In this age of chemicals and additives, pollution and sporadic policing of pet food for mycotoxins and other contamination, it is imperative that we use any natural means at our disposal to help our pets defend themselves internally.
In the wild, virtually every group of animals instinctively seeks out natural cures and digestive aids that aren’t typically available in captivity. One of these instinctively utilized wonders is Calcium Montmorillonite and similar smectite clays. Termed ‘Pelotheraphy’, therapeutic use of clay and earth has been used for centuries, spanning some 200 cultures. There is documented instinctive usage by countless animal species, including birds, cattle, wolves and fish.
Therapeutic
Calcium Montmorillonite Clay has been repeatedly proven to naturally and holistically benefit domestic animals, including dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, horses, cows, pigs, fish, inverts and reptiles. Its holistic treatment abilities are the result of 3-4 basic steps:
- Step 1 – Clay works with the body to expel parasites, remove toxins and facilitate the exchange of cations, resulting in an unsurpassed cleansing agent.
- Step 2 – It balances and maintains the body’s pH, water balance, osmotic pressure and intestinal flora.
- Step 3 – Having prepared the body for optimum absorption, Calcium Montmorillonite Clay offers more than 60 naturally balanced macro, micro and trace mineral elements in a highly bio-available form.
- Step 4 – In aquariums, the Green Calcium Montmorillonite Clay exits the digestive system into the environment, adding minerals while purifying the water. Since fish and other aquatic creatures absorb minerals from their environment as well as through the diet, the addition of these minerals packs a double punch. The constant bath in Calcium Montmorillonite Clay may also promote healing of external injuries, similar to the proven benefits of bathing in it. As a side benefit, it also results in a premium, natural aquatic plant fertilizer.
Minerals
Animals demonstrate mineral deficiencies in a wide variety of ways, from behavioral to more obvious symptoms. Rabbits and Hamsters, for example, may cannibalize their young or pull the fur out of cohabiting animals. The impact on dogs & cats can vary from allergies to arthritis. The effects in breeding animals can be devastating, including small litters, high losses of newborns, poor growth rates, deformities and long-term health issues. Grazing animals can only obtain mineral-rich vegetation if it’s grown in mineral rich earth, but with the depletion of farmland they are suffering from deficiencies. As mentioned, Montmorillonite Clay is a natural mineral supplement with over 60 macro/micro/trace mineral elements.
Medicinal
Medicinally, Calcium Montmorillonite Clay has been successfully used to assist the body in rectifying serious health problems. It is often used to successfully treat digestive issues, such as intestinal infection, gas and extremely loose stools through its colloidal properties [Kevin A. Hahn, DVM, PhD & Robert H. Carpenter, DVM], even when all conventional medical treatments fail. It is used to soothe and line the gut and will also help expel parasites. Calcium Montmorillonite Clay has also been a very successful complimentary treatment for arthritis and similar issues. In fact, it was tested for NASA for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in Astronauts and animals with astounding success.
The removal of a full spectrum of toxins is one of Calcium Montmorillonite Clay’s main claims to fame. It can assist the body in ridding itself of heavy metals and toxins through binding (adsorption), made possible by its negatively charged ions seeking out positively charged ions (toxins) throughout the body. It is even capable of dealing with radiation to a point where nuclear waste is buried in it as a natural barrier in case of leakage.
The effect of clay supplements on bacteria such as E. coli, Mycobacterium and Salmonella was studied in 2008 at Arizona State University. This study concludes, The results indicate that specific mineral products have intrinsic, heat-stable antibacterial properties, which could provide an inexpensive treatment against numerous human bacterial infections.
Scientists have documented issues with mycotoxins in numerous studies as causes of poor performance and mortality. In 2007, animal scientists at Texas A&M University demonstrated definite effectiveness of Calcium Montmorillonite Clay as an aflatoxin binder in animal feeds.
Sources:
S. A. Adeleye, P.G. Clay. Sorption of caesium, strontium and europium ions on clay minerals. Chemical Engineering Department, Imperial College, London.
Shelley E. Haydel, Christine M. Remenih, Lynda B. Williams. Broad-spectrum in vitro antibacterial activities of clay minerals against antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2008) 61, 353-361. 10 December 2007.
J.B. Dixon, I. Kannewischer, M.G. Tenorio Arvide, A.L. Barrientos Velazquez. Aflatoxin sequestration in animal feeds by quality-labeled smectite clays. Applied Clay Science 40 (2008) 201-208.
S. A. Adeleye, P.G. Clay. Chemical Engineering Department, Imperial College, London. M. O. A. Oladipo. Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Belle University, Zaria, Nigeria. Sorption of caesium, strontium and europium ions on clay minerals. Journal of Materials Science 29 (1994) 954-958.
Mahaney, Hancock, Maximilliano, Aufrieter and Perez, 1996. Geophagy of Holstein hybrid cattle in the northern Andes, Venezuela. Mountain Research and Development.
Jonathan C. Eya, Andrea Parsons, Iyerusalem Haile and Premalathan Jagidi Department of Biology. Effects of Dietary Zeolites (Bentonite and Mordenite) on the Performance Juvenile Rainbow trout Onchorhynchus myskis. West Virginia State University, Institute, WV. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2(4): 961-967, 2008.
Bentonite, Kaolin and Selected Clay Minerals. World Health Organization, Geneva. 2005.
Eytons’ Earth. EytonsEarth.org. Referenced March, 2009.
J. H. Quisenberry. The Use of Clay in Poultry Feed. Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
Clays and Clay Minerals, 1968, Vol. 16, pp. 267-270. Pergamon Press. Printed in Great Britain.
Patricia Sherwood. The Healing Art of Clay Therapy. Acer Press (October 2004).
Ran Knishinsky. The Clay Cure : Natural Healing from the Earth. Healing Arts Press (April 1, 1998).
Anjou Musafir. Clay Cures. Mapin Publishing (August 25, 2006).
Johns, Timothy, Duquette, Martin. Detoxification and Mineral Supplementation as Functions of Geophagy. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ISSN: 0002-9165. 1991.
Sheila Schils Ph.D. What Was Old Is Now New. The Use Of Clay In The Fight Against The Harmful Effects of Ammonia.
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It’s been about 9 months since we put Dixie on Calcium Montmorillonite Clay and we’re just finishing up the first pound we bought from you. We’ve made no other changes and she’s already spoiled but I can honestly see a difference in her mobility. It took about four months before I was sure there was a difference but then it became more and more obvius that the supplement helps her arthritis a great deal. Thank you for researching clay for pets and for having it here. We’ll be ordering again and again!!
Our cat started drinking MORE water when we added a tiny bit of calcium clay to it. She has always had a weak stomach and the hairballs were getting worse now that she’s older but clay has helped a lot. Nature knows best!
Even Jesus used clay to heal? That’s good enough for me! lol 🙂
I’ve been eating and drinking clay for almost 3 years and I’ve never felt better. I started giving it to my pets when I realized it was working for me and they’re doing very well too. We need to get back to the natural way of doing things & stop drinking the artificial manufacturers koolaid.
THANK YOU FOR TELLING US ABOUT CALCIUM MONTMORILLONITE CLAY!!! IT’S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS BUT MY DOGS ARE MORE PERKY ALREADY!!!!! IT’S HARD TO TELL WITH MY CAT BUT I GIVE IT TO HIM ANYWAY.
May I suggest more posts about calcium montmorillonite clay about specific applications? I’d really like to learn more about its uses in natural healing.
I too use smectite clay for my dogs and it has helped my doberman’s hip dysplasia so much you can see it on his x-rays!
I have to disagree…Pelotheraphy IS miraculous and it DID change my life! It’s not hype!
It’s been almost a year since I started my dogs, cats and horse on calcium clay and OMG! Such a difference! They have more energy, sick less often and my senior dog’s arthritis improved. I knew it would be good for them but again, OMG!
Clay is one of the truly natural remedies left in the world. I add it to water for me, the dog and the cats. We’re all healthy as horses…and horses must eat clay too if they’re so healthy lol
My calcium montmorillonite clay order should be here this week. It’s one of those things that can’t hurt and will surely help so why not.
I put montmorilonite clay in my Cockatiel’s water.
I had great luck using calcium clay to fix diarrhea in my dogs but I had no idea there were so many benefits to therapeutic use!
Clay is truly miraculous for people and pets I’ve been using it for many years. Everyone I recommend it to is amazed.
I got a bad batch once so it’s important to be sure of the quality like the article says. Luckily I had been eating CMC for so long I could tell that it wasn’t working right and it was making me feel worse.