Holistic Pet Health Care in Brief - September 2011

By Dr. Moira Drosdovech, Kelowna, BC

There are many modalities in the realm of holistic health care for pets and this article will not go into any one of them in detail. The purpose of this article is to introduce you to a paradigm shift in the way you view your pet’s overall care and to encourage you to do your own research to discover what might be best for your pet. Let’s start with the long held belief about the need for vaccinations.

Vaccinations: Most pet owners are aware that there is a controversy surrounding vaccinations in the veterinary field. Evidence supporting the view that vaccines given every year can be harmful in some pets is mounting. Many veterinarians, including some research scientists and veterinary colleges, believe that puppy and kitten vaccinations provide your pet with adequate immunity for life or a good portion of it, just like childhood vaccinations are good for life.

Many veterinarians are advocating the use of one vaccine at a time (eg. for dogs, first just Parvo, then 3-4 weeks later, just Distemper) to reduce the stress on the immune system. Remember, it is your pet and you are ultimately responsible for its well-being. If you choose not to vaccinate at all, then it is important that you do so with full knowledge and that you take steps to ensure they are kept on a superior level of nutrition and are kept lean and trim.

Your pets should still be seen once a year for physical examinations and twice a year for senior pets. In my opinion, it is absolutely unnecessary in almost every case to administer vaccines annually and you may cause irreparable harm by continuing to do so.

I very rarely vaccinate beyond the initial puppy vaccines other than for perhaps Rabies. Of critical importance is the fact that vaccines are only approved for use in HEALTHY animals. That means free from any disease, including things which seem quite minor like skin and ear problems, but also includes behaviour problems, arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease, bladder infections or history of cystitis, and many more.

Caution should be exercised when deciding to give any vaccines and no vaccine should be given without a comprehensive educational discussion beforehand. Blood tests to measure antibody levels, called Titres, are useful tools to help in the decision making process. Please spread the word to others you know with pets that they need to look at both sides of this issue before they subject their pets to any more vaccinations. I still see far too many pets subjected to a slew of annual vaccines in spite of current information, even the availability of vaccines that are licensed for every 3 years. Buyer beware.

Heartworm (dogs): Fortunately, there have been no positive tests in any dogs that have lived their entire life in Kelowna, even those traveling outside Kelowna, and very, very few in the Okanagan in the last several years.

For this reason, I do not council clients to put their dogs on heartworm preventative medication unless they are traveling to an area where there are lots of cases. Just like any other drug, heartworm medicine has a systemic, or whole body, effect. The fewer chemicals we put in and on our pets, chances are the healthier they will be.

Use of the heartworm medications in the last few years as a routine dewormer is overkill, in my opinion, as it is very rare that we find any adult dogs with intestinal worms. Have your dog’s feces checked before indiscriminately deworming. Parasites are not as common as you might think.

Nutrition: The food we put in our bodies to a huge extent determines how healthy we are. It is no different for pets. If you choose to feed processed pet foods to your pets, it is a good idea to supplement with fresh foods on a regular basis so they too can take advantage of the phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals present in fresh raw fruits and veggies.

The feeding of natural foods to pets, including meat, is gaining more and more support amongst pet owners, breeders and holistic veterinarians alike. The reason is because it is proving to be beneficial. Yes, it is controversial, but I see the benefits every day at my office and hear the testimonials daily. Do not be afraid to check it out and make up your own mind. Your pets will love you for it!

Exercise: It won’t matter what you feed your pet and how few drugs and vaccines they are subjected to, if you do not exercise them, they will suffer the consequences. The biggest drawback to little or no exercise would be obesity problems, which now is seen in over 25% of the pet population. The feeding of grain-based diets (dry foods) and lack of daily activity is taking its toll on North American pets. Daily exercise improves your pet’s stamina, health, mental well-being and much more. Cats aren’t much into regimented exercise, but they do enjoy good playtime. So get going and enjoy your pets!

Medicines: Having practiced a conventional style of veterinary medicine for many years and switching to a more holistic approach in the last few, I have seen the good and bad points of each modality. Many of our every day medical problems are potentially treatable with homeopathy and other alternative modalities as a first resort rather than as a last resort and with far fewer side effects. Each time your pet has a problem, consider how you would like yourself or a family member treated and choose the same for your pet.

Dr. Moira's Bio: A practicing veterinarian for 20 years, has been in Kelowna since 1990, first owning Rutland Pet Hospital and now, after selling the former, Pawsitive Veterinary Care, opened in 2000 and focused on primarily holistic health care. She welcomes new clients and loves to educate! Kelowna (250) 862-2727. - Dr. Moira Drosdovech Website - Email