Holistic Pet Care

A Discussion About Holistic Pet Care

What is Holistic Pet Care?

This type of animal care is a comprehensive approach to health and wellness that focuses on the "whole" pet: environment, nutrition, relationship- everything. Rather than focusing on a single health problem or aspect of your dog's life, holistic care is an ongoing lifestyle designed to bring your dog's total being into balance. Once this balance is established, your dog should enjoy better health and naturally have a happier disposition.

What are the advantages of this type of pet health care?

Keeping our pets healthy and happy naturally extends their lives and most importantly, their quality of life. In addition, it deepens the bond between human and pet. As we learn how to better care for our four-legged friends, they learn to trust us more and more.

At Living Well, our work with pets is about wellness and prevention. It’s important to emphasize that there is no substitute for vaccinations, or for getting the proper veterinary medical care when your pets are ill.

Are all pets good candidates for holistic care?

I think we know enough about the health of small animals, domestic pets like canines, cats, guinea pigs, etc., to be able to provide good holistic care for them.

Birds, reptiles and fish may be more difficult to care for holistically, but that is because they are more difficult to care for anyway. Pet owners should always seek advice from their veterinarian in addition to going holistic, and this is especially true where exotic pets are concerned.

Give us some examples of holistic approaches we can use every day.

There are all kinds of holistic things we can do to enhance our pets' lives! You can start with simple ideas like sprinkling garlic into your dog's food to help control parasites, bathing him with eucalyptus shampoo or applying tea tree oil if he has a skin allergy problem. Even gentle massage will help with strained, sprained or arthritic joints.

Addressing your dog's immediate environment, you can switch to mopping with white vinegar and water to clean your floors instead of using highly scented bleach products. The combination of vinegar and water is a natural cleanser and deodorizer, and it really works! Basically, you want to avoid chemical products and choose natural or "green" products designed to be safe for the environment. When you benefit your dog's environment, you provide benefits for your dog too.

What should pet owners look for when searching for holistic alternatives?

Be sure to do your research! Look for as many different answers as you can find and then compare them to each other. Try to get feedback from people who have tried those treatments. Check the statistics to see if you can find out how successful the treatment has been.

Consider the source; there are holistic vets out there, and the world-wide-web is a good place to find them. However, there are holistic charlatans out there too, and you should be able to verify the credentials of any "expert" whose advice you are considering.

What advice do you have for people interested in implementing a holistic approach to pet care in their homes?

Provide good nutrition for your pet. Many of the kibbles sold in grocery stores contain unhealthy ingredients that you would never knowingly serve if it were easier to decipher the labels. Look for a brand that mainly uses organic ingredients and can site where the ingrediants come from. Stop using chemicals! Transition to all-natural, organic soaps and cleansers for your home and for bathing your pet. These two steps are the most important in creating a “wellness environment” for your pet.

Why did you decide to incorporate holistic health care into your business?

Living Well provides wellness education to the public to offer more resources for holistic health. Today more than ever, people are focused on the health of their community overall - environmental, physical, emotional, and yes, for their pets as well. Holistic pet care classes fit right in!

LoveToKnow Dogs would like to thank Amanda Harper and Muriel Donald for taking time to share their expertise, and we wish them continued success in their work with all their human and animal clients at Living Well, LLC in Mobile, Alabama. For more information on classes focused on holistic care for pets, visit IAmLivingWell.com.