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u·biq·ui·tous – appearing, or found everywhere

Ubiquitous is not a word most of us think about using on a regular basis…yet it’s one of those terms that packs a lot of meaning into 4 syllables. When I think of ubiquitous, I think of something like electricity or the internet. It’s everywhere and nowhere. How many times have you flipped a light switch during a power outage, only to be surprised when nothing happened. Same with the internet, you expect your devices to be connected 24/7 and usually get really annoyed when you find that you’re not.

In the United States, cancer is now the primary cause of death in dogs over two years of age. Sadly, it seems cancer is becoming a ubiquitous diagnosis. Nothing strikes fear in the heart of loving pet parents like a cancer diagnosis. What’s worse, it can go undiagnosed growing silently and invisibly inside the body.

I know firsthand. One year ago, our miniature dachshund was diagnosed with a primary liver tumor. The tumor was enormous, the size of a grapefruit inside a 12-pound body.

We got lucky, routine lab work picked up elevated liver enzymes over time which gave us some clues that something was wrong.

We got lucky, although her tumor was malignant, it was limited to the left lobe and was not near any vital blood vessels.

We got lucky, an awesome team of specialists successfully removed the tumor and she is doing well.

We got lucky, we enlisted the help of a holistic veterinarian who designed a regimen of supplements to help strengthen her immune system.

We got lucky.

Why is this happening?

What Regulation?

At least in the United States, you will probably be shocked and upset to learn that there is no regulation at all of the thousands of chemicals used in everyday household items. It’s the things we come into contact with every day in our homes.

So what does that mean? Essentially anything that isn’t food (at least in the USA) is not regulated for safety. It means, there is no oversight and consequently, little if any published research as to how harmful any of these compounds might be. We’re part of a grand experiment, and in many ways, both pet parents and furry family members are the guinea pigs.

The good news is there is plenty of credible research available about toxins in products we use every single day. The bad news – we are saturated with sophisticated marketing messages that either convince us to use products despite the risks or leave us feeling confused and overwhelmed. That’s how I came up with the term “ubiqui-toxin” which will make a lot of sense to you as we learn more about toxins “Hidden in Plain Sight – The Ubiquitous Nature of Everyday Substances Toxic to Your Pets.”