Homeopathic veterinary care saves money and reduces stress on your pet. Traditional veterinarians stick to prescribing drugs that an animal's chemical balance, which may cause other problems in the future. In addition, traditional veterinarians may utilize surgical treatments when massage therapy or acupuncture could alleviate the condition.
Holistic veterinary care looks at a pet's Chi (life force energy) when treating the pet. Rather than focusing on treating symptoms, homeopathic veterinary care goes a step forward and looks at how the dog reached this point and works on changing the cause as well as the ailment. Though you should definitely be careful and exercise sound judgement when deciding on a homeopathic vet, the more medically-inclined won't necessarily disregard all forms of homeopathic treatment. In fact, some veterinarians will direct owners to homeopathic vets specializing in massage and acupuncture techniques.
Homeopathic Veterinary Care Reduces Stress
Homeopathic treatments tends to be more gentle on a dog's body, not utilizing surgery or drugs that rapidly alter a dog's chemical balance. Most homeopathic veterinarians perform no services in the first office visit. The visit allows them to get to know your pet, take down health information and then focus on forming a relationship with your dog. You ask any questions and then decide if the homeopathic treatment is right for your pet.
How Holistic Care Differs
Many treatments considered homeopathic for dogs involve dietary changes. Food grown organic gives dogs a high amount of healthy protein, while limiting grains to a healthy portion. Items like corn and wheat gluten are fillers that frequently alter a dog's health by increasing the risk for allergies, skin problems and weight gain.
The more reliable forms of holistic care utilize:
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic care
- Herbal tinctures
- Massage therapy
Massage therapy and acupuncture can be more effective than surgeries by eliminating the risk of post-operative infection and antibiotics, but of course there are some conditions that require surgery.
Homeopathy for Dogs May Require Traditional Veterinary Care at Times
Visiting a homeopathic veterinarian does not eliminate traditional veterinary practices. There are times when your homeopathic vet must perform traditional treatments. If a puppy is anemic and needs an IV blood transfusion, a homeopathic veterinarian will perform one. As the puppy's blood count improves, the holistic vet then looks into what caused the puppy's problems. If parasites like worms or fleas are found, the holistic vet looks at improving the puppy's living situation and overall health to prevent this from ever happening again.
Where to Find Practices Offering Homeopathy for Dogs
The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association provides a list of qualified homeopathic veterinary practices throughout the United States. Search for a homeopathic veterinarian by state and specialty.