Over the past few years, we at Total*  Manufacturing have been receiving reports that horses on our supplement were either free of parasites, or had unusually low counts.  Nothing had been consciously added to the supplement for this purpose, and we were perplexed at first, albeit pleased, and in the summer of 2000, we were able to report that the naturally chelated minerals that come from a mine in Nevada are acting as a natural wormer..  Studies have been done to verify its deworming properties on different species, including the horse.

"We found the answer!

"In the past we have had numerous reports from our customers telling us that by using Total* they had successfully dewormed their horses and are now finding  the same results with dogs.   Somewhat cautiously we had passed that information on to our readers with the comment that we were not sure exactly why it was working but that people were consistently reporting this benefit. 

"In fact, we frequently reminded people that there was nothing specifically in Total* that was intended to have an effect on the worms. 

"Well, our research into this question has produced a plausible answer. 

"One of the ingredients in Total* is a trace mineral-rich product that comes from ancient deposits in Nevada.   These deposits are composed primarily of the exoskeletons of microscopic marine life that flourished eons ago. The skeleton of the diatom is made up of secreted silicon which is very hard and sharp. When the animals die their skeletons accumulate on the marine floor and fossilize. 

"It is the structure of the skeleton that is of interest. It seems that the sharp abrasive qualities are highly effective in damaging the bodies of insects and worms, literally grinding them to death inside and out. By contrast, the skin and intestinal lining of large animals and humans are impervious and tolerate it very well. In fact, it has some of the same beneficial effects of natural fiber, scrubbing and cleaning the intestinal wall. 


 

     Some of the Benefits :

1.    Stopped scours even on dogs that had not responded to any other medications. 
2.    Noticeable flea & tick reduction. 
3.    Dogs may have decreased appetites. 
4.    Weight gain due to better feed conversion. 
5.    Reduction in manure odor. 
6.    Elimination of any internal parasites. 
7.    Healthier appearance. 
8.    Help eliminate loss of hair coat on nursing females.
9.    Decrease or even eliminate puppy problems (kennel cough)
10.  Dogs stop chewing up the house - appear to more content.

". Our customers have not reported (but perhaps have not been alerted to) the benefit of fly control. But clearly, it is the control of internal parasites that has caught our interest, and now we know why it is being reported."