Today is National Holistic Pet Day!

Happy National Holistic Pet Day!

As many of you know Mum and I practice holistic health methods as much as we possibly can. I get chiro, accupuncture and massage; Mum gets Reiki and chiro. And we use holistic remedies like Traumeel for skin cuts and bruises, Bach Flower remedies for stress and traumas, yogurt for my IBS and many others. And we have a holistic vet that shares our belief in being healthy.

How can you help your pet be more 'holistic'?

Here are just a few things you can do, starting right now:

• Feed your pets a more natural food diet containing the freshest ingredients you can afford and manage. Avoid foods with artificial flavors, colorings and other unnatural ingredients.
• Cut back on unnecessary vaccinations by doing your homework and talking to your vet about titers. Titers are tests to see if you have the necessary amount of medicine or antibodies found in your blood. You may not need all those vaccines and titers will help you know.
• Cut back on drugs. Seek out alternative and holistic methods, like supplements and vitamins for treating certain diseases, and chiro and accupuncture for pain.

These are just a few ideas. And of course you should always consult with your vet when making any major decisions about your pet's health. But hopefully National Holistic Pet Day will bring more awareness to the ever increasing healthy alternatives to conventional medicine!

Here are a couple of links to resources for more information:

Dr. Shawn - the natural vet has a veterinary practice, and he is author of many articles about holistic methods, as well as a featured host of the Natural Vet on Martha Stewart's Sirius Channel.
American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association - an organization whose purpose is to function as a forum for the exploration of alternative and complementary areas of health care in veterinary medicine. Here you can search for a holistic vet near you, as well as garner wonderful information about the topic.

Here is a quick vid from Dr. Shawn talking about holistic methods. He has several vids on YouTube. Check 'em all out!



And here are a couple of great books on natural and holistic health for your pet - they are invaluable resources in our library:

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats

The Nature of Animal Healing by Martin Goldstein


Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog

Here's to your health!