Health Care

NOTICE/DISCLAIMER:  I am not a veterinarian and I do not offer veterinary or medical advice to others. The following is not intended and should not be viewed as a substitute for appropriate veterinary care for your animal friend.  Any information provided herein comes from my personal experiences and from various companies, health care professionals and individuals who have researched and/or dealt with the health issues included in this section.  Such information is not intended to provide care suggestions for all medical issues, but rather to provide suggestions for holistic care which can support the immune system, address certain ailments, illnesses and parasitic infections, and provide dogs and cats with the nutritional resources necessary to maintain optimal health.  Please use what feels intuitively appropriate to you, and consult with your allopathic, holistic or homeopathic veterinarian for proper diagnoses of medical issues before proceeding with the suggestions contained herein.

Holistic Pet Health Care in San Antonio TXHolistic Care.  Holistic care means that  each part (body, mind and spirit) of an animal or human is treated as important as the whole.  Holistic care can  include, but is not limited to, any of the following: natural diets, herbal and other supplements, homeopathic remedies, flower essences, essential oil therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, energy work (such as chakra rebalancing, aura repair, removal of traumas retained in and damage to the etheric bodies, etc.), body work (craniosacral therapy, myofascia release, massage, TTouch, etc.); and many other supportive techniques and modalities.  Including holistic care in your animal companion’s health care regimen allows for the most natural and least-invasive approach possible to optimal health.   There are many websites which offer information and advice on this topic (search under “holistic care for animals” and related search strings).

Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard Pitcairn, DVM and Susan Hubble Pitcairn is, in my opinion, one of the best books available about natural care for dogs and cats.  It includes information and instructions for a raw or cooked diet (he includes recipes for diets and treats), use of basic herbs, supplements, homeopathy, flower essences, essential oils and other items; treatment suggestions for common medical conditions and caring for a sick animal; vaccination issues; and much more.

Illness. If you or your animal companion has a chronic or life threatening illness, do not focus on the time prognosis you may have been given by your M.D. or veterinarian (i.e., 3-4 months, 2 years, etc.).  All living beings have a life path, a purpose for being here, and the illnesses and diseases we experience offer valuable lessons in so many ways. Perhaps an illness teaches us to: have more compassion for others, and to open our hearts to love; address negativity, pessimism, anger, depression, or other emotions that we hold within our cells and being that keep our vibrational essence at a lower rate (which some believe will eventually result in illness if not addressed and released); find new ways (such as holistic care, alternative healing modalities, and positive affirmations) to address these health issues and take better care of ourselves and our animal companions; or for many other reasons. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to focus on and affirm life, not death.  Do not add negative energy to a being’s health crisis by thinking and holding a timeline for their or your departure.  Release that energy, trust that there is a higher purpose to the situation, and be positive about the things you do to address it.

Most important: don’t “hover” over an ill person or animal, but do trust your instincts/intuition when you sense that something is not right, or something seems different/worse. Do not ignore your intuition about health issues . . . have them evaluated by your veterinarian or M.D., and take appropriate steps to address the findings.  Then extend to the animal (or yourself) freedom from your excessive fears and worries.  I do understand how difficult, even painful, it can be to watch someone we love struggle with an illness.  The very best gift you can offer them or yourself is to live in the moment and enjoy each day, find the joy and the silver lining, and be supportive in a positive, not fearful, manner.  Make the most of what you have, don’t focus on what seems to be lacking or how unfair or sad a situation is.  Do those things you’ve been putting off that bring you or your animal companion joy and happiness.  Let go of that which no longer serves your highest good.

Please contact me if I may be in service to your animal friend or to you in some way. See my Services Offered page for more information.

Vaccination Issues. This is a topic which is important to all who live with dogs or cats.  There are many sites on the Internet which discuss the controversial topic of what is safe, and what is not, when it comes to vaccinating our animal companions.  Both of my most recent Weimaraner friends (Max and Barney) have had adverse reactions to vaccines (ranging from localized swelling to anaphylactic reactions to seizures, odd infections, changes in behavior and more).  These types of reactions are more common than you think, and improperly vaccinating can start a downhill spiral into severe autoimmune issues.  Contrary to what you may have been told by the veterinary community, it is not strictly necessary to vaccinate yearly (other than rabies by law), and in fact there is mounting evidence that doing so can potentially cause harm to your pet. Some vaccines have been shown to provide immunity for 7 to 15 years.

Please take a few minutes to research this important area of care which impacts your animal friend’s health and well-being (this goes for horses as well). Talk with your holistic veterinarian as to which vaccines are necessary (not all are necessary for all dogs or cats), and when they should be administered. Be your animal friend’s health care advocate, and arm yourself with information as to what vaccines are beneficial for, and also the potential side effects.

Please seek the assistance of a holistic veterinarian properly trained in the use of homeopathy should you suspect the health of your dog or cat has been negatively impacted by vaccines. Homeopathic remedies can be chosen by the veterinarian to address vaccinosis (i.e. damage which may occur to your animal friend’s immune system, physiology and/or mental or emotional states which can be caused by vaccines).