Health Market

Alternative medicine is enjoying a boom as people start to take control of their own lives. As an alternative medical practitioner, a homeopath, I am very excited about this. When people take control of their own lives, there is no limit to what becomes possible. The limitations occur when you hand over that control to others. No one else but you, has your own best interests so much to heart.

Once you start taking control of your own life, you start to question what’s best for your family, including your pets.

You might now be asking yourself what could be the best alternative medicine for dogs.

There are many different alternative medicine modalities about and you need to do a bit of research to decide what is most appropriate. There’s homeopathy, reiki, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, flower essences, herbs, acupuncture or pressure, massage, Bowen therapy, to mention just a few. Many of these modalities will only be able to work in a limited way. For instance (and I’m no masseuse, so could be wrong), massage will probably only be good for strained muscles. And, although some can act on a deep level, they can be slow to show results, such as flower essences.

And alternative medicine for dogs, really starts with their diet. If you’re feeding your dog an unhealthy diet, it doesn’t really matter what modality of health care you use – it’s not going to bear fruit. “You are what you eat.”

Commercial dog food have few regulations and even fewer which are enforced. From the poor quality ‘meat’ by-products, to the nutritionless filler, to the dangerous preservatives, your dog is slowly being poisoned. Label claims of ‘preservative free’ or ‘natural’ are largely meaningless.

Once you start feeding your dog a wholesome and REALLY natural food, you will see huge improvements in health. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

But sometimes, you need to do more. Then you need to scour what’s available in  alternative medicine for dogs.

As a homeopath, you could say I’m biased (I agree!), but out of them all, the alternative medicine for dogs I consider has the greatest breadth and depth of real healing, is homeopathy.

Homeopathy has the potential to deal with ailments as diverse as ligament damage, to heart disease, from an embedded grass seed to depression. The only areas where I consider medical services are required is the setting of a broken bone and the stitching up of extensive wounds.

I don’t know of any other alternative medicine for dogs, where all this is possible.  And homeopathy addresses the cause, rather than the effect.

Lets look at that for a minute. Imagine a woman has just given birth, and has since developed haemorrhoids, or piles. Now there is a common homeopathic remedy for piles called Hamamelis. And this may well help. But it’s unlikely to cure. So you might have to keep taking it for a long time.

There’s another common homeopathic remedy called Pulsatilla. And this helps with many ailments that develop from childbirth, including piles. Taking Pulsatilla is more likely to cure them for good.

So if you can treat the cause, expect outstanding results. A permanent cure is the aim.

One of the things I love about treating animals is their desire to help in the choosing of the right remedy. Most dogs are pretty outgoing and will make it very clear when you’ve selected the right remedy – they’ll lick the bottle, their lips or your hand, they’ll sit expectantly and wag their tail, they’ll look interested and attentive.

If, on the other hand, you selected the wrong remedy, they’ll turn their head away, walk off, perhaps even snarl at you if you persist.

To me, their body language is very clear. You really don’t need to be an animal communicator.

Once you have gained a bit of an understanding of what’s available, choosing an holistic vet, for the more difficult ailments, who practices alternative medicine for dogs becomes easier, and you become involved with your dog’s treatment.

I am passionate about your right of freedom to choose. But to choose, you have to know something about the subjects you want to choose between. So you need to listen to both, or all, sides of every aspect of every junction in your life that offers you that choice. Alternative medicine for dogs gives you plenty of choice!

Alternative medicine is defined as any form of medical treatment that is different from conventional treatments. Alternative medicines are becoming more and more popular as their effectiveness is increasingly tested and proven for treatment. There are many different types of alternative medicine techniques in use today.

Homeopathy

The word homeopathy comes from the Greek for “similar disease” or “similar suffering.” Homeopathy is not just about administering different medications than the traditional prescription drugs given by doctors. It is also about diagnosing and classifying different medical conditions to find the best treatment possible for the patient.

The goal of this type of alternative medicine is to enable the body to use its own mechanisms to stimulate healing and prevent diseases from occurring. Homeopathic medicines are called remedies. These remedies are usually given in small doses. Practitioners work to tailor a treatment plan for each individual to gain the maximum benefits. They concentrate on the body as a whole, and not just treating the symptoms that ail the patient.

Naturopathy

Naturopathic medicine was founded in India and works on the basis that the body can heal itself. To this end, naturopathic practitioners steer clear of synthetic medicines and invasive surgical procedures as a means to heal their patients. Instead, they opt to combine other alternative medical treatments, such as herbalism, acupuncture, and aromatherapy, as well as others. This type of alternative medicine is practiced in many countries, but is not always accepted because of its varying standards of regulation.

Reputable naturopathic practitioners are trained to use imaging studies and blood tests to help them get the full picture of what is wrong with a patient before administering any treatment options. They will then recommend alternative treatments for a prescribed amount of time. If the treatment does not work for the patient, a practitioner will refer the patient to a physician to obtain conventional medical care.

Chiropractics

Chiropractics is a branch of alternative medicine that deals with diagnosing and treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and how these diseases affect the nervous system. Many of the procedures used in chiropractics emphasize manual therapy, using alignments and manipulations to correct the affected area.

A chiropractor must obtain proper training and receive a degree before beginning to work with patients. He uses a combination of measures to help heal a patient, including lifestyle counseling, a regimen of exercise, and a variety of tissue therapies. Much like naturopathy, chiropractics is based on the belief that the body can heal itself. Chiropractors help to realign areas of subluxation to help the body do its innate job.

Herbal Medicines

The basis of herbal medicines is to use plant derivatives instead of chemicals to heal diseases and prevent symptoms. People who use herbal medicines are adamant in their belief that herbs are not drugs. It is believed that by using herbal supplements on a regular basis, you can help your body ward off diseases for an ultimate healthy lifestyle. It should be warned that using herbal drugs in conjunction with prescribed medications can cause serious side effects. You should never take herbal supplements without consulting a physician first.

There are literally hundreds of herbal medicines available on the market today. Be cautious when picking which ones are right for you. Herbal medicines do not have to be tested before being marketed, so it is hard to say if they will work the same way for everyone. If you are interested in taking herbal medicines, talk with an herbalist in your area to get the best supplement plan for you.