This is an interesting question – as a holistic practitioners, our hope is that alternative care is always appropriate. However, when new clients come to alternative medicine, it needs to be for the right reason. When it’s for the right reason, everyone wins – the patient/pet gets better health, the client/owner gets a better outcome, the veterinarian is able to help.
Here are two reasons not to seek an alternative view:
When you have tried everything else and there is no other option to help your pet. Sadly, by the time this point is reached, there is little any type of medicine can do. Fortunately, quality of life can be well-provided for by any style of veterinary medicine.
When the issue has been going on for years. No matter the style of medicine, if problems have been present for some time, there is rarely a rapid cure. Our society has been trained to expect a magic pill to treat every condition, like an aspirin treats a headache, but many times these don’t exist. Realistic expectations would be the longer a condition has been present the longer it takes to cure/help the issue.
On the plus side, there are many times when alternative medicine does create miracles, those instant cures we all look for. Because not all health, ill-health, issues are easy fixers, it’s not a realistic expectation to get a miracle cure everytime.
See my blog on when to seek a second opinion for those times when alternative medicine is appropriate.
Dr. Cathy Alinovi DVM
As a practicing veterinarian, Dr. Cathy treated 80% of what walked in the door — not with expensive prescriptions — but with adequate nutrition. Now retired from private practice, her commitment to pets hasn’t waned and she looks forward to impacting many more pet parents through her books, research, speaking and consulting work. Learn more at drcathyvet.com
