Holistic veterinary medicine is becoming an increasingly popular choice among pet owners who are willing to entertain alternative treatments for illnesses that strike their beloved fur ball, such as diabetes, stress, pain, arthritis, and other ailments. Holistic care is defined by Webster-Merriam Dictionary as: “relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts.” That means that some pet owners are turning to (what might be considered) an unconventional treatment plan, inclusive of a complete comprehensive approach which may include acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic, and other therapies once experienced solely by people.

Colleen Gordon, a pet communicator, licensed massage therapist, Usui-trained Reiki master, and founder of Healing for Pets (based in Orlando), believes holistic care should be sought alongside traditional veterinary care. “I recommend that a qualified veterinarian pre-screen the animal before seeking holistic care,” Gordon said. “I never tell my clients not to go to the vet. I encourage both holistic and traditional medicine because there are times where traditional is the best and only way. For example, if an animal needs emergency care or surgery, I definitely recommend seeing a veterinarian. Holistic care is a great and often less expensive option for preventive care, as a surgery alternative (in some cases) or recovery, and for arthritis, energy healing, acupuncture, massages, and chiropractic needs.”

Natural Holistic, a Miami-based practice, explains some of the specific techniques that are executed for holistic pet care are: acupuncture, where specific points throughout the body are stimulated or sedated to produce a local or generalized effect; homeopathic care, a treatment with minute quantities of substances to trigger the body’s intelligence to fight identified disease naturally; chiropractic care, an approach aligned with the relationship between the spinal column and the nervous system, and the crucial role of this connection for  the maintenance of overall health; and other energy medicines.

Supporters say that pets benefit from holistic veterinary medicine and may achieve a positive, active, and pain-free lifestyle. Gordon believes that, “Just like holistic healing helps humans achieve a better lifestyle, it also helps pets overcome the stress and anxiety of going to the vet and provides the added comfort of being treated inside of their own home. Holistic care ensures the best quality of life possible for the animal.”

Communication is key while an animal is undergoing holistic care. Gordon shared that “animals speak in images. They understand their world and ours through pictures, much like movies. When they attempt to reach us, they send us visual images about what they are feeling or thinking. The good news is that we can learn to receive and interpret these images, much like a radio or television transmitter. The trick is, for us, to become the receivers of these transmissions.”

Lollie Charland, owner of a 4-year-old Yorkshire terrier named Annie, has learned to understand signals of communication from her furry pal while seeking holistic pet care. “Annie has problems with her back legs, which is typical in a small dog. When the massaging and the circulation gets going, I notice she feels better immediately. You can see the way her back legs are moving more easily; they’re no longer stiff, and she can bend her knees and move freely without pain,” described Charland.

Gordon has worked with a variety of animals that have shown significant improvement or have been ‘cured’ thanks to holistic treatments. “I’ve worked with ferrets, turtles, dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and snakes,” Gordon said. “Patients tell me their pets continually show positive progress. I see it through physical signs of happiness and increased mobility, so I know it is working.”

Holistic veterinary medicine may be a more affordable option for some pet owners, in comparison to the often expensive diagnostic and treatment measures taken by a traditional veterinarian’s office. “Pet owners sometimes come to me because I offer affordable rates. I like to tell my clients to think of it this way: If your pet has a minor illness, holistic treatment is the less expensive route because you do not have to keep visiting me for medicine every time the problem reappears. I treat the entire animal so they are completely cured,” Gordon said. To learn about such treatments and others, like pet psychic services or allergy reduction therapy, visit HealingForPets.com.