Why a Holistic Veterinarian?

What is a holistic veterinarian, and why should you consider one? Holistic vets first advise their clients on proper nutrition and preventive health care maintenance, knowing that dogs and cats with strong immune systems have fewer health problems. Holistic vets do not routinely prescribe special manufactured diets that are often nutritionally inadequate to address canine and feline maladies such as obesity, diabetes, cystitis, and nephritis. Nor do they add insult to injury by routinely prescribing corticosteroid and other potentially fatal anti-inflammatory drugs when animals develop allergic reactions to food and fleas, further impairing the pets’ already compromised immune systems and causing diseases such as Cushing’s disease, Addison’s disease, diabetes, and chronic cystitis.

The best medicine is prevention, and a holistic approach to companion animal health in the 21st century calls for a revision of vaccination protocols, less use of highly processed commercial pet foods, and no overmedicating—especially with so-called preventive medications when there are effective and much cheaper alternatives available that pose far less risk to animals’ health and to the environment. Holistic veterinarians do not push annual booster vaccinations for all kinds of diseases or make clients feel guilty if they do not comply. Over-vaccinated and overmedicated cats and dogs may develop lifelong health problems.

If you would like to learn more about the holistic approach to animal and pet care, contact a holistic veterinarian in your area. A searchable list may be found online at www.holisticvetlist.com.