Q: My pet is nervous, shy or aggressive. Will you be able to needle him?
A: With patience and compassion we can almost always needle pets no matter what their disposition. Working in the home environment, unlike a hospital setting, provides a sense of security for the pet which makes them more amenable to treatment of any kind. If a pet is extremely nervous or fearful needling may not be possible and we would rely on other forms of treatment such as accupressure, herbs, light therapy, nutritional supplementation, etc.
Q: How can I get all those little herbal pills down my pet?
A: I use patent Chinese herbal formulas which come in the form of small round (approximately ¼ diameter)coated pills. The hard coating keeps the pet from tasting the herbal medicine. You may mix pills in a small amount of canned food, raw meat, cottage cheese or organic peanut butter. Each patient is different so we will establish the easiest method for you and your pet.
Q: It seems like I have to do a lot of work to implement my pet’s holistic health plan. Can’t this be easier?
A: I will do my best to help each client implement their pet’s therapy in the most simple and convenient way possible for you, the client. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you are having trouble. Nothing is written in stone —treatment plans are a work in progress and can be modified as necessary to assure maximum compliance with treatments. However, there certainly is more client involvement in natural therapy versus conventional medicine which leaves most of the control in the hands of the doctor rather than you the pet owner.
Q: You recommend fewer vaccines than my regular vet. Aren’t vaccines a part of preventative health care?
A: Yes, up to a point. Unfortunately, there is an ever-growing number of vaccines that are being given to your pet on a yearly basis. This over-stimulation of the immune system may be detrimental to your pet’s health and may actually predispose the pet to illnesses such as immune suppression ,allergies, auto-immune disease (the body becomes allergic to itself) and even certain types of cancer. My vaccine regimen is based on the needs of each individual patient and their risk of exposure to various illnesses. However, rabies vaccine is required by law.
Q: What can I expect the treatment sessions to include?
A: Natural healing is an ongoing process. At each visit a conventional medical exam is performed to asses the health status of the patient at that moment. In Traditional Chinese Medicine an exam is performed at each acupuncture sessions to evaluate the status of the tongue, pulse and acupoints which allows the treatment protocol to be adjusted as the patient’s body undergoes physiological changes associated with healing. We also discuss your observations about your pet’s progress and may modify diet, supplementation and other aspects of your pet’s regimen.
Q: How much does all this cost?
A: Fees are determined on an individual basis depending on your pet’s needs. Natural medicine works in harmony with the body’s functions. By manipulating the autonomic nervous system of your pet we may reprogram the body to heal itself and maintain health. Once this healing is achieved it may be maintained with diet, herbs and decreasing frequency of acupuncture sessions. With your increased knowledge you, the pet owner, become the primary care giver and the doctor works herself out of a job! A large part of my natural health practice is educating you, the client, to make the best choices in preventative health care for your pet. Avoiding future health issues before they become medical problems will certainly save you money in the long run.