Holistic Pet Day

August 30th is National Holistic Pet Day! Here at Sarasota Animal Medical Center, we are proud to offer some wonderful and effective holistic pet care options. Holistic pet care actually works very well alongside modern Western medicine. In fact, combining these methods allows us to give our patients the best of both worlds! In this article, a local Lakewood Ranch, FL vet touches on some basic aspects of holistic pet care. 

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is becoming very popular in the veterinary world. There’s a good reason for that! This ancient tradition has some truly amazing benefits, and can really produce wonderful results. The practice, as you may know, uses thin needles to manipulate the flow of energy through the body. The needles are inserted into nerve centers. This improves circulation, stimulates healing, and prompts the body to release natural painkillers. The treatment is painless, safe, and effective. Plus, it’s a great way for us to help our patients feel better, which of course is our main concern.

Homeopathy

Like acupuncture, homeopathy takes a different approach to healing than modern Western medicine. The practice seeks to cure disease by stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities. The overall concept of homeopathy essentially states that a substance which might make someone ill in large doses can actually cure issues in smaller amounts. This ‘fight fire with fire’ outlook is very similar to the concept behind vaccinations, in a way. The focus here is really on healing from within. Homeopathic medicines can be used to both treat and prevent a wide variety of illnesses. For example, one might use arnica to soothe pain and treat a musculoskeletal issue. 

Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is actually an umbrella term. TCM incorporates several different practices, such as acupuncture, body massage, herbal medicine, and nutritional therapy. This practice has only recently gained traction here in the west, but it’s been utilized in China for thousands of years. It’s worth noting that TCM aligns very well with many aspects of modern medicine, and requires a very similar amount of study! TCM can help pets in many ways, such as improving organ function, boosting immunity, and treating chronic issues. It’s also wonderful in that, like homeopathic medicine, it can both prevent and treat common medical issues. 

Do you want to learn more about holistic pet care? Contact us, your local Lakewood Ranch, FL vet clinic, today!