Where is the place people and dogs get along?
Are you a dreamer? When it comes to dogs, their health, and extending their lives, I definitely am. I dream of a world where both the holistic and conventional practitioners work together to achieve the goals of healthy and long lives for our dogs.
Now, for those of you who prefer watching a video - click on the image below, otherwise continue reading.
The first group is made of conventional veterinarians who have no or very little experience with natural treatment methods. They often speak against natural treatment methods as if they threaten public health, which is not true.
The second group of veterinarians are educated in conventional medicine but also acquired knowledge of alternative treatment methods to help their patients.
The alternative medical modalities can be compared to languages. Nobody speaks them all, but every single one of them can be used to communicate. No veterinarian knows all medical modalities, but they all can help the patients. This is why referrals, an open mind, and good communication with your vet are so important in the treatment process.
Why strictly conventional vets speak against holistic medicine
Traveling to a country where they speak a language you don’t understand can be intimidating. I suspect this is how conventionally-minded colleagues feel when they are faced with alternative medicine questions.
Those veterinarians that are confident and open-minded do not have a problem with “not knowing everything.” I suspect that the colleagues who take a firm opposing stance against alternatives may be doing so because they are afraid of “not knowing.”
Perhaps the root of this goes back to the education style at the veterinary schools where “not knowing” usually means failing and being labelled as "not smart enough". It is a shame.
I hope for united medicine
Every summer, we go to the Rocky Mountains and one of my favorite places is Lake Louise. It was also Skai’s favorite place to hang out. As you can see in the picture below, Lake Louise is very special not only because of the natural beauty but also because people from all over the world come to admire it and they all get along!
I love sitting on a bench at Lake Louise, watching people take pictures and observing the changing kaleidoscope of human faces.
From the outside, the world might seem polarized and messed up, but when we look closer, we are all alike. We appreciate beautiful places and nature, we love spending time with those we love, and we want them to be healthy.
The biggest two obstacles to making progress in medicine are that medicine is largely based on making money from disease and the resistance of veterinarians who do not speak the alternative medical language.
I hope that as our community grows and creates a demand for a more integrative approach to medicine, the veterinary field will stop being a battlefield and we all will collaborate so that we can focus on medicine that heals and does not harm.
In the 100-plus years of so-called “conventional medicine,” we have not been able to make significant progress against the incidence of cancer and chronic diseases while taking just a few simple steps can make dogs live years longer. To prove this, we have now started our dog life span study, for which you can register by clicking the button below.
Recently, I read an article that said, “I will always stand on the side of those who try rather than those who criticize,” and I fully agree. Let's keep trying!
© Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM
