What is Animal Naturopathy?
Animal Naturopathy is a lifestyle and philosophy based on the laws of health mandated in nature. It mandates that each animal to be cared for according to their species specific needs and focuses on prevention through proper diet, natural remedies and elimination of toxic substances.
How is a Naturopath different than a Veterinarian?
A Veterinarian can diagnose a set of symptoms as a disease, can prescribe drugs to treat the symptoms of the disease and can perform surgery. A Naturopath uses symptoms as a road map to identify the cause of the disease and corrects the imbalance (at the source) that is causing your animal to be ill or chronically unwell.
What are the Principles of Naturopathy?
- The Healing Power of Nature – The body has an inherent ability to heal itself. This healing process is intelligent and ordered and Animal Naturopaths support and assist the healing process by identifying and removing obstacles to a cure and by using natural methods and medicines that work with, not against the body’s natural processes.
- Identify and Address the Cause – Every illness has a cause. Causes may occur on the physical, mental or emotional level. Symptoms are the body’s attempt to heal but are not the cause of illness. Animal Naturopaths are trained to find and remove the underlying cause of an illness rather than just eliminate or suppress symptoms.
- First Do No Harm – Animal Naturopaths use methods that minimize the risk of harmful side effects. Methods designed to suppress symptoms but not remove the underlying cause may be harmful. Their use is always avoided.
- Doctor as Teacher – The original meaning of the word “doctor” is teacher. A principle objective of Animal Naturopathy is to educate the client and emphasize responsibility for their animal’s health.
- Target the Whole Animal – When evaluating an animal; all aspects of that animal are taken into account; physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and social.
- Prevention is the Best Cure – Illness is often due to diet, habits, and general lifestyle. Animal Naturopaths access risk factors, susceptibility to disease and make appropriate recommendations to prevent health challenges or prevent existing health challenges from turning into more serious or chronic states. The emphasis is on building health rather than treating disease.
What methods do Animal Naturopaths Use?
Nutritional Medicine – By changing diet we can often change or reverse the course of an illness and restore health. Animal Naturopaths are trained in assessing nutritional status and recommending dietary changes and vitamin and mineral supplementation.
Botanical Medicine (phytotherapy) – Plants are used medicinally because they do not have high toxicity, accumulate in the body or cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms. Herbs are used to enhance immune function, improve digestion, normalize bodily functions, destroy bacteria, viruses, and fungi, soothe irritated tissues, calm nerves and relax muscles.
Aromatherapy – Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant-derived, aromatic essential oils which contain active agents that promote physical and psychological well-being.
Flower Essences – Many illnesses occur as a result of an emotional imbalance. Flower essences have a vibrational energy that can correct or entrain the body to a more beneficial frequency, correcting the emotional imbalance.
Homeopathy (Law of Similars) – Substances that cause certain symptoms in small doses have been found to cure similar symptoms if used in infinitesimal doses. Homeopathic remedies are produced from animals, plants and minerals. Remedies are formulated based on an animal’s unique symptoms or characteristics. When the appropriate remedy is given, it can produce powerful and effective results.
Hydrotherapy – Water therapy is the application or water to initiate cure. It is safe and painless and can be done at home for all types of injury and illness.
To name a few…
What can I expect during my first consultation?
After a health history is taken of your animal, additional questions may be discussed to get a complete assessment of your animal’s health. Based on the information provided; a written report will be provided to the you with informational material and in depth recommendations that can be taken to begin to improve your animal’s condition. Subsequent follow-up questions are expected and guidance is provided.
When can I expect results?
Most report rapid indications that positive changes are taking place. Great results come from persistent positive behavior changes that take place long enough for the body to respond and reclaim homeostasis.
Why use an Animal Naturopath?
Animal Naturopaths have been trained in and possess the ability to determine the cause of an illness and to stimulate the body’s own healing ability which is why naturopathy can be so effective where other systems fail. A Naturopath respects the expression of symptoms as the body’s attempt to heal itself and knows the symptoms are not the disease or the cause of the disease. Animal Naturopaths can target a wide variety of conditions without the use of drugs and surgery, helping the animal to feel better without causing harm or uncomfortable side effects. Naturopathy is a natural approach to health, wellness and healing that has been available and effective since the beginning of time, provided by the environment to ensure our survival.
Animal Naturopathy; What is it and what is it not? Health Care vs. Dis-ease Care:
The best way to stay healthy is through prevention by following the laws of health. Naturopathy looks at illness as a form of healing – symptoms are the body’s attempt at returning to a state of homeostasis. Allow the body to heal itself by supporting it’s natural healing functions. A Naturopath doesn’t believe in a variety of diseases, but specific ways illness is expressed by different individuals as a result of the body being out of balance. The body is a whole interconnected system that must be addressed as such.
A Naturopath does not diagnose disease; we perform a health and lifestyle assessment of your pet. A Naturopath does not treat disease; we promote health by helping you help your pet achieve optimal wellness. A Naturopath does not prescribe medication or suppress symptoms with synthetic drugs; we educate our clients on nutrition, species appropriate feeding and other natural healing modalities. A Naturopath does not perform surgery or any other type of invasive procedure. Again, we educate on how to help your pets live a healthy lifestyle, teaching you how to create and maintain good health in your pets.