PET HEALTH
Holistic Health for Pets
When some people hear the term “holistic health,” they sometimes think of crystals, reading auras, and yoga by a tranquil lake.
Although those things can be a part of holistic health, there’s a lot more to holistic health and there are a number of benefits your pet can gain from visiting a veterinarian that practices it.
Holistic health may help your pet recover from an illness or injury faster than traditional veterinary care alone.
What is Holistic Health?
Holistic health focuses on the whole animal. The primary focus is on their physical health but also covers their emotional well-being. It also encourages the use of a wider range of treatment options than most veterinarians offer.
Another aspect of holistic health is that it doesn’t just treat symptoms. For example, if an animal has a skin infection caused by self-mutilation, a holistic vet can go beyond topical antibiotics to figure out what’s causing it. Stress, parasites, or a food allergy may be to blame.
Holistic Health Examples
Let’s quickly look at three examples of alternative treatments used in holistic veterinary medicine and discuss how they can help your pet get relief from numerous conditions.
Chiropractic Care
A chiropractor is trained to properly align the spine. Because of the number of nerves that run through it, when the bones themselves aren’t aligned as they should be, these nerves can become pinched and cause various painful conditions.
It’s no different for our pets. If your pet’s nerves are being pinched, they’re suffering in some way. A specially-trained chiropractor may be able to help get your pet’s spine into alignment and ease the pain.1
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has a long history of helping to cure countless ailments, so it’s no surprise that it’s now being used to treat the furry members of our family.
It uses special needles which are inserted at particular points in the body. The idea is that your body’s natural energy flows through these points which can become blocked. Acupuncture stimulates these areas to unblock these points.
As you can imagine, this works the same way for animals, too. A variety of conditions may be treated using acupuncture including stress, poor appetite, and numerous physical ailments.
Diet Changes
“You are what you eat.” As true as this is for people, it’s also true of our animal companions. For this reason, many holistic vets focus strongly on diet to improve the well-being of an animal. 2
Through dietary changes, digestive issues, skin problems, and bladder conditions can all be treated, to name a few. By giving your pet exactly what they need and eliminating things that are making them sick, they’ll feel better within days of a diet change.
Benefits of Holistic Health for Pets
Although we already mentioned a few of them, let’s quickly go over some of the potential benefits of holistic health for pets.
- Eliminate or reduce the side effects of medication
- Better pain management
- Strengthens the immune system
- Treats illnesses rather than just symptoms
- Improves overall happiness of pet
- Can reduce health care costs
All pet owners love their pets. It’s why we refer to them as our fur babies. It’s also why so many people may consider choosing veterinarians that practice holistic health.
Learn More About Pet Insurance
Looking for more ways to help keep your pets happy and healthy? Consider learning more about pet insurance and MetLife Pet Insurance. Dog insurance and cat insurance can help you provide coverage and care for your furry family members. Get your free quote today.