You don’t have to choose between traditional veterinary care and holistic veterinary care for your Westie. I have taken Sami to vets who practice both traditional medicine and homeopathy medicine. The veterinary clinic I take Sami to for his routine checkups and shots offers both types of treatments.
A quick search on Google will reveal several veterinarians that offer integrated treatments, which means combining the two. Holistic treatments are also available via phone, video, text, and email. Let me tell you about the different benefits you’ll receive with holistic care.
What Are the Benefits of Taking Your Westie to a Holistic Vet?
You can make holistic care part of your Westie’s overall care. I recommend not going with just one type of care, but going with integrated care. Use them both alongside to receive maximum health benefits.
I go to a vet who incorporates holistic treatments along with traditional treatments. Sami has benefited from both types of treatments, but if you ask me, to go with only homeopathic remedy, I will advise otherwise.
Holistic treatments need to be a part of your Westie’s care like a preventive measure, not the sole treatment option. For instance, as a preventative measure, I give Sami homeopathic medicine to make his immune system stronger to fight off diseases and infections.
Homeopathic medicine is made from natural things in nature and is perfectly safe for the daily consumption of pets. However, for serious illnesses that require traditional medicine, you can’t rely on homeopathic medicine to heal or eliminate it.
For now, let’s look at the 5 benefits of a holistic vet:
- Holistic vets offer medicines that prevent diseases and illnesses from developing by helping you maintain your pet’s health by making the right lifestyle choices.
- Holistic vets prioritize empathy in treatments with the aim to provide your pet with the care that places the least amount of stress on them. My holistic vet gave a stressed-out Sami massage to relax him.
- Holistic vets give you a lot of time to understand the health issue at hand. Apart from performing a physical exam, they will ask you to provide them with information on your Westie’s lifestyle, eating habits, behavior, social habits, and any change you observed in them.
- Holistic vets offer you a wide variety of treatment options, such as herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, and nutritional therapy.
- Holistic vets provide herbal medicine that doesn’t come with any side effects because they don’t contain any chemicals.
When Should You Give Your Westie Homeopathic Medicine?
One time, Sami, the troublemaker, ate something that caused an upset stomach. He ate something that he wasn’t supposed to, but it wasn’t an emergency that required treatment with traditional medicine. Since it was a non-emergency situation, I relied on holistic medicine to ease his upset stomach.
However, if your Westie’s symptoms of a certain illness don’t go away, visit a traditional vet, as you may be dealing with something more serious. Do you want to take your Westie to a holistic vet now? If you do and you can’t seem to find one in your area, you can always opt for phone consultations.
Consult with a Holistic Vet Over the Phone
Several holistic vets offer over-the-phone consultation to dog owners. If your Westie falls sick and you want to give them holistic medicine in tandem with traditional medicine, seek phone consultations. You can take your Westie to a regular vet for treatment and then provide traditional medicine at home.
You may have to try more than one type of holistic medicine for a few months to see which one works best for your Westie’s illness. If your Westie experiences a health issue, holistic veterinary care will be one call or email away.
So, How Did I Find My Holistic Vet?
Research. Apart from researching online, I also asked around for referrals. I have several dog owners in my circle, so I asked them of their view on holistic vet care and if they have a vet that provides it. Once I had compiled a list of vets, I looked them up, and contacted them.
I talked to 6 holistic vets on both call and email, until I found the right one. Don’t get too frustrated and give up if you don’t find one on the first go or if all of them turn out to be of no use because the list of holistic vets available is never-ending.
And sometimes, the first holistic vet you talk to will not always be the right one. If the holistic meds they prescribed didn’t work and even after they changed the holistic med to another one, switch to another holistic vet. I also advise you to learn as much as you can about holistic veterinary care and medicine.
What Can You Expect from Holistic Vet Care?
Most holistic vets don’t focus on just holistic treatment for your pet, but will combine both traditional and non-traditional treatments. When examining your Westie, they will consider the environment, the pattern of the disease, and the relationship they have with you.
They will develop a treatment plan for your Westie to alleviate the illness. They will also ask you to provide information on the following things:
- Medical history
- Genetics
- Nutrition
- Environment
- Family relationships
- Stress levels
- And more
I have a separate section in my house, containing Sami’s medical reports and past doctors’ prescriptions and treatments in a separate drawer. The time he got an upset stomach, I noted that down as well. If you don’t already do that, start doing it now. It really helps both traditional and holistic vets devise a
treatment plan for any illness your pet is facing.
Take your Westie to a vet that practices both traditional and holistic care and can integrate the two when devising a treatment plan. This will allow you and your pet to get the best of both worlds.
