Page 7 - Spring 21

With the farmers that I work with, we set up the holistic management systems and record keeping systems to work towards the maximum amount of time in the Green. Similarly, pet owners pick up the concept very quickly and start the journey of working with it. Yes, it is a journey (corny as that may seem) with the owner learning a lot of new things on the way, with their chief teacher being their pet.
So what pushes them out of the Green? All sorts of challenges as you will be aware. The next phrase I teach owners is that it is always “the challenge, relative to, the ability to respond”. Always. Sadly, we as a veterinary profession are responsible to adding to these challenges in various ways. Be it an over-zealous vaccine program, or a health care plan that stuffs the pet full of anti-parasite agents, or scientifically proven processed foods.
The annual health check up consultation (+/- a booster vaccination) gives a fabulous opportunity to keep up the good work with owners. Not all will listen. And of those that do, not all will listen to every thing or carry it out.
Within these check up consultations there are many possibilities:
• I can educate the owners on the current conventional vaccine theories and how may be DHP isn’t actually needed very much in an adult dog.
• I can introduce ideas of titre testing.
• If a vaccine is chosen, I can support the vital force
there and then with remedies.
• I can review diet and provide inspiration and
information around what is optimum.
• I can look at parasite management and help them see
effective ways of minimising the need for lots of
chemicals.
• I can check out teeth.
• I can check out weight.
• I can review behaviour.
• I can help puppies with their development process
using remedies.
• I can get to know individual animals very well and
understand their constitution.
• I can talk about the challenges of old age and how to
naturally prop up the organ function.
• I can discuss their holistic first aid kit and how they
can use it.
• I can introduce them to websites like Dogs Naturally
Magazine
The list goes on and on. In short, I can support owners to become excellent at using an integrated holistic approach
to looking after their pets. And the better I can do that, the better they will look after them and the less time the pets will end up in the Red. Which for me, makes total sense.
So, do I love doing booster vaccinations? Not really. And given that a very high percentage of pet owners are still of a mind-set that this is something they want to do, having the chance to help nudge them in direction that creates more time in the Green or maybe Amber and less time in the Red, is a fabulous opportunity.
I really do loving doing that!
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