Traditional chinese medicine for dogs

 I have used TCM on a dog that seizured through a good, well known holistic vet. Sad to say, in my dog's case it didn't help. That isn't to say it is bad, just that I think some people expect miracles from holistic care and it doesn't always happen for everyone.

 As for finding a good holistic vet: IME many "holsitic vets" do nothing more than hand out supplement after supplement. This is much the way allopathic vets just prescribe drug after drug instead of trying to fix the actual problem. A holistic approach will generally involve diet and lifestyle changes for your pet, not just giving them tons of supplements.

But I'll tell you IT HELPS.  And **every** time you go to a new appointment have a copy of that last bloodwork or whatever in your purse JUST IN CASE they don't have it (or so you can have your own copy in hand when they discuss it with you -- you *will* learn how to interpret stuff like that).

I do a fax cover sheet at work with EVERYBUDDY's fax **and** regular phone on it.  So I can just stand there and fax it round robin. 

Also -- you never say anything 'bad' about one vet to another -- but rather, you reinforce good any time you can find it  "Dr. B was really impressed that what we're doing is helping get those liver values back in line!!" 

 awesome stuff, thank you! :-)

calliecritturs

Also -- you never say anything 'bad' about one vet to another

Makes sense :-) I love our present vet, I think he's bar none as far as vets go. He did amazing things for our gal. I just feel that the western science is limiting how far he can go with the diagnosis/treatment.

calliecritturs

I'm going to see Dr. Demers tomorrow (for Billy) and I"ll see if he knows anyone near you.

I am in Kitchener/Waterloo area. It's close to Toronto, though Toronto is quite hard to get to (traffic and all)

Thank you for helping us!

Jana

I would call any of those TCVM vets that are even remotely where you can get to them and TALK to them.  You can do the homotox later if we can hook you up, but nothing beats a good TCVM exam.  It's the best diagnostic tool going -- I have emailed your 'area' to myself at work so I can take that with me tomorrow when we go see Dr. Demers. 

calliecritturs

I would call any of those TCVM vets that are even remotely where you can get to them and TALK to them.  You can do the homotox later if we can hook you up, but nothing beats a good TCVM exam.  It's the best diagnostic tool going -- I have emailed your 'area' to myself at work so I can take that with me tomorrow when we go see Dr. Demers. 

Will do. I also feel that it would be helpful Thank you so much!

calliecritturs

But I'll tell you IT HELPS. 

 Is this in reply to my post? If so, no it didn't help in my dog's case. He continued to get worse and worse, despite getting good allopathic and holistic (TCM) care.

AgileGSD

 Is this in reply to my post?

 Says "in reply to BEVOLASVEGAS" at the top, so my guess would be no?

AgileGSD

calliecritturs

But I'll tell you IT HELPS. 

 Is this in reply to my post? If so, no it didn't help in my dog's case. He continued to get worse and worse, despite getting good allopathic and holistic (TCM) care.

Actually no, I hadn't even seen your post (my machine didn't re-fresh it) -- if you look across the top from where my name is you'll see on the right "Reply to" and my reply was to Bevolasvegas".

I'm sorry your experience wasn't good -- one of the reasons why I tend to try to elaborate on "how" to have someone choose a vet is because it is NOT easy.  The exam should be extremely thorough ... not just some "supplements" given.  The good TCVM practitioner (or any DOM if you are dealing with a doctor of oriental medicine for yourself) is going to feel all the pulses, look at the tongue, ASK QUESTIONS and spend some significant time.  For example, my own DOM yesterday took my pulse on the right .. AND on the left, and then sent me to get bloodwork done because of some inconsistencies he saw (among other things). 

Unfortunately we can't always get help for everything, but if a vet is merely passing out supplements that is surely NOT the type of care I'm talking about.

We do, as consumers, and doglovers NEED TO BE CAREFUL.  Most anyone can hang out a sign that says "holistic" and it's not regulated.  But learning to ask questions and monitor how something is done (and checking up sometimes) is important too.  Does it pass the sanity check?  Does it pass the check of what others do in that modality?  No way am I suggesting anyone just put their brain out of gear ... that's my whole reason for saying CALL THEM -- **ALL** of them and talk to them.  See who is the best match for you and your dog.

calliecritturs

We do, as consumers, and doglovers NEED TO BE CAREFUL.

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. It is sad, because you got a doctor and you shouldn't have to question and watch what they're doing. But you have to. One needs to get educated to be able to recognize good from bad. My dad always said: Trust, but test. :-)

I asked Dr. Demers last night -- he says there are several *very* good holistic practitioners (particularly TCVM) in the Toronto area, but he didn't have their names.  Apparently Canada doesn't have a national organization like the AHVA and sometimes you find Canadian vets listed there but he wasn't finding what he was looking for (he looked while I was waiting).  He doesn't know of anyone up there who does homotoxicology specifically, but as I said above, you really need the diagnostics of TCVM probably, anyway.

And *smile* as a side note, I was telling him about Bevo and the good results they've had with the Wobbler's and homotoxicology, and he was pretty sure he knew EXACTLY who she was going to and was thrilled that it's helping.  He knows the guy and says he's VERY good.  (Dr. Demers is one of the two vets who teaches homotox all over the US -- he says he's taught acupuncture in Canada but they haven't had a seminar organized up there yet apparently).

calliecritturs

We do, as consumers, and doglovers NEED TO BE CAREFUL. 

Yep.  Vets and Dr's alike.  I am not any more in favor of or averse to one type of practice over another, but I won't go anywhere without a recommendation first.  Internet searches and web listings are not enough for me.  My current vets and Dr's (and trainers, breeder, etc) are all people that I was referred to by people who know me better and can give me a good idea of what to expect.  So, I've never changed my doctor, my vets, my breeder, or my dog trainers because I have been thrilled with the referrals and happy with the results.  My mom referred e to my doctor and I figured it made sense that I'd use the same one as my mom so she knew more about my health history.  Several people referred me to the vets I use and in turn I have referred several other people.

calliecritturs

AgileGSD

calliecritturs

But I'll tell you IT HELPS. 

 Is this in reply to my post? If so, no it didn't help in my dog's case. He continued to get worse and worse, despite getting good allopathic and holistic (TCM) care.

I'm sorry your experience wasn't good -- one of the reasons why I tend to try to elaborate on "how" to have someone choose a vet is because it is NOT easy.  The exam should be extremely thorough ... not just some "supplements" given.  The good TCVM practitioner (or any DOM if you are dealing with a doctor of oriental medicine for yourself) is going to feel all the pulses, look at the tongue, ASK QUESTIONS and spend some significant time.  For example, my own DOM yesterday took my pulse on the right .. AND on the left, and then sent me to get bloodwork done because of some inconsistencies he saw (among other things). 

Unfortunately we can't always get help for everything, but if a vet is merely passing out supplements that is surely NOT the type of care I'm talking about.

We do, as consumers, and doglovers NEED TO BE CAREFUL.  Most anyone can hang out a sign that says "holistic" and it's not regulated.  But learning to ask questions and monitor how something is done (and checking up sometimes) is important too.  Does it pass the sanity check?  Does it pass the check of what others do in that modality?  No way am I suggesting anyone just put their brain out of gear ... that's my whole reason for saying CALL THEM -- **ALL** of them and talk to them.  See who is the best match for you and your dog.

Callie, maybe I am misreading the first part of your reply to AgileGSD, but it gives me the impression that you are saying Agile didn't screen her TCVM vet well enough.  Having just gone through this with Bear, I will tell you I loved Dr. Johnson and would have absolutely no qualms about going to her again - I didn't doubt for a second that the quality of care Bear received was top-notch.  However, in Bear's situation, he had a severe seizure disorder and after I'd put him down, she told me she thought I did the right thing letting him go because (and I will quote her words to me) "sometimes we can't repair the problem."  Between all the vet visits, the meds, the diet, I spent about $3000 - $4000 in seven months time and still Bear was having multiple grand mal seizure episodes.  It's not because Dr. Johnson or my regular vet were quacks - Bear just couldn't be fixed. 

I don't know AgileGSD's situation, but maybe the case was similar to Bear's.  In spite of the best of everything, it just didn't work.  As someone else said, sometimes our expectations let us down.

I hope the OP finds answers.

calliecritturs

And *smile* as a side note, I was telling him about Bevo and the good results they've had with the Wobbler's and homotoxicology, and he was pretty sure he knew EXACTLY who she was going to and was thrilled that it's helping.  He knows the guy and says he's VERY good.  (Dr. Demers is one of the two vets who teaches homotox all over the US -- he says he's taught acupuncture in Canada but they haven't had a seminar organized up there yet apparently).

I'm sure that he knows exactly who we use!  Our vet has called him, repeatedly for advice!