Using Alternative Medicine to Treat Pets

Alternative medicine is not just for us two-legged humans anymore. The popularity of choosing alternative therapies for our four-legged friends continues to grow, including the use of acupuncture, herbs, chiropractic, massage therapy, aromatherapy, essential oils, laser therapy and physical therapy, Dr. Nancy Scanlan, executive director of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“People are finally questioning their own health care, so they are seeking alternatives for their own animals also,” Dr. Joyce Loeser, a holistic vet with a practice in Davie, Fla. told the newspaper. Loeser had 300 clients when she first started her practice nine years ago, and now has more than 4,800 clients and 6,900 patients.

For example, Loeser helped a 125-pound Weimaraner recover following a stroke by putting him in an underwater treadmill, which she said helped him regain his strength and balance. “We’ll do whatever it takes to get these guys functioning again,” she said in the report.

The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association started in 1992 with 30 members, and now has 900 members. Every year, approximately 150 vets become certified in acupuncture, Scanlan told the Sun Sentinel.

However, just like alternative medicine for people, a trip to a holistic vet will cost more money — anywhere from 1 1/2 to three times what a regular office call might cost, Scanlan said in the article.

For more information or to find a holistic veterinarian near you, visit http://www.ahvma.org/.

VIDEO: Lynne McTaggart, Gary Zukav to Speak at Reconnection’s 9th Annual Conference

The Reconnection’s 9th Annual U.S. Mastery Conference will be held October 22, 2011 at the Universal Hilton in Los Angeles, featuring some of the top-selling author/speakers on healing, science and consciousness.

Headliners include Lynne McTaggart (The Field and The Intention Experiment); Gary Zukav (Seat of the Soul, Heart of the Soul, Soul Stories); Joe Dispenza (Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind); Lee Carroll (The Great Shift: Co-Creating a New World for 2012 and Beyond); Eric Pearl (The Reconnection: Heal Others, Heal Yourself); and Doug De Vito.

“Attending the U.S. Mastery Conference is a transformative experience,” Dr. Eric Pearl, global leader in Reconnective Healing, whose organization is hosting the conference, said in a released statement. “Every year we bring to Los Angeles leaders who are on the cutting edge of consciousness and healing … each with their own unique perspective and expertise that offer people the knowledge that allows them to make quantum leaps in their personal evolution. This year we will pack the day with insight and new horizons of learning.”

There will be book signings and a no-host cocktail hour at the end of the day, and a VIP Experience ticket for the U.S. Mastery Conference will also include preferred seating and a private meet-and-greet with the speakers, plus a buffet lunch. The VIP Experience is $249 through the day of the event. General Admission, which includes a box lunch, is available for $150 through the day of the event.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.thereconnection.com/masteryconference or call (323) 960 0012.