"It's time we give preventive healthcare recognition as a vital part of animal health and maintaining the human-animal bond."
^^ Yes!!^^ It's about time to consider preventative care as part of maintaining wellness as well as the human-animal bond. What is preventative care? Keeping the vital force alive and healthy. I say the foundation to this is nutrition. Species appropriate nutrition (no cereals, processed, GMO feeds, or grains for the carnivores). Once proper nutrition is in place, you continue to place your building blocks. Vaccinate the least! Understand what it is that you are injecting, what's in these vaccines, what are the adverse effects, read the vaccine insert, do your homework, and inform yourself. Avoid overusing pharmaceuticals like antibiotics, steroids, and "parasite preventatives." Do away with toxic chemicals such as topical flea/tick products, wormers, and sprays. These items often challenge the animals immune system and are toxic to them leading to other issues down the road. Cats in particular are VERY sensitive to chemicals (get rid of that air "freshener!" It's hurting your animals). As these toxins build up in your animal companion's body, the more taxed the immune system will be. Interact with your pet. Engage in play and training sessions. Keep their mind and their body happy and stimulated.
Have a healing team in place. A network of practitioners you can call on. Sound expensive?? It really isn't! Sometimes you will find one person who has all, or a majority of these skills. For example, for the animals in my care, they have an acupuncturist, a holistic vet, a homeopathic vet, and me. My horses also have an equine dentist and hoof care practitioner. The holistic vet also performs chiropractic work, TCM, herbal, and cranial sacral. The homeopathic vet knows conventional methods and is fluent in other holistic methods such as reiki, flower essences, and dowsing. I'm fortunate that I am able to bring massage/bodywork, acupressure, cold laser, crystals, energy work, herbal, and essential oils. This isn't to say that you will need them all at the same time, but have them in place in the event a concern comes up so that you aren't scrambling at the last minute. Know who to call. When I am stumped, I have experts who I trust and respect on the "team" that I can call and confer with (both of the vets have been phenomenal for me to bounce ideas off of so that I can treat many issues myself). Integrative/holistic modalities are not a "last resort" option only to pull out when the chips are down and your conventional vet has no answers. They are a great resource of support that will help tend the animal's needs BEFORE the crisis happens. They are an essential part of preventative care. What might this team look like?
· Holistic/integrative/homeopathic vet
· Massage/bodyworker
· Energy healer/Reiki practitioner
· Chiropractor
· Acupuncturist/acupressurist
· Aromatherapist
· Nutritionist
· Animal intuitive
- ((if you have horses, having an equine dentist and hoof care practitioner on board is also imperative))
There are a bevy of other practitioners and modalities you can incorporate, like: herbal medicine, TCM, cold laser, crania-sacral, crystals, flower essences, the list goes on. Knowing who you can call will save you time and stress in the event of crisis. Take a proactive approach to the health of those in your care. This is the difference between merely surviving vs vibrantly thriving.
Dr. Becker has an insightful article discussing pet disease prevention.
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