Holistic pet care

Note: This is a guest post from FlexPet, a natural pet vitamin supplement with the cetyl myristoleate ingredient (CM8) used as an arthritis treatment.

Holistic pet care is gaining popularity by the droves. Holistic medicine involves everything from homeopathic treatments to acupuncture for dogs and other pets. Holistic veterinarians say these treatments can successfully treat and cure many chronic and acute diseases like cancer, liver disease, pancreatitis, allergies, asthma, urinary tract problems and behavioral problems.

So what should you consider when deciding on whether to treat your pup with traditional medicine or take the less traveled road and join those who have decided to explore a natural approach?

With holistic health care the emphasis is on the patient rather than the disease. Signs and symptoms are not the total issue. They simply represent imbalances in the patient’s body. The holistic practitioner has a large number of tools to support and motivate the body to heal. Natural therapies have the ability to allow the body to self-regulate and heal itself.

Holistic veterinarians will tell you they have seen acupuncture, homeopathy and good nutrition help cases that had seemed incurable with conventional therapy.

Reasons to consider holistic pet care

1. Holistic pet care can prevent disease.

A holistic approach is focused on preventing disease. Part of that process includes feeding your dog natural dog food free of harmful chemicals and by-products. A natural diet is known to minimize cell damage.

Additionally, the holistic approach minimizes vaccines and the use of medications and toxins. Finally, a well-prescribed supplement regimen can reduce inflammation and oxidation in your pet’s body, decreasing the chances of your pet developing chronic diseases.

2. Holistic pet care minimizes drug intake.

Some holistic veterinarians will admit that drugs work best for acute problems, such as serious infections. But they believe more chronic problems respond best to alternative therapies like herbs, supplements, homeopathics, magnetic therapy, chiropractic and acupuncture.

Unwanted side effects are also more common with conventional drugs than alternative remedies. It is proven that prescription pain medicine administered to pets for all kinds of painful ailments can often lead to dangerous side effects such as liver damage. Pets in this scenario can realize great benefits from leading supplements and vitamins made with all-natural remedies.

Vitamin supplements today do a wonderful job treating painful ailments. What’s more, certain vitamins contain powerful and effective all-natural ingredients that actually treat the ailment. As an example, these vitamins work much like WD-40 for the joints in a dog. When joints lose cartilage resulting in painful arthritis, these vitamins work to rebuild the cartilage – in a short amount of time – so that the dog can return to its happy and healthy lifestyle

3. Holistic pet care heals the “whole” pet rather than the disease.

The holistic approach steers away from focusing on the disease; instead it focuses on the pet. This is a very different view of medicine than most of us have been exposed to through the years. Healing the patient means restoring the pet’s body to a normal, healthy condition. A normal, healthy dog or cat is, for the most part, disease free.

Holistic vets say they can restore health even in pets that have a fatal disease such as cancer. These pets can be healthy as long as possible, fighting off the cancer, keeping it in remission, and “living with their disease.”

4. Holistic pet care can save you money.

It’s usually more expensive to treat problems rather than prevent them. This is true for people as well as pets. Using natural therapies usually, but not always, costs less than conventional drug therapy because prescription medication can be quite pricey, while many supplement companies offer discounts for bulk orders or regular customers. In the long run, supplements are usually less expensive than drugs. This is especially true when generic medications are not available.

Additionally, chronic drug therapy usually requires frequent laboratory monitoring to ensure side effects have not developed, but this is usually not necessary with natural therapies.

5. Holistic pet care minimizes vaccinations.

As more and more people are questioning the need to vaccinate their children because of unknown side effects, the same holds true for our pets. Holistic vets will tell you that every pet does not need vaccinations once per year. Few if any pets need vaccines throughout their lives. The vaccines currently on the market are so good that most pets build up an immunity that can last many years or even a lifetime.

The movement towards an all-natural way of healthy living has made its way into our pets’ lives making for happier little furry loved ones and owners alike. An increasing number of holistic veterinarians are popping up all over the country to meet the needs of pet owners who are interested in providing a different kind of care for their pets.

To find a holistic vet near you, check out the American Holistic Veterinarian Medical association’s web site at www.holisticvetlist.com.