# Holistic Vets opposed to Regular Vets ..



## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Is there any different qualifications for the 2 different titles? 

What would you expect from a holistic vet with long term animal care opposed to a regular vet? Outside of a holistic vet being not opposed to RAW feeding. 

Do they (holistic) have any different views on vaccines and drugs in general? 

Reason is we only have 2 holistic vets in my city of 1 million and they are quite a drive to get at. I am wondering if it is worth it to seek them out. Or just work with my regular vet with my own minimal vaccine/drug agenda, if they are willing. 

Thanks in advance ..


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## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

Geoff,

I do not know what the status is in the US, but here in the UK pretty much anyone could call themselves a 'holistic vet', as long as they are a qualified vet already. Nobody except a qualified vet is allowed to diagnose and treat an animal.

I would expect a holistic vet to be up on raw feeding, diet supplementation, minimal/no vaccination, physiotherapy etc.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Holistics is *extremely* varied. To give you an idea of what one might be interested in to be called a holistic vet, here's a list of stuff that holistic vets may do:

-physical therapy/rehabilitation
-use of vitamin and mineral supplements
-traditional Chinese medicine
-accupuncture/accupressure
-herbal medicine
-massage
-minimal vaccination protocols
-developing or recommending low or no grain diets or home prepared diets
-reiki
-crystals
-light therapy
-homeopathy
-flower essences
-non-traditional (drug free) behavior modification
-chiropractic work

I'd like to personally specialize in nutrition (supplements and diets), behavior, and vaccination protocols (AKA: nothing too New Age-y for me, thanks!). Someone else might decide they only do accupuncture or homeopathy, for example. So in other words, there's no one thing that decides you're going to be a holistic vet. The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association's website is here and you can look up local members and what they like to specialize in (though their website needs work):

http://www.ahvma.org/

Some will often interview prospective clients and see if they will take the client on or not. And not all holistic vets "like" raw feeding either. Some can be even more wary of it than allopathic vets as they see a lot of folks dump chicken wings or ground hamburger into the dog's dish, thinking that's all that they need to do, and expect the vet to agree with it. :roll: So what I'd do is go talk them and see what their philosophies are as well as those of some vets closer by and see how it goes.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I think veterinarians in the US must be licensed by a state licensing agency so they will have graduated vet school but their philosophies will vary wildly. I would see if you can schedule a meeting with the veterianarian to discuss all this;it may cost you more but save you in the long run.

I went to one for about a year who was ALL about money and extending life at all costs**. Most of her clients were very yuppy with furbabies as patients. Shame, because I think there should be room for alternate views without being totally whacko. 

**she talked me out of euthanizing my 15 year old dog who was incontinent, going blind, and could not stand without being held up the whole time. His time really had come and I feel guilty that I did not shorten it by about 2 months. We were ready to let him go and she was not.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Yuppies with Furbabies as pets. Now that is a image I want to erase from my mind!! :-k 

So a holistic vet still has the same basic training as an allopathic vet. 

In reality then if I find a allopathic vet that I trust and doesn't push unneeded drugs, vaccines. I am no further ahead going to a holistic one. My dog isn't going to get any better basic care. Right?

Thanks for the responses!


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I really think it depends on YOUR philosophy

You are not going to get homeopathic medicines, or things like that from a tranditional vet. You may be able to find one, however, with a more sensible view of immunization, feeding, etc.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Geoff Empey said:


> Yuppies with Furbabies as pets. Now that is a image I want to erase from my mind!! :-k
> 
> So a holistic vet still has the same basic training as an allopathic vet.
> 
> ...


Yup, all vets must go through 4-6 years (depending on if they are foreign or not or do special programs, blah blah blah) of veterinary school plus get licensed by the state veterinary medical association board, no matter if they think Ol' Roy and twice a year vaccinations are just dandy or if they are waving quartz crystals at your dogs trying to help out their heart chakras. :mrgreen: Go with recommendations from other knowledgeable dog folks as well as your gut instinct. 

Hopefully there are more vets out there willing to consider species appropriate diets, be they home prepared or commercial. I'm trying really _*really*_ hard on VIN.com, guys, I promise! It's almost like when motivational training and marker training first came out and telling all the good ol' fashioned crank and yankers that they might want to re-think their paradigm. Ouch! Not always pretty... :-#


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