ginger

Cher Pinevile pa

I bought Bioprep after Wylie was diagnosed 4/08 but I was too afraid to use it. Her HCT never went above 41. She had a relapse in Nov, I decided to give Bioprep a try. She was on it for 2 months and I took her off, in the this time her HCT range was 45-48. Her gums were bright pink. Since she has been off she is around 43 and her gums are a light pink. I started her back on it 2 weeks ago to see if it would help with her ALT. Bioprep, said it should help which has been on the 400 range. So she went from 440 3 weeks ago to 390, so I a mhoping that the bioprep is working and to continue to see a drop. oh and her gums are a bright pink again so I know her HCT is higher too, Laurie

Laurie CA

Thanks to all that replied, and we are going to give it a try:) Keep your pawscrossed that it works. Cheryl & Ginger

Cheryl & Ginger Pineville PA

Can anyone fill me in on the bioprep? I've been out of the game for a while and am unfamiliar with this med. What's it's purpose in the regiment of treatment? Thanks! Jenelle & Monster

Jenelle Colorado

I just found out about it and some people on this list have raved about it. http://www.optimumchoices.com/BioPreparation_for_animals.htm I have ordered it and should get it some time this week. I checked with my vet and she said to go ahead and give it a try. I would be interested in finding out what Patrice thinks about it. Some of the testimonials almost sound too good to be true, but i think it is worth a try. I hope this helps, Brigitte

Brigitte BC Canada

My vet also said it was okay to use it, he read the material I gave him and he said he takes spirolina himself and though it couldn't hurt. Brigitte, I know what you mean about the success stories, but having seen a little improvement with Wylie being on a small amount is good, I never have given the full amount recommended to put the body in detox mode. Laurie

Laurie CA

Saw you on Yahoo Groups for Bioprep. Have you started Ginger on it yet? I would be interested in seeing how it does for your dog too? Pam and Rosie

Pam Illinois

Pam & Rosie Ginger has been on the BioPrep for 12 days she now gets 3 capsules of the F3 per day. She does appear to have more energy then she did 12 days ago, but she also started back on 200 mg of the cyclosporine at the same time. I don't really know which one is helping or it may be a combination of both. Ginger goes back for her blood test October 14th. I too had her vet look over the ingredients and she saw nothing in there that would harm Ginger and gave me the okay to give it try.

Cheryl Pineville PA

I decided not to tell my vet. As some dont believe it would do what it says it does. I have that problem with most vitamins or holistic stuff for us humans. My grandfather has healed many people with vitamins that your normal Dr's just gave up on. Hope it keeps working and Ginger keeps getting better. Keep me posted.

Pam Illinois

What is the dosage formula for Bioprep? My dog,"Ren" is so small. Do you break open the cap and mix it with food? Is there any problem giving it with Cyclosporine, pred or Imuran? Sorry for all the questions but I want to be sure before I order it. Sue & Ren

Susie delaware

Susie, you contact Bioprep, tell them the history of Ren and they will tell which product (there are 2) and dosage Laurie

Laurie CA

Mitch is only 5kg and he is on 3 capsules a day now. He eats them whole in a small amount of soft cheese. He doesn't chew anything so never notices! At first I started him on 1 capsule a day split into 3- i just opened the capsule and split the powder and put it into whatever he was eating.

kath scotland

Susie Russell Louie from optimum choices is the expert on bioprep and he told me to open the capsules and sprinkle it on Nollaig's food(as that is best/easiest way for body to absorb it) and spread whatever dosage he tells you is best for Ren over the course of the day. Contact him by email(Russell@OptimumChoices.com) and tell him all about Ren's past and current condition his breed, weight, age etc and he will tell you whether Ren needs the F2+ bioprep or the F3+ bioprep. Nollaig weighs 17Kg(she's a sturdy wee beagle with heavy bone and muscle)and is on 6 capsules a day of F3+ bioprep(1 and a half capsules 4 times a day) which is a high therapeutic dose for her but she needs that just now as she is really still fighting the disease,I started her on 3 a day and worked up to 6 over a week as she showed no signs of excessive detox ever,she's only had positive results with bioprep. Russell will keep you right and keep in touch with him regularly and he will let you know whether you need to make any changes to dosage or type according to Ren's progress. Good luck with it,I hope it works for Ren the way it has for Nollaig. Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

Susie Forgot to answer your other question: yes you can use bioprep with any of the conventional medicines with no contraindication whatsoever, as it is a whole food supplement so completely natural.They say you can get them off these damaging drugs sooner as the bioprep encourages the dog's own natural healing to kick in. You are however right to ask all these questions, as I did at the start and I was very sceptical also, and if you've any worries or concerns, then again ask Russell about them. Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

Thanks so much for all of your info. I will contact Russell and share Ren's history. Anything that helps with this disease is a blessing. Sue & Ren

Susie delaware

I contacted Rodika Kiriac of Bionutrition.ca about obtaining bioprep in Canada. I was informed I could order directly from them in Quebec by calling them. Her email address is mailto:rodika@bionutrition.ca This eliminates those of us in Canada from having to purchase from the US and pay exchange.

Sue Kingston Ontario Canada

I asked my Vet about Bioprep. I printed off the ingredient list and benefit claims so she could read them. She had given me an overwhelming "NO"! My Vet says that some of the ingredients have been shown to cause bleeding of the digestive tract. Although most of Bioprep had good things in it, she was uncomfortable giving it to any dog that was being treated for AIHA. I am so glad that some of you have had positive results with Bioprep. But for now, I will follow my Vet's recommendation and not give it to Ren. Sue & Ren

Susie delaware

Sue and Ren Would your vet be willing to let you know the ingredients specifically that she believes can cause bleeding of the digestive tract? I would then check it out with my own vet, who said he had no issues with Nollaig being on it but then I don't know how much he studied all ingredients and info that I gave him. Nollaig has been on it now for over 6 weeks with only positive results but I would obviously want to check this out for myself, as I'm sure you can understand. Let me know please. Thanks Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

yes I would be interested in knowing this as well. I dont see how something thats natural could do bad. I havent seen anything but good results with my dog on bioprep either. I would like to see what Russell would have to say about that too?

Pam Illinois

Pam I've actually asked Russell to comment on this claim too,but then it would be better if the vet would say what ingredients he/she is referring to. Hopefully Sue, your vet will let you know this. Cheers Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

I've only posted here twice during the past six months but have looked in regularly to see if there's anything new that can help my AIHA dog. So very grateful thanks extended to all those who do post! I'm obviously not alone in reading but not posting so for the sake of a bit of balance on the BioPrep issue, this is just to say that I won't be giving it to my dog. There are various concerns for me - some of them are probably no more than "illogical female" concerns - but as everyone here knows, there is no single magic cure for the disease and what works for one dog doesn't for another, so very often we have to end up by going with our gut feelings. I'm wondering if Sue's vet has seen the blue-green algae and assumed that it is a toxic variety. Google the words *blue green algae dog* and you can find plenty of news stories from all over the world. Presumably the variety used in BioPrep is not toxic. Re Pam's comment that it's hard to see how natural things can do bad: When my dog first started taking the usual AIHA drug cocktail, it played havoc with her digestive system and she was obviously in great distress. I bought a 100% herbal remedy from a very well-known UK pet product manufacturer assuming that it would be OK to use because it was all natural. After she'd been taking it for a couple of days, I emailed the manufacturer to check that it would be all right to take the remedy alongside her prescription meds, detailing what those were. The reply came back that it was all fine and there was no problem using the remedy with an AIHA dog. I didn't ask my own vet because they are unlikely to have any kind of in-depth herbal knowledge. Just to make sure, I then googled the ingredients of the herbal remedy. Out of the five ingredients: one significantly decreases the bioavailability of cyclosporine, one - conversely - increases the blood concentration of cyclosporine, and one coats the stomach entirely for an extended period and so at least partially preventing/impairing absorbtion of the prescription meds. Having found this out, I emailed the manufacturer again with my concerns. They never replied. Plus, of course, we are all aware of digitalis, belladonna, etc which are 100% natural: they are either a poison or an extremely effective medication, depending on dosage. To anyone using BioPrep, good luck and I hope you have as much success with it as Kathleen does, but it's not for me or my dog.

Kit UK

To be fair, I never got to use bioprep on Sami before he passed away so I can't make any claims about it for IMHA but I wish I'd had it to try. I have however since bought it for Sophie, an Italian Mastiff, who suffers with chronic eye infections, protruding inner eye lids, arthritis and now ring worm. Surgery and medications have done little for her eyes so I'm giving bioprep a chance.

Sue Kingston Ontario Canada

Kathleen, It would be interesting if you could get Russell here to comment. When I emailed him, all he really said was that my main concern was very valid. That concern is, basically, the detoxing of an already kidney-compromised dog. He then proceeded to apparently copy&paste chunks of information from the website and finally suggested that I *purchase* a holistic consultation, which I find a little at odds with what you've said about your experience with him. But you already know all this, because he copied my email and his subsequent reply to same on to you, without either my prior knowledge or consent. Some, like yourself, have had nothing but good experiences with the product and I'm sincerely glad for you and everyone else who rates it so highly, but there are still too many concerns for me to give it to my own beloved dog. All of our dogs are in different states of health, some better and some worse, and a blanket recommendation to give the product to all AIHA dogs - regardless of their own individual health status -seems a little incautious, to say the least.

Kit UK

Kit, I think you do have valid concerns and hopefully we all research what ever our dogs and us take and make our decsions to take something on that. I agree that just because "natural label or herbs" means healthy is should not be taken lightly. Whenever I or my pets take something natural, I research the heck out of it. Many herbs do have serious side effects if certain organs are compramised and can actually be harmful. And like you said many interfere with certain drugs causing them not to work as they are suppose to. One example for me is glucosomine. It can cause blood thinning and can cause complications in surgery and you should stop taking it a few days before surgery. I found this out when I did a search of what Wylie was one before her splenectomy. I mentioned this to my vet and he said yes you are right, but would never have brought to go over what she had been taking that could case complications. This is also a huge problem in our medical world with people not mentioning to their Dr what supplements they are taking and how it may interect with medications and surgieries. Laurie

Laurie CA

Sue and Kit and Pam and to anyone else with an interest in biopreparation I was on ordering more bioprep for Nollaig and one of my other beagles Spike who has epilepsy from my UK rep of the bioprep and I forwarded on to her what Sue's vet had said about it causing bleeding of digestive tract.Now this lady has taken the biosuperfood herself for years and she also gives her cats the bioprep but she forwarded this comment onto Rodika Kiriac the daughter of Dr Michael Kiriac who researched all about bioalgae and who owns the bionutrition company and its uses in many ways and I thought it would be wise to post her response: I find it very upsetting to hear that this vet is so unknowledgeable and scares people with no evidence. To say that the algae in the BP cause bleeding is absolutely ludicrous. All of the evidence and research by everybody including us, show only healing, regeneration, growth and repair of tissues. Please let your customer know if she cares to know the truth, if not, than it's better to not worry about it. Anything can be said, but evidence is proof! All the best, R O D I K A K I R I A C, BSc, ND b i o n u t r i t i o n vice president Now everyone has the right to decide what they would like to try or not try for their dog and so I'm not here to try and push bioprep onto anyone. I just feel it's right that I let people know about my positive experience with it and then it's up to their own individual judgement as to whether they want it or not. However, having said that I wouldn't like to think that some people who would possibly try it for their dogs/cats etc are put off by the opinion of one vet(see Sue's post above) who has not backed up her claim (as far as I'm aware) with any evidence. I only know my little darling beagle was dying some 4/5 weeks ago and now she's coming back to me and bioprep has played a big part in that. I am glad that you posted this though Sue as I'm sure there are very many other vets who would put people off bioprep and many purely due to lack of knowledge of nutrition and it's importance to our bodies and those of our animals.Vets,as are doctors,not trained in nutrition which when you think of it is completely ridiculous,if you were to put a poor quality oil or fuel in your car it would in the long run not run as efficiently as it could and things would start to go wrong, so our bodies are exactly the same as are our dogs. I used to think that vets and doctors always knew what was best for us and our animals but I know different now because Nollaig would not be here today if I had left her completely in the vet's hands as they were not going to try any other treatments.Don't get me wrong Nollaig's vet is over the moon and I'm sure he's learned a lot for future dogs with this condition and those of us willing to learn and open our minds to new ideas etc with be much wiser in the end. I don't like scaremongering without evidence(that is why I asked Sue if your vet could back up her claims) so until someone can prove to me that bioprep is not safe,then I will go by the evidence before my eyes i.e Nollaig continuing to improve. But if both of you Sue and Kit have decided not to try it,well I totally respect your right to do so and I genuinely hope your dogs continue to improve and stay healthy, after all that is what is important in all of this.What is right for one dog might not be right for another,I just have to look at Nollaig's reaction to azathioprine and leflunomide- researched drugs that nearly killed her,(due to her white cells going so low that she developed sepsis) however these drugs have been the saviour for other dogs. So we just have to sometimes go by our gut feelings and sometimes they might be wrong but we did the best with the knowledge we had at the time. Kit, I haven't had a reply from Russell yet but if you still want to get a more detailed reply to your concerns about kidney issues why don't you go to the bionutrition website where you can contact the Kiriac's directly, after all Dr Michael Kiriac is the founder and researcher of this product. http://www.bionutrition.ca/eng/main.htm Good luck to you all and please pray that Nollaig gets a good improvement in her pcv as I will get results tomorrow or Friday but the internal med specialist was very pleased clinically with her today,he said her heart rate was normal which is a great sign because as you all know when the heart rate goes up it usually means pcv down. Take care Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

I forgot to mention I showed the ingredient list to my vet along with the write up and he thought it was okay, he actually takes something similar. I truly believe it has helped Wylies ALT come down, she has been hovering around the 400-500 range and in the 3 weeks she was on Bioprep it went from 390 to 230 160 point drop! Laurie

Laurie CA

Laurie, You are right on every point. My concern is that not everyone will do so much in the way of research. And by research, I don't mean just take a quick glance at the first page google throws (I'm sure you don't either!). I have no problem whatsoever with humans taking BioSuperfood as they are - or should be - aware of what they're taking and how it might make them feel, as well as the effects it might have on their body. The same goes for otherwise healthy dogs, although they might feel uncomfortable at times as they detox. But AIHA dogs are different and already have so many stresses and challenges on their bodies as we all know. That's brilliant news about Wylie - BioPrep does seem to be working well for her! Kathleen, BioPrep is obviously working well for Nollaig and I really and truely wish her all very the best with her test results tomorrow. But from what I've seen on the detailed list of nutrients, there are several there which apparently shouldn't be given to those with kidney and/or liver problems (which probably covers quite a proportion of long-term AIHA dogs) and there is one there which can increase the risk of excessive bleeding - whether this is the one Sue's vet was concerned about or not I don't know. Another nutrient on the list is not recommended to be given to those in diseased conditions. Another may increase cholesterol levels, which could be a potential concern for undiagnosed hypothyroid dogs. Additionally, every batch of BioPrep will have a slightly different formulation. The nutrients will always vary from one batch to the next by the very nature of the product. I'm not a scientist and what I've found out could well be a case of " a little knowledge being a dangerous thing", but I have to err on the side of caution and not give this product to my Pip. It all eventually comes down to the fact that no-one knows our dog as well as we do ourself. If it feels right to you, go for it. If not, try something else. By the way, I have no wish to upset you whatsoever but Sue only posted 24 hours ago and the chances of her even having made contact with her vet yet are slim. Having had the time or inclination come back here to justify what you see as scaremongering is probably even less likley. Sincere best wishes to Nollaig and hopes for a good result for her.

Kit UK

Here is copy of Russell Louie's response from Optimum Choices re. claim by vet above that certain ingredients in bioprep can cause bleeding in digestive tract.Again as you can read below Russell would like to know the specific ingredients that Sue's vet refers to, if that would be possible?The attached article he refers to is Not Another Supplement—New Holistic Paradigm! which can be downloaded from the Optimum Choices wesite: The vet's response is a common misperception among 99% of doctors, vets and even holistic practitioners. They are all comparing current research, studies and general experiences regarding supplements with BioPreparation/BioSuperfood. Because BioPreparation/BioSuperfood are not supplements but whole food products, almost all their assumptions do not apply. It is like comparing apples to oranges. I have attached an article that will explain the differences between supplements and whole food products. On page 4, under the Dosage Deception heading, I explain this concept. I would like to know the exact ingredient the vet is talking about so I can give you a proper answer. But the generic answer is that there are no high therapeutic doses of any single nutrient in BioPreparation/BioSuperfood that will cause bleeding. The vet is referring to studies of supplements where one individual ingredient given in therapeutic dosages might have been shown to increase bleeding. But the study was probably done using a single nutrient (most likely synthetic origin) varying the dosages. They would not have included all the complementary vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, that Nature put in the whole food source and that Nature dictated are needed to buffer that nutrient. Only the whole food source would contain all those complementary ingredients. A prime example is buffered Vitamin C supplements. Scientists have had to add back a buffer ingredient to Vitamin C supplements in order to alleviate some people's upset stomach from taking a high therapeutic dosage of pure ascorbic acid. When one gets their Vitamin C from Nature's whole food source (i.e., citrus fruits, green peppers, tomatoes, rose hips, acerola cherries, etc.), one does not get an upset stomach or have any need for buffer ingredients. That's because Nature does not put high therapeutic doses of any single ingredient in her whole foods AND she already included the necessary buffer ingredients directly in the food. In the case or citrus fruits, she put the buffer ingredients in the white rind of the fruit which scientist erroneously separate and throw away when they extract or concentrate just the ascorbic acid. In order to get the most benefits out of a whole food product like BP/BSF, one must let go of all the old supplement paradigms that do not apply to whole food products. Hope this explanation helps. Russell Again I am not trying to convince anyone to use this product but I think everyone should have access to all information and then make up their own minds. Like I said to Kit in a previous post above if anyone has any questions/concerns might be worth contacting the Kiriac's directly(see contact details above) as they founded the product. Best Wishes to all Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

Ren's next visit is next Tuesday. I will ask my Vet for a more detailed response about Bioprep at that time. As I recall my brief conversation with my Vet, I do not think she mentioned algae as a concern with bleeding. Also, this was her looking at Ren's specific case and treatment. For some reason she was concerned about adding this supplement for dogs with AIHA. It may be that she does not condone holistic medicines, I do not know. Personally, I believe in a balance of prescribed medications and natural healing methods. (diet, stress reduction, etc.) However, I always consult with Ren's vet about these things. If some of you have been having positive results using Bioprep, then by all means, continue with it. Anything that is aiding in AIHA remission is a blessing. Sue & Ren

Susie delaware

To be honest, I think that Russell's reply is a little patronising. You don't have to be a holistic practitioner to understand the concept of whole food products (and how the nutrients therein interact with each other) as opposed to the taking of individual supplements. We'll have to differ on this, Kathleen. You are happy to give the product to your dog and she seems to be doing well on it. I have reservations about using it and won't even be trying it for mine. I am currently using a whole diet regime for Pip, which at least suits her - the next blood test will tell what's happening inside. Cheryl did ask for positive and negative comments, she's getting a selection now! By the way, I had to smile at this: **as you all know when the heart rate goes up it usually means pcv down.** When Pip's heart rate goes up, it just means that the poor old biddy is at the vets - again (she does get herself in a tizz over it)

Kit UK

Sue and Ren from Delaware,USA I just want to make it clear that when I spoke of scaremongering,I was referring to your vet doing this and not you personally Sue. As I said in a previous post, I am glad you posted that comment that your vet made, as I'm sure your vet will not be the only one to do so and as far as I'm concerned it's healthy to discuss differing opinions of things in this life. As I also said previously, that is the way we can all learn,when we open up our minds-none of us on this Earth have all the answers. I personally agree with Russell in his explanation: The vet is referring to studies of supplements where one individual ingredient given in therapeutic dosages might have been shown to increase bleeding. But the study was probably done using a single nutrient (most likely synthetic origin) varying the dosages. They would not have included all the complementary vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, that Nature put in the whole food source and that Nature dictated are needed to buffer that nutrient. Only the whole food source would contain all those complementary ingredients. But that is only my opinion, and again I would advise anyone with specific concerns to contact the Kiriac's directly as they will be able to provide the research that they've done with bio-microalgae. Just remember vets are advising us all to get our dogs/cats vaccinated EVERY year and to worm and flea protect them with products full of dangerous pesticides which as many of us on this forum know can actually cause/trigger AIHA and cause other numerous problems so what they advise isn't always the best things for our dogs/cats.That's the one big lesson I've learned through Nollaig's illness-research everything myself first and then whatever decision I come to is at least an informative one whether right or wrong. Kit you have not upset me in the slightest,I can assure you, what I've been through with Nollaig's illness in the past 7 months and hearing about other people who have lost their dogs to this horrible illlness and also with my Dad being terminally ill, I know what's worth getting upset over. Best Wishes to all Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

Ginger had her PCV tested today and it went from 28 to 37 in a months time. She has been on 200mg cyclo. 50mg Aza. EOD, 5mg of pred. and 4 caps of Bioprep all for one month now. The last time she went to the vet she had to use the ramp to get into our van, this time she climbed in herself, her arthritis seems to have improved somewhat. She has been through this 2 times before in the last 2 years and has been put on the same drugs and dosages and this has been her biggest PCV jump in one month. I had her vet check the ingredients and she gave me the okay to use the Bioprep before I gave it to her and I will reduce her dosage gradually along with her other med's until we can get her on the lowest maintenance dosage possible. So for my dog Ginger I would have to say yes BioPrep did help and like all the drugs she is on it probably has its side effects too, but compared to the alternative I will deal with the side effects if they occur. Cheryl & Ginger

Cheryl & Ginger Pinevile pa

Wonderful news Cheryl and Ginger! I am so happy the bioprep is doing it's job. Kathleen, I am so happy that Nollaig is doing well. Healthy pups is what this is all about. I take herbal/holistic/whole food supplements myself and am actively vocal on the health benefits of herbal/holistic whole food supplements for human health. I really feel it was the whole plethora of other medications that ultimately failed to keep Oliver with me. The bio-prep kept him clincally healthy for two months. That was two months longer that I was able to spend with my Oliver. We all have to do what our hearts and intuitions tell us to do with our loved ones. Knowledge is power. Use it wisely and ensure that those who are suppose to be helping us keep our pets alive are knowledgeable and willing to "think outside the box" to promote better health for our pets. Good luck and god bless all of you and your furry pets. Yea Ginger and Nollaig and Pip and Ren and Wylie!

Mardi Northern Calif

Cheryl and Ginger So pleased for you in getting that pcv up that's you now at the bottom of the normal pcv range Ginger(unless you're a greyhound or the like with high red cell counts.) Well done Ginger,you must be thrilled Cheryl,and I'm interested in knowing if you see a real difference in Ginger's arthritis and if you would put it down to bioprep as I know of someone whose looking for something to improve their dog's stiffness and mobility? Best Wishes Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

Kathleen Yes, I defiantly see a difference in Ginger's arthritis, she seems more flexible and not as stiff. I had her on four tablets of the Cetyl M for years now and have been able to cut it down to two a day a few weeks after adding the BioPrep and so far so good. Ginger took a dish towel yesterday from the laundry basket and she was so happy I saw her do some crazy moves I have never seen before, she is almost 10. Hoping for some good test results for Nollaig when she has her PCV checked. Cheryl & Ginger

Cheryl & Ginger Pineville PA

Hi all I'm following this bioprep thread with interest and I too bought some F3 bioprep for Shaunna a few weeks ago. However after giving it to her for a few days I stopped because I feel there's insufficient scientific/academic research to support its claims. I'm an academic by training, albeit in the social sciences, and unless I'm mistaken there is little comparable research to back up the claims of this product. I do sincerely hope all the claims are factual and accurate, but I just feel that there is little way of knowing at present. In essence, I don't want to compromise Shaunna's health. Indeed the thing that made me suspicious - 2 things in fact - are 1) somewhere in the supporting literature the author has clearly confused AIHA and PRCA, which suggests he doesn't really have a grasp on the conditions and therefore isn't in a position to make any claims of bioprep's effectiveness in treating the disease. 2) When ordering the product from the UK I spoke with the seller and she claimed wonderful results were being achieved with bioprep in treating PRCA and AIHA - I'm sorry but how does she know? She doesn't have detailed access to veterinary notes for each individual case and in most cases of canine PRCA/AIHA the dog would have been on the standard drugs of pred and atopica or azathioprine or some other drug cocktail when bioprep was introduced. For me personally, the claims of this person were/are far too spurious. Moreover, just because bioprep's supporting literature includes numerous success stories doesn't mean that they are indeed factual. Without the support of academic research, I personally can't take these results as scientific. I'm sorry for being a skeptic, but bioprep's manufacturers are also a business trying to sell a product and make money. One of the biggest concerns, however, that I have is in relation to cryptosporidium, which can be contracted from algae - I contacted it last year from a lagoon in Mexico. The infection can be deadly to dogs. So I guess, my question is - could bioprep be contaminated with cryptosporidium? I should conclude by saying that I am not doubting any of the reported improvements people on this forum have noticed in their dogs. I guess my question would be - is the improvement due to bioprep or the drugs which have been prescribed by their vet? Best wishes, Claire

Claire Cumbria UK

My opinion is that when a person is serious about helping their pet, and they are told about a product that is excellent and may help their pet to survive, I would go directly to the manufacturer myself and ask them! I would certainly take note of comments in a respected forum where people are trying to help each other, but I would go to the top and not waste further time, whilst my pet may take a really bad turn for the worse and actually die. I see so much procrastination in people with regards to the health of their pets and themselves, they only need to check out their concerns with the kiriaks ( manfacturers and designers of the Bio Prep) and they would then make a proper informed choice. In my opionion this is where a forum may hold up the progress of their pet. Bio Preparation is actually a food... I think people think of it as a drug sometimes..but its powerful and yet gentle , so we take things slowly with our pets and we get correct advice from people that know the product extremely well. Russell louis is a so helpful and to my knowledge genuine and certainly not out just to make money..he takes time to write to customers in depth ( even when they are not his own customers - he helps our customers too )and he cares to..he also knows the bio Preparation inside out. Please go to the people that know and sell this product, rather than have people who may miss out on having their pets healed , due to worries and concerns which would be addressed if they spoke to the people who know. Meantime I have many customers who have had dogs with IMHA..and these customers have been delighted with the results of F3+ Bio Preparation. Yes it took time, but the dogs are off all medications from the vets..and no, the dogs did not experience and side effects from this product, as I said before it comes under the category of a total nutrient compound. Certainly for any vet to suggest this product can cause bleeding issues, shows their, in my opinion total lack of knowledge of health products in this category. They need to go and educate themselves and to offer their clients products that can actually help to heal pets conditions, rather than control them , and have nasty side effects. UK distributor bioprep..Anne

Anne Devereaux UK

Thanks for your input, Claire. You have voiced other of my concerns in a far more forthright manner than I dared do! Some do seem to be a little hazy about the difference between AIHA and PRCA and, even here in the forum, there are posts from dog owners whose pets have had HBA but been diagnosed as AIHA. I didn't get to speak to Anne because, firstly, I read an email from Russell and discovered that he had forwarded both my original message to him and his reply to same on to both Anne and Kathleen. This seemed a little unprofessional (although being cynical, other thoughts also struck me) and in his reply suggested that I buy a consultation. He certainly didn't write to me "in depth" as Anne suggests, but maybe that would only come after I'd paid him? When I subsequently opened Anne's email reply to me, the opening words were "You need to call me today" and she then played on my concerns by telling me that my dog is seriously ill (lol, maybe she thought I hadn't realised??) and that I need to buy this product NOW. One thing I really did not *need* to do at that point was to speak to her. Neither she nor Russell know the first thing about my dog other than her name, that she's a Border Collie and that she's nearly 14. How they can possibly feel in a position to recommend this - or any - product which, according to them, will directly affect her health status from such a standpoint is way beyond me. I did mention to Russell that Pip might have the beginnings of a kidney problem and while he suggested starting at a low dose, he has now way whatsoever of knowing how far advanced any disease might be or whether her kidneys would even stand up to a low dose of a detoxifying substance. For anyone who has given the algae to their dog and had incredible improvement in their condition, I only feel great happiness that your pets are coming back to you. I shall still not be giving it to my own dog as there are too many questions - of all kinds - in my mind. I am, rather, feeding Pip a more natural diet which she loves and which also seems to be helping her recover physically from the ravages of the prescription drugs that she's been taking.

Kit UK

Kit, I think, though not positive, that the Algae you refer to is "Blue Algae". We have a problem with this up here in late summer, when certain rivers have their water evaporate and stagnant areas of water form, which is a breeding ground for the blue algae. It is very toxic to animals and several dogs, unfortunately, got into it this year and even though rushed to the vet, died enroute. Blue algae is not an ingredient in the Bio-prep. Everyone needs to decide what is best for their pet. This isn't a right or wrong matter, just personal choice. Take care.

Mardi Northern Cali

I am sorry to say that some of these people are very cynical and I noticed I have been accused of various things... It saddens me that people do this..but free speech and all that. My concern is that people can get their sick pets better..I think some of you have seen this..but why try to convince people who actually at the end of the day ..are more interested in making a statement and being right..than getting to the truth. The reason I can say that dogs have been made better from serious illness, is because I have customers who tell me that their dogs are better! simple as that, and yes it does take time. I have a scientist whose dog is now stable on F3+..we won't dare say cured!! This dog was suffering from IMHA. We had another lady who's lovely dog also had IMHA..her dog too was stabilised...( we won't say cured or healed..thats blasphemous!) So whats that all about..surely not F3+...do these people honestly thing the Kiriak's would be allowed to sell a product with a toxic algae in it?? They are not what I would call thinking people. If they see fit to accuse me of being a dishonest seller..then I will have my say back..! I think that its quite sad to be bad mouthing a wonderful product when they won't go and find the real answers.! IF the algae in this product is so toxic..why are so many pets getting well/??? Anne

Anne Devereaux UK

Anne, I can see your point totally and agree with you that this product probably does play a large role in the overall improvement in the health of numerous pets that are sick. This sounds like a great product with tonnes of potential. HOWEVER, I was told by several doctors that the live micro-algae is not entirely safe for a dog on significant immunosuppressive therapy! Some dogs may not respond well to it. Because of this I decided not to put my dog on BioPrep. Not because the product does not work but because I've spent way too much money thus far to take any chances with anything unless there's significant lit to back it up. I'm glad to hear that it IS working with the pets that are using it. Hope all the best to the furbabies out there. Keep on fighting. Johnny & Tessy

Johnny

First off let me share that Ren's blood results were very good today. PCV-37, WBC-almost within normal ranges. Looking good! My Vet's thoughts about Bioprep...she seemed concerned about adding specifically the omega 3, 6. She said there have been studies that show omegas can increase inflammation. Also omega 3 is contraindicated for bleeding disorders. Omega 3 can cause elevations in liver function tests. Basically what she was trying to say, (I will paraphrase), AIHA is a difficult disease to treat. It requires constant blood monitoring. Any fluctuation in blood values due to a "supplement" may interfere with proper drug dosage. She was saying something about the algae but I didn't quite understand what she was saying, it was along the lines of what Claire had mentioned earlier in this thread. Some sort of contamination.??? My final thoughts about the product; Ren is now in remission. She is doing well with the medications that she is taking. At this time I would not add Bioprep to Ren's regimen. I feel my Vet has legitimate concerns about this Bioprep. For those of you who use Bioprep and have had good results, by all means continue. As I said, every AIHA case is different. Blessings, Sue & Ren

Susie Delaware

The short answer is all the concerns of giving Omega oils in a supplement that might cause excessive bleeding are all based on allopathic suppositions, allopathic studies and hearsay and therefore DO NOT apply to the Omega oils in BioPreparation because BioPreparation is a holistic whole food product and NOT a supplement. Anytime a claim is made, that a certain nutrient is an advantage or disadvantage causing a specific effect in the body, this only applies to supplements and not whole food products. The simple difference is that supplements cause effects in the body while whole food products naturally and holistically balance the whole body and let the body cause the effect (“healing”) and not the nutrient or product. Here is the long answer and the results of my research with cited sources. It all started when one source observed excessively long bleeding times and increased incidence of hemorrhagic stroke in Eskimos and also noted they ate a diet high in Omega oils in the range of 6.5 grams per day (Linus Pauling Institute). Omega oils have well-known triglyceride-lowering properties and were shown to inhibit platelet function in allopathic studies when given in high therapeutic doses. But according to a recent research article, Safety considerations with omega-3 fatty acid therapy by W.S. Harris (American Journal of Cardiology. 2007 Mar 19;99(6A):35C-43C), "...evidence for clinically significant bleeding reveals that such concerns are unfounded. As such, the benefits of triglyceride lowering with omega-3 fatty acids more than outweigh any theoretical risks for increased bleeding." In another article Can Fish Oil Cause Bleeding Risks? by Craig Weatherby (Vital Choices, June 23, 2008, Issue 220, Vol. 5) he states, “Recent evidence review finds no evidence that fish oil promotes unusual bleeding, even when taken with blood thinning drugs. After an exhaustive search of the medical literature, they concluded that this watery nostrum – repeated for decades by physicians and health writers, ad nauseum — is a medical myth that lacks any credible basis. But when a respected expert in omega-3s and cardiovascular health scrutinized the medical literature, he could find no scientific justification for these concerns.” But even if there were adequate studies proving that high therapeutic doses 6.5 grams of Omega oil supplements do cause excessive bleeding, they would not apply to BioPreparation for the following reason: Being a whole food product, BioPreparation has a broad base of over 5,000 individual nutrients but none are in high therapeutic doses like supplements. For example, one capsule of BioPreparation has approximately 0.002523 mg of Omega 3 fatty acids per capsule. Even if one were to give six capsules per day, this would only amount to 0.015138 mg. This is approximately 430,000 times less than the hypothesized 6.5 grams that supposedly causes excessive bleeding in Eskimos. Any attempt to extrapolate the cause and effect (as determined by allopathic studies) of Omega 3 oils from supplements to whole food products, simply is not valid. Supplements contain high therapeutic doses of active ingredients, while whole food products contain low doses of not just the active ingredients but also many essential and complementary ingredients Nature dictated are needed to make the active ingredient work in the body. This latter fact illustrates another important difference between whole food products and supplements. High therapeutic doses of Vitamin C supplements are known to upset some people’s stomach, hence the need for buffered Vitamin C supplements. But whole food Vitamin C products do not need any buffer ingredients added because Nature already included these buffer ingredients, as well as a host of other complementary ingredients needed, such as rutin, bioflavonoids, Vitamin E, selenium and zinc. The same is true for the Omega oils in algae. Nature already put Omega 3, 6, 9, ALAs (Alpha-Linolenic Acids), DGLA (Dihomogamma-Linolenic Acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), and rare GLA (its high gamma linoleic acid content is similar to early mother's milk) and more fatty acids together to make them all work together in the body. That is why one of the first benefits pet owners notice after 1-2 weeks on BioPreparation is their pet’s coats is softer, silkier and shinier from the benefits of essential fatty acids in the algae. One does not need a high therapeutic dosage to accomplish this, just a small whole food dosage with all the other complementary essential fatty acids and nutrients. The allopathic Cause and Effect principle works for supplements and drugs but not whole food products. The Cause and Effect principle assumes the ingredient or product is doing the work (effect). On the other hand, whole food products supply the super nutrition to the body, which in turn feeds, energizes and balances the glands in the brain. When all the glands in the brain are working in synergy, the body now starts to use the remaining super nutrition to feed, energize and balance the rest of the glands and organs. So, it is the body doing the work, not the product. This is the new paradigm in holistic health we frequently talk about and the prime reason Optimum Choices does not sell any isolated supplements but only whole food products. I hope this answers all your concerns. More people need to understand the true holistic benefits of whole food products over just supplementing the symptoms with isolated nutrients. Russell Louie

Russell Louie U.S.A.

This thread was discussed between 10/09/2009 and 09/11/2009

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