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“Helping pets live healthier lives, naturally” Natural Pet Animal Hospital is a unique hospital offering traditional and complementary medical and surgical services to dogs, cats and exotic pets. What is Integrative Medicine? Integrative medicine is a comprehensive approach to your pet’s health care using both alternative and conventional diagnostics and therapies. The simplest definition of holistic medicine is a system that diagnoses and treats disease in the context of the whole patient. Holistic modalities offered at Natural Pet Animal Hospital include:
Integrative medicine is also referred to as alternative, holistic or complementary medicine. We like the term “complimentary” because it suggests it can be used in conjunction with conventional medical and surgical practices. These alternatives do not have to replace allopathic medicine, but can be used together to better address the needs of each patient. The techniques used in holistic medicine are gentle, minimally invasive and incorporate patient well-being and stress reduction. Holistic veterinarians are interested in the whole patient, not just the part of the animal that is ill. Holistic practitioners take into account genetics, nutrition, family relationships, the pet’s unique disease patterns and prior illnesses when assessing the current problem. Holistic veterinarians not only address the symptoms associated with an illness, but how and why the disease occurred in the animal. Many pets are in the state of “dis-ease.” The real question is not what the disease should be called, or what drug will alleviate the symptoms, but why it occurred. Only when the true cause of the ailment has been found is there the possibility for a lasting recovery. Many times there are several underlying causes. It is our goal to find the true root source of the pathology. One of the problems with allopathic medicine is that drugs are used as a band-aid for the symptoms, but underlying causes are not addressed. Once the symptoms have been treated, the task is not complete until the cause of the disease pattern has been identified and resolved. For example, thousands of pets are put on steroids every summer to help quiet annoying allergy symptoms. This is a common practice of treating the symptom, but not addressing the underlying cause. Very simply, an allergy is an over-reaction of the immune system. Steroids are used to suppress this immune response, but for many pets they create undesirable side effects and should not be used long-term. Many holistic practitioners elect to address this hyperactive immunological state with herbs and nutritional supplements. With time and the proper immune support, many animals’ immune systems can learn to react normally and the annoying symptoms disappear. Often times, people seek holistic care because their pets have been diagnosed with degenerative diseases. Conventionally, there is little doctors can do for kidney and liver disease aside from symptomatic care (giving fluids and prescribing drugs for vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia and secondary infection, etc.). Several herbs have been well-documented to help remove toxins from the liver and bloodstream. By gently supporting the natural function of these organs with certain botanical extracts and homeopathics, these animals tend to require fewer drugs and maintain a better quality of life. As with any severely progressed disease, the benefits of conventional or alternative medicine can be minimal. Unfortunately, we tend to follow the belief that we’re healthy until we’re sick. A more realistic and holistic approach is to understand that our bodies (and our pet’s bodies) undergo a series of “breakdowns” that eventually, unless repaired along the way, lead to structural changes in the tissues that become irreversible. Very rarely does this happen overnight. Health is a spectrum….you and your pet are moving one way or another. By the time your pet exhibits symptoms of a problem, the root of the problem has probably been there quite some time. A healthy preventive approach would be to identify and reduce those risk factors that predispose your pet to disease and address subtle changes as they occur. Holistic doctors help you do that. I very regularly see patients that have been to several other veterinarians for a specific problem (let’s say chronic diarrhea) and in glancing over the record, I notice the patient’s BUN and Creatinine (blood values that assess kidney function) have been mildly elevated for several years. Because there are no clinical signs associated with this finding and because other problems are visibly obvious (the raging diarrhea), the quiet kidney problem tends to be overlooked. But at what point are we to be concerned about the problem? When symptoms are noticed? Addressing mild but consistent changes as they occur allows us to keep close tract of your pet’s health and avoid “dis-ease.” Preventive medicine is something holistic practitioners strongly emphasize. A wholesome, natural diet (do you know what a carnivore naturally eats?) sets the foundation for your pet’s immune system and in turn, it’s health. Without a healthy immune system, the body breaks down. A dysfunctional immune system does one of two things; becomes confused and attacks itself (autoimmune disease) or fails, and subsequently loses its ability to recognize disease. Infection (bacteria or viruses) or abnormal cell growth (cancer) is then allowed to occur. So, how do you get your pet healthy? Address the root of the problem and create a healthy living environment. How do you keep your pet healthy? A good, natural diet, regular exercise, preventive holistic veterinary care and lots of love. |
