This month, on August 30, there is a movement to celebrate National Holistic Pet Day. With more and more people thinking openly about holistic treatments rather than the traditional approaches of the past, the industry of human health care is often a popular topic of conversation. It is also a time to reflect on how you can have a holistic approach to keeping your dog happy and healthy, just as it can for you. We will check out a list from a national organization at the top answers they received on their survey of living holistically with their pets Read on for ideas on how to celebrate National Holistic Day with your dog.
HALO, a pet dog food recently surveyed its pet parents on how to live holistically with their dogs. They asked 700 pet parents, a majority of them dog owners what they do for holistic living. Here are a few of their answers:
- 78% of pet parents exercise regularly with their dogs.
- 49% use all-natural supplements for skin, coat, joints and digestive care.
- 44% take their dogs in for dental care.
- 47% use natural products for their shampoo and grooming.
- 55% play mind-stimulating activities and games with their dogs.
- 2% take their dogs to Doga (Dog + Yoga) events.
Check out the full survey results here.
Top Holistic Treatments for Pain in Dogs
As you know, our dogs are with us for fewer years than we prefer, and many of us will often outlive them. The best thing to do if you know if your dog is in pain is to treat the pain as quickly as possible. Pet parents are often researching how to naturally ease their dog’s sufferings from a specific ailment to not just avoid pain but help them feel as good as possible. Holistic treatments and natural rememdies might be sought out to help with recovery from surgeries, joint injuries, and diseases such as cancer and even osteoarthritis. Here are the top holistic treatments we all should know about:
Canine Massage
This is exactly what you think it is! Massage encourages healing by relaxing muscles and relieving stress. The benefit of this is that you could do it yourself. Then it becomes a great bonding experience between you and your dog and it feels good for you both. Another benefit to dog massage is that you will quickly learn where the sore and swollen spots are on your dog and are able to see if you can improve them with a massage. A quick Google search will help you find the benefits and massage pressure points on your dog. Be sure to listen to your fur-baby’s cues if they don’t like it, don’t push it.
Canine Chiropractic Care
Pet parents take their dogs to a veterinary chiropractor for similar reasons people go to a chiropractor. Simply put, if a body is out of alignment, this can cause pressure on joints and muscles until it is put back in place by a chiropractor. There are over 100 different chiropractic ways to treat dogs, depending on the specific training the chiropractor has. Canine chiropractors should be certified as a chiropractor and the canine license is often received in a post-graduate program affiliated with the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. The best thing to do is see if there is a chiropractor affiliated with your animal clinic or ask your veterinarian if they have one to recommend.
Canine Acupuncture
This is also exactly what you think it is! Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into specific points in the dog’s body to produce healing. This is especially good for arthritis or nerve injuries. This is a unique service often available through specialty clinics certified in acupuncture treatment. The American Veterinary Medical Association considers this to be part of the veterinarian medical and surgical practice. This means the acupuncturist should be a licensed veterinarian. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation if they do not have someone on staff that practices acupuncture.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy uses the natural properties of water for resistance to improve a dog’s joints. This is most common to be used if a dog has been diagnosed with arthritis or joint injury or are recovering from surgery. Just as it is in humans, this is a great way to get exercise and loosen stiff joints by being submerged and virtually weightless in a pool. Certified hydrotherapists takes special training classes to do this service and will have a certificate or diploma in Hydrotherapy for Small Animals.
Supplements
There are a variety of supplements on the market that can help with recovery for dogs. Glyde™ Mobility Chews can help dogs overcome the painful symptoms of arthritis. Glyde also can also help speed the recovery in joint-related issues or injuries. Glyde has Green Lipped Mussel (GLM), glucosamine and chondroitin, which together form the boost needed to be successful. We have heard of success by adding to your dog’s diet antioxidants such as goji berries, turmeric, basil and oregano.
Hopefully, this quick review of the top holistic approaches gives you some additional ideas on things to try if your dog needs more help overcoming health obstacles. Because you are just like us: we know life is short with our dogs, so let’s be sure they are as happy, healthy and mobile for as long as possible!
