Holistic Care

“Holistic medicine still carries a bit of a stigma. It is still a relatively uncommon approach, though we should see a shift in this with the rising popularity of the organic and green living movements. I have been utilizing holistic modalities in my practice for over 35 years and have seen how successful they can be to treat critical problems. Holistic medicine offers the all the benefits of healing, with none of the side effects as compared to traditional treatment options. My approach is to exhaust holistic remedies first, and then proceed to conventional methods if needed.” -Dr. Basko

Acupuncture

Acupuncture therapy has been practiced for many thousands of years in Asia, and is still an important technique used to enhance healing of the body. It works by balancing and moving energy within the living body through a system of channels and acupuncture or energy points located at specific areas. Needles, electricity, lasers, and injections of vitamins are used to stimulate these acupuncture points. Most animals tolerate the treatment very well, and in fact, many settle in for a good nap while receiving acupuncture!

I am certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, and I’ve been training other veterinarians to perform acupuncture on animals for the past 30 years. Sharing what I’ve learned and furthering the “reach” of holistic therapies is a core value of my practice.

In my practice, we successfully treat the following conditions with acupuncture:

• Arthritis

• Paralysis

• Allergies / Skin Problems

• Epilepsy

• Geriatric problems

• Immune system disorders

• Digestive disturbances

Herbs & Supplements

I utilize herbs/supplements to complement the treatments in my practice because they have little or no side effects, and they function to:

• Cleanse and detoxify the body

• Facilitate healing of the immune system

• Control symptoms without the use of drugs

• Improve the functions of internal organs

• Provide micro nutrients missing in the diet

• Strengthen the Vital Force of the body

Diet Therapy

Many common pet ailments can be alleviated or strengthened by an improvement in the quality of the food the pet is eating. The problem with commercial pet food is that the industry is unregulated and products are not often inspected, thus many of these products contain questionable and harmful ingredients.

These pet foods are often saturated with harmful chemical preservatives, food coloring, pesticides, heavy metals, excess amounts of salt, sugar, rancid fat, over-cooked oils, mold, and meat that has been condemned for human use. Commercial diets stress the animals, by interfering with proper assimilation and metabolism of nutrients and thus cause many degenerative diseases and premature aging. I attribute the high incidence of skin diseases, cancer, and many forms of arthritis to the over-feeding of commercial diets (both canned and dry). Also, because most if not all, commercially prepared diets for dogs and cats have been developed for the “masses,” most of these “scientifically” prepared foods are inappropriate for dogs living in the many different climatic regions of the country.

Home-prepared Meals

When I started cooking for my own pets over 35 years ago, it was truly a learning experience for me to discover what works and what does not. I noticed that they seemed happier and had more energy. After a few months, they began to smell better, their coats were shinier and they quit scratching.

Holistic Training

Holistic veterinarians graduate from an accredited veterinary school with training in science, and modern conventional therapies. They know how to diagnose, read x-rays, evaluate blood tests, and determine what kind of ailments are plaguing your pet. Many complete extra training in surgery, nutrition, and oncology.

Holistic veterinarians then complement their traditional veterinary expertise by studying modalities of:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and acupuncture theory

•  Nutrition therapy, and herbal medicine

• Animal chiropractics, hydrotherapy, and physical therapy

• Homeopathy, energy healing, and light therapy

Current Medical Model

In general, the field of medicine is geared to kill germs and surgically repair parts…like working on a machine or a car. When something isn’t working, you just swap it out with new parts or provide an oil change. I like to call this approach mechanical medicine. While these tactics are sometimes necessary,  surgery and elimination of germs don’t address the whole picture, or more importantly, the cause of the issue.

Lots of vets will try to manage pet problems with drugs, steroids, or surgery, but unless the root of the issue is addressed, it will continue to return. For many pets under this kind of care, long term use of pharmaceuticals and costly surgeries are their future. But it doesn’t have to be this way.