I often ask pet owners if they know what "holistic" means in pet care. Most people say they've never heard of the word "holistic" -- or even if they've heard, they don't know how the word is used regarding their pets.

In his book The Allergy Solution for Dogs, Shawn Messonnier, D.V.M. explains "holistic" in a clear and easy way: "Holistic" means "looking at the whole pet and doing what is in the pet's best interests." "Holistic care" refers to a way of thinking. The holistic doctor and owner view the dog in its entirety, rather than just blindly focusing on a set of problems or sign and symptoms."

When we have a problem, we usually try to fix the problem, but if you look at the problem in a holistic way, you may want to look into the source of the problem as well as fixing it. The advantage of this approach is that since you go to the root of the problems and learn why and how they happen, chances are you won't repeat the same mistake again...or at least you will be more careful in the future. Your mindset will be shifted to the "prevention" of problems.

When you decide to take care of your dogs and cats holistically, the first thing you should do is find a holistic veterinarian in your area. Holistic veterinarians usually help your animals with non-invasive techniques such as acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic, herbs, nutrition and so on. They also consider your pets' emotional state of mind, their living environment, their owners' lifestyles, and various other factors important, too. Compared to the number of conventional veterinarians, the number of holistic veterinarians in the United States is still small, but they are worth finding. You can look for local holistic veterinarians on this website: www.ahvma.org

I myself learned about the importance of holistic health care (for both pets and humans) gradually over the years. I'm satisfied with my holistic lifestyle, although there is always more to learn. As for my pets, I usually take them to my holistic veterinarian - since she also conducts phone and email consultations, if you can't find a holistic vet in your area, you can try her.