It can be very confusing to try and find a simple answer to the question of “what is the difference between traditional and holistic veterinarians?” However, it can be quite simple to clarify.
A traditional veterinarian uses only the most common Western approaches to treating an animal for any number of issues. From emergency care for something like a broken bone to long term care for a chronic condition, a traditional veterinarian is always going to use conventional treatment options. They will run diagnostics using x-rays and blood work, and their goal is to diagnose any condition and treat the symptoms – usually with pharmaceutical or surgical interventions.
Holistic veterinarians, on the other hand, use alternative or complimentary medicine first. Their goal is to consider any patient as a whole. They weigh the balances between an animal’s emotional, physical, mental and even spiritual life. If something is determined to be out of balance, their goal is to re-establish that balance.
It is important to really understand this. As one veterinarian said, “Conventional medicine also looks at disease from what is known as a reductionistic model…[it] looks at the body as being made up of various parts that, when sick, have nothing to do with the rest of the body, or overall health of the animal.”
As an example, a cat with severe joint issues and skin problems would be seen by the conventional veterinarians as having two problems. A holistic veterinarian is going to look at that same cat as a creature with an imbalance that is causing those outcomes. Holistic veterinarians look at the body as being sick, and not just a system or part.
They will not turn to prescription medications or treatments first, but instead to nutrition, environment, stress, and other potential causes of the issues. They then use acupuncture; chiropractic care; medicines from the Ayurvedic, homeopathic and Chinese traditions; herbal remedies and other complimentary options. Yet, they often overlap their gentle practice with some conventional diagnostic and treatment options.
Also, veterinarians using holistic approaches take a lot of time to discuss the animal with the owner and determine as much as possible about the potential causes for imbalance. They use a very gentle touch with the animal and always have the owner in the treatment room to reduce stress and create a more favorable setting for healing to begin.
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