I was raised with conventional medicine and have always taken my animals to conventional veterinarians. But in the last several years, I've tried to educate myself about the holistic approach and I try to incorporate that into my lifestyle, including my dogs' care. I have subscribed to The Whole Dog Journal for many years. It's a great publication that provides a full range of articles about natural care and positive training. There are often articles that thoroughly cover a topic about treating ailments with herbs, oils, essences, energy, etc. I'm usually excited about what I read, but feel overwhelmed by the number of options and uncomfortable with trying to treat my dogs without the experience to fully interpret what I read. I haven't yet found a holistic veterinarian. That would be a sure way to obtain guidance. There are several in the Tampa Bay area and we've only explored one option. We have been clients of Ehrlich Animal Hospital for almost twenty years. We trust them and are fond of the staff, who are all caring, efficient people. Our primary vet is agreeable to working with us on a holistic program for our dogs.
So, what I'd like to know from you, the reader is, what holistic veterinary clinics in Florida have you used and been satisfied with? (Please, just relate your positive experiences.) My other request is for experiences with products you have used that worked to make your dog's life better. Like the wraps, coats and head gear that are supposed to help anxiety. Or the dental product, Leba III that claims to clean teeth with no brushing. Here in Florida, so many dogs suffer from skin allergies. Has anyone found natural solutions to help relieve the itches? What food or supplements have you used with good results? How about shampoos?
Some products I have tried and liked are:
Fromm's Gold Dogfood with probiotics- I wanted my dogs to have the benefit of probiotics, but they disliked the taste of probiotics in a supplement form. They are doing well on this food.
Linda Tellington Jones Half Body Wrap- this is mostly a technique and can be done with a regular ace bandage. One of our former dogs was afraid of thunder storms. I used the wrap on him and it seemed to help calm him. You can see the wrap in Tellington-Jones' book "Getting in TTouch with Your Dog".
Bark n Bath Shampoos- very nice scents and all natural. Rinses out easily, but it takes some time to get used to low sudsing.
Easy Walk Harness- This is a gentle approach to walking dogs who pull. It's been very effective with Ella, who is a strong puller. It has multiple fasteners which makes putting it on easy. Adjustments can be made in several places, allowing for a good fit. Easy Walk Harnesses are available in most pet stores.
So, what I'd like to know from you, the reader is, what holistic veterinary clinics in Florida have you used and been satisfied with? (Please, just relate your positive experiences.) My other request is for experiences with products you have used that worked to make your dog's life better. Like the wraps, coats and head gear that are supposed to help anxiety. Or the dental product, Leba III that claims to clean teeth with no brushing. Here in Florida, so many dogs suffer from skin allergies. Has anyone found natural solutions to help relieve the itches? What food or supplements have you used with good results? How about shampoos?
Some products I have tried and liked are:
Fromm's Gold Dogfood with probiotics- I wanted my dogs to have the benefit of probiotics, but they disliked the taste of probiotics in a supplement form. They are doing well on this food.
Linda Tellington Jones Half Body Wrap- this is mostly a technique and can be done with a regular ace bandage. One of our former dogs was afraid of thunder storms. I used the wrap on him and it seemed to help calm him. You can see the wrap in Tellington-Jones' book "Getting in TTouch with Your Dog".
Bark n Bath Shampoos- very nice scents and all natural. Rinses out easily, but it takes some time to get used to low sudsing.
Easy Walk Harness- This is a gentle approach to walking dogs who pull. It's been very effective with Ella, who is a strong puller. It has multiple fasteners which makes putting it on easy. Adjustments can be made in several places, allowing for a good fit. Easy Walk Harnesses are available in most pet stores.
Doggles - Goggles for dogs. This item was submitted by Phil and Moose.
That's Moose to the right, modeling his Doggles. His veterinarian recommended them, so Moose could safely ride with his head out the car window, something many dogs enjoy. However, it can be a dangerous pasttime, since stray particles can fly in the dog's eyes and cause injury.
Dog eyeware offers a solution. I found them online at Target and Petco. Moose is sporting some from Petsupermarket.
