Holistic Vets

[Teresa]

I'm looking for any information you may have on using a Holistic Veterinarian. Have you used one? Do you use that Vet exclusively? What have you learned or what do you do differently now that you are using a Holistic Vet?

I'm looking at going back to basics with my dog (and cats) because I am really fed up with the issues that seem to keep coming up. I am home cooking now and may look to moving to raw - so much information out there and of course everyone has opinions so what I need your help on is real experiences. I do have 2 wonderful Vets at the practise I go to but they are traditional. They respect my opinion on things I want to try but do not agree. As far as food goes, they both tell me they are not nutrionists so while they don't agree with me feeding home cooked they support me and agree that Hudson is very healthy (other than seizures which started a couple of months ago).

I need my Doodle friends and their expertise!!

[Michele Barton]

When we first moved to our small rural community I took my golden retriever to a holistic vet, who was the only vet in town. I was fine with her until Katie's arthritis got so bad that she clearly needed pain relief that the vet would not prescribe. So I switched to a traditional vet who was 30 miles away, who gave Katie 2 more years of quality of life that she otherwise wouldn't have had. I personally think that the ideal vet would be one who practices integrative medicine, using holistic remedies but is also willing to use traditional practices when that is what is best for the animal. I don't know if one exists, or even if a holistic vet's training allows them to practice traditionally. This may be something you want to research before making a decision.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree. I think a good vet will try some holistic things but will use appropriate traditional medical treatment.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

After traveling during the months that Murphy needed his shots, I got to meet with 5 different vets. None of which encouraged or knew much about home cooking or raw diets. Or supplements for that matter.

It was discouraging as I was new to feeding and wanted what was best for him and after months of my own research found homecooking to be that.
When I did find a Holistic Vet in Florida I was very pleased with the many conversations I had with him and his partner who were both supportive and informative about what good healthy feeding practices were and were not. They had handouts and supplements and the staff was very helpful. He also did use antibiotics and steriods when necessary for Murphy's ear infections (too much swimming and humidity in Fla). And agreed with using Benedryl or OTC meds if I felt necessary to help him. So he was truely a Whole-listic Vet and I am now looking for another now that we are in Phoenix. Harder than I thought it would be. But the info from a Vet that agrees and is knowledgable in homecooking and raw diets is invaluable to me. I think the websites for a lot of the vets are very helpful in getting a feel for thier practices.
Good luck. Keep us posted.

[Sally, Echo and Emmi]

Hi Sue and Murphy! Sally and Echo here in Florida! Hope all is well. I would love to know the name of your holistic vet here and where is office is! Thanks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Both Michele and Sue have this exactly right: "Holistic" simply means "whole", and it should be an approach that integrates both traditional practices with newer "natural" remedy ideas as a way of treating the whole being, in this case, your dog.
Too many people think that "holistic" means "natural". Lots of things that are natural are harmful; even herbal remedy websites have warnings about essential oils and plant based products that are poisonous, or have harmful side-effects. On the other hand, many drugs are derived from plants and are less harmful than their "natural" counterparts.
In my own experience, Jack suffers from a very severe form of Atopic Dermatitis, an inhalant allergy. The advice I got from the purely holistic websites and followers was to change his food and/or to feed a raw diet. Because I have formal education in physiology, I knew that a lot of the reasoning behind this just didn't make any scientific sense. My traditional vets, on the other hand, were basically interested in treating the symptoms with antibiotics and steroids. To their credit, they recognized that Jack needed a specialist, and that's when he began to get true "holistic" care that considers all of his needs.
Jack's specialist prefers immunotherapy shots to Atopica or steroid based drugs. Immunotherapy is a homeopathic treatment in that it uses the same substances to which the dog is allergic to desensitize his immune system and lessen or eliminate the response. But when he has a flare-up and is suffering, she is quick to prescribe traditional drugs to relieve discomfort and lower stress. She advocates for yearly blood titers rather than vaccinations, and a 3-year rabies shot instead of a yearly shot. But because a flea infestation would be deadly for Jack, she also insists on my using topical flea treatments for him. She recommends OTC antihistamines to treat his allergy symptoms, but also evening primrose oil capsules. She prefers homecooked diets to raw, for very sound nutritional reasons. (She is also the one who recommended Orijen to me before the WDJ picked it as the #1 dog food.) A truly integrated approach that seems to be working. So far, Jack has not had to get steroids at all in 2009...by far the longest period he has ever gone without them in his life.
My regular vet is on board with the whole plan, to the extent that he now asks me for advice about dog food, lol! I really believe that any good vet can be opened up to taking a more integrative, "holistic" approach if we as our dogs' guardians gently push for it.

[Teresa]

Thanks everyone for your great input. I agree that a combination of modern and holistic is what I want to incorporate. Karen I'm glad to see your comment about the vaccinations - Hudson is "due" for his shots and because he had a couple of seizures (no new ones for over a month now but he is on phenobarb) I am very nervous about immunization. I have talked to my vets about this and they have said lets get him stable before we make decisions on immunization although he is just over a year, so these are really his 1 year booster shots. I think that if I spread them out over a few weeks, it might be a better solution. Then as far as food, as I mentioned they are very willing to support what I am doing - which is to currently work with an animal nutritionist who supports either raw or cooked. My only other dilema is Heartworm medicine. Both seizures took place within a few days after giving him his Heartguard. While I don't believe it is the underlying cause of his seizures, I am reading that it can lower a seizing dogs threshold to seizing. I haven't given him his Oct 1 tablet - and as I said, he hasn't had a seizure now since the beginning of September. I really want to keep him as chemical free as possible because I think it can only help. I'm also a strong believer in giving appropriate modern day medicine when it is needed. Michele to your point, there are times when it I would be stupid not to use it!

O.K. Thanks DK friends. You are what I needed and I am happy with staying with my current vets and incorporating the nutritionist more closely into Hudson and my life!

[gkce5pjesxm9]

I have heard from several people that Heartworm meds have caused seizures. I would be hesitant to give him any more. Instead use a scarf around his neck with a repellant spray or oil that does not make him attracted to the bugs. At least consider talking to a Natural Health store for something that will repel bugs. Even giving regular does of garlic in his food will eventually give off an odor that repels bugs and is good for many reasons including purifying the blood. Good luck! Oh, since he has had seizures, I would ask your vet for a note that states vaccines could be dangerous to your dog. That way, if anyone should complain, you have proof that vaccines can be harmful to be given to your dog due to a reaction to them.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Joyce, you may be thinking of topical flea and tick medications, which have gotten a lot of bad press. The garlic, etc repellents are sometimes recommended for people who don't want to use the flea & tick meds. Heartworm meds are just ivermectin, which is commonly given to puppies for worms and does not cause seizures. Heartworm is not only life-threatening (and often fatal if not discovered early), but it costs thousands of dollars to treat and requires a very difficult recovery period. Heartworm is only spread by mosquitos, and garlic won't do a thing to repel mosquitos. This is one area where you don't want to experiment.

[Teresa]

Agree Karen with Heartworm being life threatening and as my Vet said, treating for heartworm should he get it would be much harder on him than taking the monthly dose. What we have agreed to do is give him the pill every 45 days (not 30) as it really does last for 45 days so it will lessen the amount going into him - this is for me more than what they think I should do. Anyway, I gave him Heartguard yesterday - so I will see what happens.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree with Karen about the importance of prevention of heartworm. I also wonder what you mean by "purify the blood".

[Adina P]

Thanks for adding that definition of holistic to mean "whole" -- vs. natural only.

I'm curious if you know whether anyone can call themselves a holistic vet or only vets who have been through an accredited veterinarian program. Are there accredited holistic veterinarian programs out there like there are for people D.O.'s (as opposed to MD's)?

I guess I wonder if a vet who claims a nutrition specialty or at least is interested in nutrition has access to real evidence-based programs for this OR if it's just that vet's personal interest and something they spend time reading about as much as any lay person could.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't know if there is any accreditation for "holistic" anything. I haven't been able to find any legitimate certification. My sense is that it's just a personal interest that they have researched to some degree, although whether they were reading fact-based materials, scholarly articles, or RAW feeding websites is anybody's guess. I personally like formal credentials when it comes to health issues. Jack's specialist doesn't call herself a "holistic" anything; she calls herself a board certified veterinary immunologist, which is what she is. I think the word "holistic" is overused these days. The so-called "Canine Nutrition Consultants", like human "Nutrition consultants" take one seminar, if that. Most of them have no formal training whatsoever. There is no formal educational program or certification that I have been able to discover, at least not in this country.