Find Your Holistic Veterinary Team Partners

By Dr. Christina Chambreau.

Many of the articles so far in this wonderful Happy Healthy Dog magazine have mentioned the importance of checking in with your veterinarian. Ideally this would be an annual exam with one trained in many diagnostic approaches.

Yes, you say, I really do want a veterinarian who considers my whole family and my resources when treating my dogs (and cats, too). What I often hear is:

• There is no one near me.
• One said they were holistic and wanted to vaccinate my 10 year old dog.
• They advertised as trained in acupuncture, stuck in some needles but it did not help and they had no more ideas.
• She did not listen to my observations and concerns, and seemed rushed.
• May dog seems fine, so I just do not go to a veterinarian…until there is a health crisis and now we want the holistic approach but there is a long waiting time for new clients.

If you are reading the magazine, you are interested or even passionate about holistic approach. You may have a dog who is currently ill, or want to know ways to prevent illness, have your companion live a longer life and even save money.

Yes, you can find what you want. First, know that you are the key person on your health care team, as you can observe and track in a journal, as I discussed in the article Know Your Options, any changes happening with your dog. You can even learn to do a physical exam at home and how to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatments and lifestyle suggestions you are trying.

Most integrative veterinarians realized at some point that merely using conventional treatments did not seem to deeply heal. They may have seen themselves or family members healed with holistic approaches and decided to use them in their practice.

When a cat who had been continuously on antibiotics for three years due to bladder problems was fine and off medications after twelve doses of one homeopathic medicine, I became interested. In 1982 I started training in homeopathy and over the years learned many different approaches. Some holistic vets focus on basic health strategies, like feeding fresh food, along with one therapy, or she has been trained/is certified in multiple holistic approaches. You may find ones locally, or may use ones who can help virtually, or a combination of both.

Types of Training

Behavior problems, just like physical problems, can respond to many different approaches. Some dogs respond better to one than another. You will be the evaluator of what is working the best. There are many options. Trainings that need a veterinary degree to be certified by the organizations include:

• Chiropractic/Manual Manipulation (some do allow licensed human chiropractors)
• Herbal Medicines
• Homeopathy
• Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (acupuncture, herbs and foods, Tui Na)

Many expand their healing abilities by also learning approaches that you, or other non-veterinarians, can also learn. These include:

• Aromatherapy
• Flower essences
• Hyperbaric
• Nutrition
• Osteopathy
• Ozone
• Pure energy healing such as Reiki, Eden Energy, Healing Touch for Animals, Scalar, WEBB, Emotion Code, Bengston Method, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT, tapping), Acupressure, Tong Ren, Tui Na, Quantum touch, Theta healing
• Stem Cell
• Supplementation
• Tellington Touch
• And many more

Your Partner in Health

Regardless of their training, each will have their opinions from their experience. Some of their opinions may differ from yours. The best is an integrative veterinarian really listens to you, appreciates your feedback on response to their treatments, considers other healing modalities you want to learn to help your dog yourself and respects your choices.

Every clinic is different. Some are very conventional with one holistically trained veterinarian. Some veterinarians and their staff are great to work with, others great with your dogs. A few are good in both areas. In the clinic or doing mobile home visits, you and your dog be comfortable and you should be able to get your questions and concerns addressed. There are times when you may have to compromise in one area – remember your are your dog’s advocate! Often clients reach out to me to better understand if there are other choices they could use.

Best Philosophy of a Good Holistic Veterinarian

Treat the whole animal, not merely the current problem. If there is a current problem, mild or severe, she will ask questions about what problems there have been in the past, what in new now – in the household or the environment, what was different when the problem started. If this is a wellness check-up, she will ask about everything and do a complete exam.

Especially important is your evaluation of the overall energy level. If trained in TCVM, she will feel the pulses, look at the tongue, palpate for “hot” spots. If Chiropractic or Osteopathically trained she will focus on movement, tension in the joints and fascia, and more. She will love that you are presenting quantified BEAM (Behavior, Energy, Appetite and Mood) and Early Warning Signs of Internal Imbalance as she can use those to select better treatments. Keeping a journal will help you recognize these.

Her goal is to make your dog healthier for life, not just to resolve any current symptom. She will be gentle on physical exam and will clearly explain and show you what she observes – like “gingivitis”, “coated tongue”, “thready pulse”, and the meaning of any laboratory tests. She will make suggestions for treatment within her skill sets or recommend a referral. If she recommends antibiotics or other conventional treatments they will be explained and she will respect your decision. The clinic will not do anything (vaccinate, microchip, flea treat) without permission.

With the training you get from this magazine, the many courses offered, super books available, studying as a member of The Holistic Actions Academy, you will make her day saying you value setting a goal of deep healing and not merely symptom relief, are willing to be patient and keep a journal. You are looking to be a partner with the clinic rather than merely asking for symptom resolution. She will schedule follow up appointments until your dog is really healthy – don’t leave without one.

Well, OK, you say – let’s find me a partner. My wish would be for an international data base that you could easily search, and a listing of all who are doing virtual work. Sorry – it does not exist. Please know this can be frustrating, so hang in there. When I wanted to find a TCVM veterinarian near my daughter it took over 2 weeks of internet research and phone calls, then finally a visit to find one.

Why is this so hard? Part of the challenge is that many can only afford to belong to one of the many organizations they have trained with, and not all can also pay dues to the AHVMA (American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association). Also, many of the locator sections of organization websites are not up-dated, are inaccurate, difficult to navigate or confusing. Also, some veterinarians are on the web sites’ locator because they took one class, joined the organization, then quit using holistic completely. Some are no longer in practice, or never were at that number. Take a breath and remember you are searching for a lifetime health building partner.

Steps to Locate a Holistic Veterinarian

1. Go to the web sites for each holistic veterinary organization and read about that modality, and if they have certification and CE. Go to their referral list to find one near to you. Even if you want acupuncture, for instance, go to sites for all the different modalities, as they be not belong to the acupuncture ones. Make a list of location, website, phone and distance from you.
2. Visit the web site of any practitioners who seem possible and if they are not very close, see if they do virtual work. WARNING – put on your critical decision making hat. It may be a very conventional looking clinic yet the bio of the holistic vet seems excellent. It may seem very holistic, yet they are pushing a lot of conventional treatments. You do need to go to the site for every organization, especially if you are not in North America. Homeopathic veterinarians are more likely to do virtual consulting internationally, so you may select a slightly holistic or openminded local vet for hands on work and a homeopath for your primary partner.
3. Do an internet search to find more possibilities – “holistic veterinarian Sebastian” or “herbal veterinarian Baltimore”.
4. Call any local holistic practitioners for people, local health food stores and even pet stores to inquire who they know.
5. If no one near seems like a good match, look for a homeopathic veterinarian who does phone consults. And do an internet search for “holistic virtual veterinarians”.

Criteria to Make a Selection

Once you have done the internet work suggested above, how do you select one to visit first? What are some criteria that may be on the services tab, or the bio tab, or when you speak with them? Look for the modalities used, what training, organizations, and conference attendance.

General Holistic

• American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association  
• College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies
• Australia Holistic Veterinarians 

Homeopathy

• The Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy
• Pitcairn Institute for Veterinary Homeopathy
• The National Center for Homeopathy
• British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons
• International Association for Veterinary Homeopathy

Acupuncture

• International Veterinary Acupuncture Society
• American Association of Veterinary Acupuncture
• Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
• Belgium Veterinary Acupuncture Society (links to many other organizations)
• British Acupuncture Association
• Practitioners that completed the CuraCore curriculum

Chiropractic

• Animal Chiropractic Association
• Healing Oasis Alumni
• Options for Animals
•  Nambrudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique – great for treating allergies among other problems.

Osteopathic

• Osteopathy Association (mostly equine, CDO indicates treating dogs, 3 year training for certification is for lay and veterinarians)

Postural Rehabilitation

• Postural Rehab Vet Organization
• Craniosacral and Bowen   (not all are veterinarians)

Herbalists

• Veterinary Botanical Medical Association
• Veterinary Cannabis Society

Aromatherapy

• Veterinary Medical Aromatherapy Association

Final Steps

• Schedule time with the veterinarian you are interested in – pay for an appointment, offer lunch, or speak virtually.
• How are they with your dog?
• Do you like them? And their staff? And the facilities?
• Are people at the clinic willing to work with your opinions?

Your Job

Bring a timeline of anything that has happened in the past, treatments and responses. Using the master symptom list in the journal, add any that are discovered. Record treatments given and changes in all symptoms. Using the Healthy Dog Journal will help you know if your animal is merely getting temporary help or is really progressing to a deep cure. Contact them if you are unable to give the treatments or your pet does not want them.

Call if symptoms worsen, or they are less energetic and less happy, or you have concerns.

Keep working on a regular basis until your dog is in GREAT HEALTH. Be patient if they have a bad day. Thank them.

And, as your dog’s advocate, be willing to move on, add different people to your team, and know that there is no one right answer, and no one best expert. Your love is the key to your dog’s health!

Dr. Christina Chambreau graduated from veterinary college in 1980 and has been helping families be healthy since the late eighties. She now is faculty at the Holistic Actions Academy and offers Virtual Pet Health Advising, including matching you with the best choice holistic veterinarians for current problems. Get your free Healthy Dog Journal here: https://christinachambreau.com/download