Here is another tough topic: what is appropriate care for your pet? Some pets, like fish, don’t need veterinary care unless they are obviously sick. And most people never bring their hamster to the vet. However, cats, horses, dogs, and others need regular care. You need to decide what kind and level of care you want for your pet.
I bring this up because I am often asked to communicate with pets to see what they want and need. There is never one answer. Most people would say they don’t want to go to the doctor, even though they see the need. So, asking a pet if they want a veterinarian visit, they’d say no. Veterinarian offices have a certain smell, as do veterinarians who do home visits. Not all, but most animals are uncomfortable around this smell. The smell alone begins to set the animal on edge. Then, being handled by an unknown or less familiar person brings more stress. And when more invasive things need to be done, you’ve brought a lot of stress and fear to the animal.
Along with veterinary care are all the medications given to pets. Unfortunately, it’s hard to always know which are necessary, important, preventative, helpful, or simply convenient. Even when it’s an answer to a physical concern, it’s not always clear if it’s truly necessary. We’ve chosen not to give our dogs flea/tick and heartworm prevention. One of our little girls had a seizure a little while after receiving a dose of a preventative. There was no clear connection between the preventative and the seizure. She overcame the initial string of seizures but had more about a year and a half later. The standard course of treatment is seizure meds. I wasn’t comfortable starting seizure meds without knowing if there was an underlying cause.
We did take our girl to a veterinary neurologist. After a group of non-invasive tests, it was determined she was very healthy and there was no evidence pointing to any specific disease or cause. We could have paid for a series of more invasive tests with significant cost. The neurologist explained that even with all the tests, they may never show a specific cause, or the treatment may still end up being what she was already suggesting. We started her on a low dose of seizure medication, and she’s doing great.
Another client has tried balancing traditional and holistic care. The results have varied depending on the treatment—and honestly, the cost.
You need to decide what direction you are more comfortable with: traditional, holistic, homeopathic, or none. For us, a holistic approach is preferable. However, there are few holistic vets, and being on a waitlist can make it impossible for daily care. If you want to follow strict traditional care, then follow your vet’s guidance. If you prefer alternative care, you’ll need to find a holistic veterinary practitioner—often requiring patience and flexibility due to long waitlists.
For many, they become their pet’s advocate, attempting to balance the recommendations of the traditional vet with alternative techniques. And there are many alternative techniques that work well alongside traditional medicine. Some of these include: Reiki, hands-on healing, use of essential oils, flower essences, herbs, enhanced water, gemstone collars, animal communication, pet pendulums, intention items, consultations with a specialist, and more. (Consultations with specialists are included in this list of alternatives because many conscientious specialists are open to incorporating holistic methods as part of the treatment plan.)
A caution: when using multiple techniques, be mindful of how well the different approaches work together—whether they complement, overwhelm, block, or interfere with one another. Using a combination is a complicated and challenging path, but it can be well worth the effort.
You can explain to your pet the directions you’ll be trying and ask for their input and involvement with those choices.
What is most important is that you are your pet’s advocate. You decide the direction of the care you want for them. And when you listen carefully, they will guide you in how they feel about that chosen path. They’ll let you know what is working, what is too much, and how it is affecting them physically, mentally, emotionally, and energetically. And they’ll also let you know they appreciate the care you give when they experience the benefits.
Would you like support in your pet care decisions? Contact me today.