Holistic Medicine For Pets
By Alice Flowers
Holistic medicine is a practice that involves all aspects of the patients life when diagnosing and treating a particular condition. It is not a method of treatment but rather an approach to how treatment should be applied. Just as holistic medicine applies to humans, it can also be a tool to treat animals and with so many people in the US using alternative medicine, the demand for products and information on holistic veterinarian medicine has increased.
Holistic veterinarian medicine might include treatments such as, nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture and veterinarian chiropractic.
Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine has been around since the dawn of mankind when early humans most likely learned to use healing plants from observing the animals around them. It is a known fact that wild animals heal themselves by eating plants that they find intuitively in their environment.
Some holistic veterinarians who have chosen herbal medicine as part of their practice, are using traditional North American herbalism, Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine.
The Veterinary Botanical Medical Association VBMA was founded recently to encourage interaction among veterinarians, herbalists, botanists, and natural practitioners. They have recognized that herbs and plants have healing powers and are capable of balancing many physical and emotional conditions in animals and their goal is to increase the safety and effectiveness of herbal remedies used in animals.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been used in China for over 3000 years and it's still a major form of treatment for the majority of China's population. Although its main object has been to heal human patients, acupuncture has found a place in veterinarian practice.
Traditional Chinese medicine states that there is an energy that flows through the body called the CHI and this vital force runs through channels called meridians and when this energy is blocked for any reason, pain congestion and disease can occur.
The treatment uses the insertion of needles at specific points of the meridians to unblock the flow of the CHI. Through acupuncture the veterinarian can improve an animal's immune system, relieve pain and improve organ function.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy was discovered and developed in the early 1800's by German physician Samuel Hannemann. The theory of homeopathy is based on the principles of the law of similars whereas like cures like.
Homeopathic remedies are derived from plants, minerals or animal substances and are believed to stimulate the body's own healing process.
Even though the homeopathic remedies are often extremely diluted, homeopaths maintain that some healing force is retained by these homeopathic preparations because they contain vibrational energy essence of the original substance.
One of the biggest contributors to veterinary homeopathic practice is Richard Pitcairn DVM, Phd. Dr. Pitcairn is the founder of the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy and has written a book called Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
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Chiropractic
Chiropractic adjustments can also be used to treat household pets suffering from a number of conditions. Healing results can be achieved through chiropractic that would not respond to more conventional therapies. Through hands-on specific adjustments, fixated or subluxated vertebra can be adjusted causing the body to align itself back to health Nutritional Therapies
Last but not least, proper nutrition can be the answer to many a health problem, often curing the condition without the need for any other treatment. A natural diet rich in natural ingredients including vitamins and minerals have often proved to be extremely helpful to heal sick pets and all a cat or dog needs in order to regain its good health.
In essence, holistic pet medicine is becoming mainstream among pet owners who seek a more natural way of living for themselves and their four legged family members. In many cases it has proven to be more effective, less toxic and less expensive than conventional medicine.
Alice Flowers is a freelance writer. She is a foodie, a world traveler and has a love for animals.
  
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