I
FINDING THE BEST VET
n some areas, holistic veterinary care is so popular that appointments are hard
to come by. In others, there are few veteri- narians practicing alternative medicine.
Ask Around One way to find a veterinarian that has expanded beyond the confines of West- ern medicine is to ask other pet owners. Employees at pet food or supply stores will oſten have recommendations, as well. Search online or use the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association’s “Find a Holistic Veterinarian” search feature at
ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian.
Get Details If there are several doctors to choose from, read their websites to find out the nature of initial consultations, available treat- ments and associated fees. Read patient reviews there and look for some that aren’t on their site. Consider stopping in to see how the practice looks and feels.
First Appointment Once an appointment is made, know what’s needed to make the most of it. Most veterinarians want historical records and intake forms filled out in advance. Be prepared to pay for services during that first visit. Because holistic care is personal- ized to deal with underlying causes instead
of symptoms, be ready to spend more time talking about the pet.
Going Forward No matter which veterinarian is chosen, expect reasonable outcomes. Pets should be comfortable at the appointment and own- ers should feel they are heard. Care and cost of care should make sense. Follow-up calls from the office to check on treatment progress show that the interest in clients goes beyond the appointment. Reminder calls, emails or postcards about upcoming appointments or recommended services convey that the practice is organized and has a long-term interest in animal health.
Integrative medicine is about broadening our medical options, blending both conventional medical and holistic approaches.
It focuses on client education and participation in the healing process of their pet.
~Danielle Becton, DVM Holistic veterinarians may also choose
to use fewer conventional drugs and limited vaccinations. “Vaccine titers can be used to determine if a patient has adequate antibod- ies to a disease to create immunity,” says Becton. “If a pet is already immune, they may not need another vaccine booster that year.” Becton and Scanlan agree that alterna-
tive treatments such as acupuncture, laser therapy or massage can be used in lieu of drugs for pain management. However, Scan- lan does note that in an acute or emergency situation, many natural methods do not work fast enough, “and that is when holistic veterinarians are more likely to use drugs.”
Choosing a Holistic Veterinarian Pet owners seek out holistic veterinarians for different reasons. In Krouth’s case, it was the unacceptable side effects to drugs that led her to explore other options. Bec- ton points out that she gets clients looking for a more natural approach for their pets aſter they personally have had success with human integrative medicine. However, it’s important that pets are
treated by professionals that are trained to treat animals. People with holistic training for humans may not understand animal anatomy or physiology. Ultimately, choosing a veterinarian is
a personal decision, and seeing a beloved pet thrive is the best confirmation that it was the right one. “We are so glad that we still have Buckeye at this golden age, and believe it’s due to holistic care that she has lived a comfortable, long life,” says Krouth.
Julie Peterson lives in rural Wisconsin with her husband, dogs and chickens. She has contrib- uted to Natural Awakenings for more than a decade. Contact her at
JPtrsn22@att.net.
38 Greater Oklahoma/OKC Edition
NaturalAwakeningsOKC.com
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