Appt with a holistic vet for Miko

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

I finally did it! I made an appt. with a holistic vet for Miko! Actually, she practices both conventional and holistic medicine.

The more I read the more I believe a two-pronged approach to vet care is the most beneficial. Clearly, a compromised immune system can lead to a host of problems. With all the things Miko was recently diagnosed with, she will have an immediate challenge on her hands.

I will just need to adjust my mindset. You know when someone mentions medicinal herbs or acupuncture, I turn up my nose like it's voodoo.

The appt. is for this Friday. We'll just see how it goes and what vibes I get. Does anyone have any experience with holistic vet care?

[SalemWitchChild]

Not with holistic vet care. But with holistic human care yes.. I think it's great that your open minded enough to try. Just remember it can take longer to see results from this approach.. and keep a positive mind about it.

[Luvmyjob]

I don't have personal experience with one, but a client of mine took her mix breed (now deceased) to one for back problems. This has been several years ago. There was supplement therapy, accupuncture and some other methods used that I can't remember. I can't say one way or the other whether the dog had improvment from holistic methods, but the owner swore by it. I hope in Miko's case, he does get some benefit. I am very curious to hear the Vets. opinions. Keep us posted.

[weezyNollie]

Only holistic approach i tried was Reiki. It worked pretty well.. but i think it wouldn't hurt for Louise to have refresher session. She's kind of back to her mellow, boring, dull self?

Anyhow, let us know how it goes and what types of things she says and does.

[frankie]

Hi Debbie
As we both agree anything is worth a try?
How did you get on?
Please let us know
Frankie and Fireking

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Well, our appt was this afternoon. Here's my take:

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• Is more than willing to work with my regular vet and University of Missouri Vet School
• Had read all 20 pages of Miko's recent medical history before I got there
• Said she would like to see the holistic side of Miko's care be there to shore up his immune system and heart strength so he can better weather his illnesses (some holistic vets try to to get you to go strictly holistic and leave conventional medicine completely)
• Made several suggestions such as: Switching his food, changing his fatty acid oils from just omega 3 to omega 6 and 3's with the proper 5:1 ratio, adding sellenium, CoEnzyme Q10, vit E, fresh garlic and Hawthorn (an herb)
• Said not to give Heartguard and Frontline on the same day (2 weeks apart)

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• Didn't have any of the oils, herbs or anti-oxidants for sale at the office. Said I should go to a health food store. Also, I told her Miko is extremely hard to "pill" and asked if liquids were available. She didn't know. I thought this was a bit odd.
• Didn't talk about vaccinations, particularly over vaccinating.
• Didn't seem to want to see him again. Kind of seemed like she was just throwing a bunch of anti-oxidants and herbs my way.
• Other than nutrition changes didn't talk about the many other forms of holistic medicine (like massage, accupuncture - there are lots more). So, in a way, she seemed like a conventional vet who dabbles in holistic medicine.
• I had to ask about pro-biotics, she didn't bring them up. I thought she would pick up on the fact Miko's been on anti-biotics for 6 weeks and could certainly benefit from pro-biotics therapy right now.
• Only open 3 days a week.

We have another appt next week with a different holistic vet who I think is more rounded and expansive in her knowledge. Will report back.

Thanks for asking about Miko! I think this is going to be an interesting journey.

[micki]

Good luck, Miko, I use some holistic bronchial meds for our asthmatic cat who is very hard to pill. The tiny pills in the holistic meds are to be dissolved under the tongue, so I tuck them into her cheek by the time she digs it out she has enough of it dissolved to help her. check for drops and fast disolving pills

[frankie]

Hi Debbie
Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you about your update.
Well at least you can say it was interesting. Your update started off really positive and then I could see the decline.
BUT you are going to see a different one next week so at least you now know what to expect, and what questions you need to be asking.
I admire you for trying an alternative. Are they more expensive then conventional vets, or not much different?
Will await your next report.
Good Luck
Frankie and Fireking

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

I know several of you expressed interest in the holistic vet avenue I'm investigating for Miko, who has been diagnosed with tracheal collapse, pulmonary hypertenstion, heart murmur, mitral valve disease, luxating patellas, two vertebrae that are pressing on each other (spondyosis?), urine not concentrating properly, and a few other things I'm sure I'm forgetting right now. So, I'll do my best here initially and will provide updates as my knowledge level increases.

Wow, my head is spinning!!! Miko and I met for 2 hours today with the second holistic vet I wanted to interview. This one blew the first one away. I left somewhat overwhelmed and she said that was normal. She gave me a book to read called "Four Paws, Five Directions", which she said would help me better understand holistic medicine for dogs.

We went over his complete history and I explained all the things Miko had been diagnosed with recently at the vet college. She did an exam on Miko.

She asked me some questions like:

Did I think Miko was a cold or hot dog. Hot = always looking for a cool place to lay. Will sit next to you, but not on you. And some others I can't remember.

Cold = Wants to lay on pillows or blankets. Wants to cuddle up in your lap year round regardless of temperature.

We decided he was a "hot" dog. LOL

Was Miko a Water, Fire, Metal or Wood dog? Miko was Fire (easily worked up, resource protector from the other dogs, feisty, attitude).

Bottom line:

Miko needs to have his immune system built up, rid of something called damp heat (which I don't fully understand yet), rid of circulation stagnation (classic symptom is his congestive heart failure - congestion is sitting fluids or stagnation), herbs to strengthen his heart.

Like I said, I don't have it all down yet.

To start:

1. She hates kibble food, even Innova Evo, which I considered great. She feels strongly that extrusion just robs the dry foods of their nutrients. So, we agreed on food called Urban Wolf. It's a freeze dried vegetable and fruit mix that you reconstitute with water and then add raw meat to. It's all human grade ingredients as follows:

It was formulated with ease of preparation & total nutrition through natural food sources:- the finest, widest variety of high anti-oxidant vegetables, fruits & other goodies that have been naturally dried - so no supplements are necessary.

URBAN WOLF® ADULT Formula

INGREDIENTS: All Food Ingredients are Human Food Grade - Whole Ground, Freeze or Naturally Dried: Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, Barley Greens, Broccoli, Almond (stabilized), Watercress, Alfalfa, Cranberries, Spinach, Celery, (New) Lycopene (from tomato skins: Nature's powerful antioxidant), Saccharomyces cerevisiae, natural Calcium Carbonate, Flax Meal, Carob, Kelp, Parsley, Ginger Root, Marjoram, Basil. This diet meets & exceeds the AAFCO & NRC guidelines.

I never thought in a million years I'd agree to try this, but I'm going to and see what happens. It's not B.A.R.F, but a hybrid of sorts. Has anyone heard of this stuff?

2. She started him on a custom made mixture of various Chinese herbs for his various illnesses. They are not a replacement for conventional meds, just an add-on. She had hundreds of herbs there and I watched her make it up.

3. Started him on pro-biotics and digestive enzymes (mixed together)

This was stage one. In three weeks we are going to discuss what can replace Heartguard and Frontline - she dislikes them both because you are putting pesticides on/in your dog. Of course, it will be some kind of herbs I'm guessing. I asked her about garlic for fleas and she said there are much better alternatives so I'll be interested to hear.

She wantsto discuss doing a titers test to see if vaccinations are really needed yearly. The titers test tells if the current vaccination is still working, and if so, no new vaccination is needed. But, guess what, a full titer battery is $500.00! She said she has never done a titers that resulted in yearly vaccines. She said most vet schools are not reco'ing vaccinations every year, but every three years. She feels over vaccination is at the top of the list for weakening a dog's immune system.

She wants to add something to further strengthen his heart after he adjusts to the new food. It's called Hawthorn.

There's an oil that you buy with the food that has the proper ratio of omega 6's to omega 3's. You pour it in the food mixture.

Anyway, like I said, I'm overwhelmed right now, but I'm going to try it and see what happens. It can't hurt and might help. I asked her what she thought of the pulmonary hypertension experimental drug study I was trying to get Miko in at the vet college. She said she's hoping that by the time they retest Miko in October to see if he's a candidate, his hypertension will no longer be an issue. Hey, from her lips to God's ears!

I'm in really new territory here folks! So, I'm open to suggestions, comments, opinions, etc. Won't say I'll follow them, but I'll surely listen!

My girlfriend thinks I'm nuts and have gone way overboard, by the way. Of course, she feeds her dog whatever's on sale that week.

She said, "Oh, for Christ's sake, next thing you'll have a mantra and be doing yoga!"

zzzzzmmmmmm.........

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

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No one has any comments or thoughts?