The Holistic Veterinarian - Understanding the Holistic Approach to Medicine for Your Pet

Most people have heard of Holistic, or alternative, medicine and are aware of its use by humans for hundreds of years. However, most people don't really understand the underlying tenets of Holistic medicine or know that it is now being used, with great success, on our pets.

Holistic medicine embraces the theory that every living creature has a central life force that needs to be kept in balance in order to ward off disease, recover from injuries and live a longer and more stress-free life. There are five basic aspects of Holistic medicine, that, when used together, will give your pet a longer and healthier life. The most important tenet is nutrition. When you feed a well-balanced diet made from the highest quality ingredients, with no preservatives or fillers added, you greatly enhance your pet's quality of life. As your pet's nutrition is improved, it will be visually reflected in the look and feel of their coats, a new alertness in their manner and more energy.

Another aspect of holistic medicine is acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice and most people have at least an idea of what it is. What a lot of people don't realize is that acupuncture can be done without needles, simply using pressure, heat and lasers to stimulate the nerves and promote healing.

Yet another aspect of holistic medicine is chiropractics. Chiropractic medicine centers on keeping the spinal column aligned in order to provide a clear pathway for nerve impulses to travel to the brain and vice versa. The nervous system coordinates all of the body's movement and when it is functioning properly, the pet has enhanced quality of life, as it is now able to move pain-free. A dog going through a strenuous workout, such as an agility event, can very easily misalign any of the 100 joints running from their spine. A chiropractic adjustment will fix that misalignment as well as give the dog an increased sense of well-being.

Homeopathy is one of the least-understood treatments, although it has been around for hundreds of years. Basically, homeopathy is treating a disease with a natural substance that will trigger a body's immune system to fight the disease. Homeopathy has been used successfully on a wide variety of illnesses, including cancer. Homeopathy is considered a 'pure' science and should only be used by veterinarians trained in the science.

The final weapon in the holistic veterinarian's arsenal is herbal therapy. Most people have used herbal therapy on themselves, such as chamomile tea to relax and Echinacea to minimize cold symptoms. Herbs should only be used under expert advice as they can have adverse side effects if used improperly.

In our next article, we will delve deeper into each of the five disciplines, exploring its origins and its use in the modern veterinarian's practice.