catcupuncture

the holistic methods of living are spreading, and now homeopathy is more popular than ever with the pet community and more and more vets are getting on board with this new approach to healing.

one specific treatment that is gaining ground with both pets and their guardians is acupuncture. many ailments can be helped by the stimulation of qi (pr. chi) by the placement of needles on certain points of the body. asthma, and respiratory problems, are especially benefited by treatments combined with herbal remedies and even done in conjunction with traditional western medicine.

click here to check out a national geographic video showing a cat in hong kong receiving acupuncture treatments for chronic renal failure. as you can see, the cat seems very calm as the tiny needles are placed at specific points.

if you are a vet, a vet student, or just someone interested in holistic vet practices, check out the chi institute, a school for traditional chinese medicine and its application in the veterinary world.

photo credit:  acupunctureproducts.com

safer flea control

it's spring time, and with the warm weather, blooming flowers and road work comes fleas. yuck! while we may be quick to run to the vet and get the strongest flea preventative they carry it's important to know the risks that come with chemical-based preventatives. as we take more steps towards a holistic life-style for our pets, and ourselves, flea control is becoming more of a hot issue.

the basic facts is that all chemical-based (synthetic or not) spot-on treatments are technically poisons. while they are designed to poison any pests through skin bites, these poisons can be absorbed through the skin and ingested by licking. cats, especially, are susceptible to toxic reactions due to their smaller bodies and unique physiology (never ever use products intended for dogs on cats!). symptoms of a reaction are varied but almost always include convulsions or tremors and delayed breathing and can lead to renal failure and death if not treated immediately.

now that we've scared the bejeezus out of you, it's time to introduce new, natural flea control methods that are part of a larger way of healing, called homeopathy. some of these methods include topical applications of neem oil, a natural repellent of pests like ticks, mosquitos and fleas, and using herbs like rosemary and lavendar, and even wood blocks of cedar placed at entry ways to keep fleas from coming in. for cat-specific prevention, check out the holisticat site and their article "safer flea control alternatives."

happy spring and happy flea-hunting!