The body has an amazing ability to compensate. Often, an initial issue can go undetected as the body falls into dysfunction. As functional continues to wane, the body compensates further creating a secondary issue, tertiary, and so on. Once the body can no longer compensate, it reacts and diease forms. The reaction is typically accompanied by pain, discomfort or another outward physical manifestation or symptom. Conventional medicines treat the reactions.
Imagine what would happen if we located dysfunction and resolved the functional disturbances BEFORE the disease formed. To do this, we start with a strong foundation of nutrition, and then utilize various treatment modalities to correct the dysfunction of the body.
The information below is intended to give a brief overview of each modality used in this practice. As each pet is unique and has his or her own special needs, the treatment regimen is customized for each pet. The regimen will encompass a synergistic and appropriate blend of these holistic modalities to provide an optimal opportunity of each pet to achieve a higher state of vitality.
WHOLE DOG PURIFICATIONWhole Food Nutrition (WFN) is one of the most powerful tools in veterinary medicine and often the most under-utilized. At VPC, WFN is the center of our practice. Much like building a house, it is critical to set a strong foundation on which we can build a solid structure of health and vitality.
Consider this, all chronic diseases start with nutritional deficiency. Every cell in the body requires specific nutrients to drive the functionality of that cell. Deprive the cell of nutrients and it falls into a dysfunctional state. When enough cells are dysfunctional, then symptoms emerge. By providing cellular nutritional support, functionality improves and the body’s normal systems of healing take over. Consequently, responses to individual treatment modalities are profoundly accentuated.
Modern commercially processed diets are grossly inadequate in nutrient density. Clever marketing and word selection lead consumers to believe that a dry, kibble diet is truly “balanced & complete”, when nothing could be further from the truth. In WFN, the focus is on using real food, minimally processed, in the form that nature intended for optimal absorption and utilization by the body. WFN relies upon the synergy between naturally occurring nutrients, phytonutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants to support cellular health. As the canine pet food market has grown, commercially available whole food diets go beyond home-cooked diets and raw food diets into the realm of freeze-dried, air-dried, and dehydrated. Once a pet ventures into the whole food realm, variety is introduced to optimize nutrient exposure.
Acupuncture is a process in which small needles are placed in pre-determined points over the body in an effort to balance the flow of "qi". "Qi" or "chi" is the animating energy of the body. Simply put, it is the bioelectric force that courses through the body connecting all things to one another. Blockage of qi can create pain, discomfort and, over time, can contribute to disease formation and changes in the tissues. Imagine that the body is a road map, where the streets are called meridians, the traffic flow is called qi flow, and the stoplights are acupuncture points. If the flow is halted by a traffic jam, placing needles in specific acupuncture points will turn the lights to green, thus allowing the flow to be re-instated. Modern medicine (Neurophysiology) can explain approximately 90% of the workings of acupuncture. Scientists have discovered that this form of treatment stimulates a release of regulators like hormones, endorphins, and cortisol. Furthermore, it stimulates nerve conduction, increases blood circulation, relieves muscle spasms, and influences pain regulation.
The response of each patient to acupuncture is dependent upon a variety of factors:
In other words, each patient will respond to acupuncture at different rates. Initially, each patient is treated once every 1-2 weeks for multiple sessions. The individual responses are assessed, and a plan is tailored to each patient. Acupuncture has a cumulative effect, thus repeated treatments result in stronger effects in those patients who are able to respond. This form of treatment is often combined successfully with Whole Food Nutrition, appropriate supplementation, Chinese herbs and/or chiropractic care to bolster the response and enhance the outcome.
Chinese Herbal Therapy has been used for over 4000 years to relieve discomfort, correct underlying imbalances and cure diseases. The first herbal text written in China was published over 2200 years ago in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.). Chinese herbs are primarily of plant origin (roots, bark, seeds, flowers, and leaves) each of which has its own unique characteristics. Chinese herbal formulas contain carefully selected herbs that are balanced and work synergistically to bring about healing.
Chinese Herbal Therapy, along with the other components of Chinese Medicine, is grounded in the fundamental balance of yin and yang. Treatment strategies are based on proper Chinese medical diagnosis of such imbalances made by a trained practitioner. Proper training ensures that:
Each patient's response to Chinese Herbal Therapy is dependent upon:
Thus, the response of each pet to this form of Chinese Medicine relies on the teamwork of the client, the pet and a properly trained practitioner. Chinese herbs have a long history of safety and efficacy when prescribed appropriately. The most common side effects noted in veterinary medicine are loose stool with and occasionally vomiting. Such symptoms are typically resolved within 24 hours by discontinuing herbal medication. If this occurs, the herbal formula is often decreased in half and given again. If symptoms persist, the formula is discontinued, and the trained veterinary practitioner should be contacted.
Homeopathy started about 200 years ago with a discovery by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann. Wondering why quinine was useful in malaria, he took the medicine himself and found that, given to a healthy person, it temporarily produced the symptoms found in malaria. When given to a malaria patient, however, it was curative. Homeopathy means literally to "treat with a similar disease." Its central principle, "Like cures like," contrasts with other medical approaches.
The term allopathic means to "treat with other than the disease" and is used to denote the standard medical approach of today, which attempts to counteract symptoms. For example, a patient with diarrhea may be given a drug that slows intestinal motility.
To better understand how homeopathy works, it helps to consider two aspects of a disease. First, there is the immediate cause, such as a bacteria, virus, toxin, or internal immunological activity. Second, there is the patient's response - their reaction and defenses, such as fever, inflammation and discharge. These are the body's attempts to eliminate pathogens and toxins and to heal the tissue. While homeopaths do not ignore immediate causes, such as infection, their primary focus is on the patient's attempts to respond and heal. Their aim is to strengthen the patient's defenses and shift the balance in favor of recovery.
Dr. Hahnemann found that substances could be used to stimulate healing by applying the principle of "like cures like" in very specific ways. He would give the patient a substance that would gently nudge their system in the direction of the "disease", reproducing the same (or almost the same) syndrome or whole set of particular symptoms in a mild form. He found this to be a very effective way to stimulate their natural defenses. It is almost as if the patient's defenses cannot distinguish between the natural disease and what the similar substance is doing. Thus, homeopaths fine-tune the use of medicines to enhance the patient's own attempts to overcome the disease.
In this manner, homeopathy employs hundreds of substances that have all been thoroughly studied as to their unique effects on body, emotions and mind. Some of these are common herbs; others are from poisonous plants; some remedies are made from toxins and venoms. Homeopathic pharmacists carefully prepare these many substances in a time-tested manner that enhances their usefulness while minimizing potential harm. They carefully dilute them to eliminate toxic effects, at the same time shaking or grinding them in a way that energizes their helpful effect. This use of a dilute similar substance is somewhat similar to the use of vaccines or to the method of allergy desensitization.
In summary, homeopathy stimulates the healing process through temporarily establishing an artificial disturbance of health with medicines. This disturbance, when similar to the disturbance caused by the disease, makes the bodywork harder to get well. The healing changes that follow are the result of this stimulation. While simple in theory, this process requires skill and experience, particularly in chronic conditions. The homeopathic doctor carefully evaluates the changes that occur after use of each homeopathic medicine. In this way, the patient can be guided to recovery of their health over the weeks or months necessary for the body to repel the disease and regrow damaged tissues.
About Western herbs
In Food Therapy, the goal is to create a balance within the body and in the overall foods given to each pet. It doesn't mean that warming ingredients are not used in Spring and Summer recipes, rather it means we learn to balance the diet so that the pet does not have any negative fall-out from the food choices. For instance, if we opt to use chicken (warming) for its potent digestive tonic effects, then we balance it with a veggie blend that is cooling.
When feeding whole foods, a rotation of approved foods ensures a higher nutrient exposure. Please check with your veterinary health care provider for options for your pet.
Please note: These guidelines are for overall healthy individuals. Specific diseases may require slightly differing protocols. Please contact your holistic veterinarian if your pet has special needs to be addressed.
Summer Heat affects the body in considerable ways. Our nutritional goal is eliminating the excess heat without sacrificing the digestive Qi. The excess Damp from the Spring created a weaker Digestive Qi this year, so digestive support will play a larger role this year. The challenge is to BALANCE the effects of cooling foods with foods to support digestive Qi without creating more heat.
MEATS
*GF=grass-fed
VEGGIES
Mother Nature provides the veggies the body needs when it needs them. If it is off-season for a veggie, don't use it!
WHOLE GRAINS
TREATS
In the current climate, the use of Tripe Treats is a must! It is a single ingredient; freeze dried, unbleached tripe, which acts as a potent digestive tonic. Check out Vital Essentials and Tripe Twists from Nature Gnaw s
All pets should receive heart in the Summer. Freeze dried heart works nicely with any type of diet, such as:
Melons may be given away from meat meals, though to a lesser extent in cancer or Diabetes cases.
Cucumber slices may be given as treats or placed in water bowl daily for Cooling.
Smallbatch:
Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Treats: Beef, turkey, tripe., minnows, rabbit, & wild Alaskan salmon
Many other options are available, so READ THE LABELS and determine if it is MADE IN USA and if it meets the criteria for Summer.
In the Fall we are continuing the transition to cooler weather. At this time, the goals of food therapy shift toward an overall neutral to warming diet. Protecting and tonifying the digestion provides more nutrients (Ying Qi) for the LU to disperse to the body to bolster the immune system (Wei Qi).
Basic Tenets for Fall Food Therapy:
MEATS
Incorporate the following:
VEGETABLES
GRAINS
TREATS
Use dry roasted or freeze-dried meats or organ meat treats
Real meat Dog Food (great used as treats!)
Many other options are available, so READ THE LABELS and determine if it is MADE IN USA and if it meets the criteria for Fall.
The goals for Food Therapy (FT) of fall continue into winter with a few additions. As the Kidney (KI) meridian is the root of the body, it is important to utilize foods and food combinations to balance the KI Yin and KI Yang.
Basic Tenets:
MEATS
Incorporate the following:
VEGETABLES
GRAINS
Quinoa millet are the 2 most useful "grains: to use in cooked diets for the winter. Quinoa has a warming thermal nature and tonifies KI yang, while millet has cooling thermal nature. Both of these "grains" are not really grains at all. They are seeds. Thus, any concerns in using true grains in various diets are not applicable here
Other true grain use includes:
REMEMBER: Grain is limited to very small amounts (~5-10%) in dogs, AVOIDED in kitty foods and raw food diets.
TREATS
Use dry roasted or freeze-dried meats or organ meat treats
Many other options are available, so READ THE LABELS and determine if it is MADE IN USA and if it meets the criteria for Winter.
Most medical professionals understand that dysfucntion always appears before disease. At Revitalizing Pet Care, we take bloodwork analysis to a whole new level to identify early functional changes before disease occurs. Over the last decade, Dr. Pam has trained in Functional Blood Analysis (FBA) to help get the most out of your furry bestie's individualized treatment.
Functional Bloodwork Analysis includes an in-depth evaluation of the chronological trend of lab work to discover any developing issues before a disease state is reached. By pairing a functional analysis technique and pattern recognition with trend analysis, a story of health can be identified. This story is where we start to develop a tailored treatment regimen for your pet that helps him or her get better sooner.
This method of analysis has provided early recognition and, subsequently, correction of imbalances before irreversible changes in the tissue can occur. By identifying functional disturbances early, we can resolve the dysfunction and keep your precious 4-legged buddy healthy.
And that is a beautiful thing.
Get health tips, news and wisdom from Dr. Pam delivered straight to your inbox. Your pets will thank you!
