Issue date: Feb 13, 2000

In this article: Herbal help for your aching dogs (and cats) 4 most common holistic treatments for any pet

By Peggy Noonan

wo thirds of Americans use holistic, or alternative, medicine on themselves or their family members; no wonder they now use it on their pets, too. How safe is it? Experts say many, if not most, of the pampered, expensive dogs competing at the Westminster Dog Show in Madison Square Garden this week have been given holistic care to prevent illness and to improve their performance and appearance.

Holistic therapies work so well that the American Veterinary Medical Association now urges its members to learn and use herbs, acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy and other natural healing methods to treat chronic illness in all kinds of animals, from lizards to livestock, birds to beagles. No organization tracks how many vets are joining the growing movement, but since 1992, 300 have completed a year-long course taught by Richard H. Pitcairn, a homeopathic vet in Oregon and author of the bible of holistic pet care, Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (Rodale, $16.95). Pitcairn says the holistic trend is driven by "society realizing that conventional medicine cannot solve chronic problems."

So, what can alternative medicine fix?

A dog's back. Rocky, the beloved 8-year-old sheltie who shares a bed with Cheryl May of Manhattan, Kan., needs lots of mental and physical challenge. So May found something that seemed perfect: agility competitions where dogs run obstacle courses that include teeter-totters, jumps and pipes to crawl through. "Rocky loved it," May says -- till he developed bony growths on two of his vertebrae that made him sore and less agile. Orthopedic specialists said Rocky didn't need surgery and they couldn't help him. So May took the sheltie to Judy Cox, associate professor at Kansas State University, whose acupuncture treatments had him back to normal in no time.

A bull's breeding problem. Cox recalls a bull who was "one step away from being hamburger" because he had injured a hind leg and could no longer perform stud service. None of the usual painkillers helped, and the bull was wasting away. Cox reports that, after a month of acupuncture treatments focusing on relieving the pain in the injured leg and improving general well-being and appetite, the bull was back at work.

A cat's diabetes. Blood tests showed a cat named Mickey undoubtedly had diabetes. The usual treatment, disliked by pets and their owners: insulin shots at regular intervals. But after a year of homeopathic treatment with calcarea carbonica, an extract of oyster shell, Mickey's blood tests are now normal: He's cured, says veterinarian Michele Yasson, founder of Holistic Veterinary Services in New York.

An iguana's blues. Reptiles need natural sunlight. But full-spectrum bulbs that simulate natural light can protect against vitamin-deficiency diseases and prevent psychological problems that affect eating, activity and reproduction, says Amy Shojai, author of New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats (Rodale, $29.95).

If you want to try holistic treatments for your pet's chronic ailments, including joint pain, digestive troubles and skin problems, check with your vet. Be patient: Alternative treatments often take longer to work than conventional treatments. Experts stress that conventional medicine is always the first choice in emergencies -- for example, if your pet is hit by a car -- and for acute illnesses that require surgery and diagnostic technology.

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Work with a holistic vet when you give herbs and supplements to your pets. As with prescription medicines, not every remedy is equally effective for every patient.

Dosage rule of thumb: If your pet weighs ...
• 30 pounds or less: Give one fourth of the human dose.
• 31-75 pounds: Give one half the human dose.
• More than 75 pounds: Give the full human dose.

Anxiety
• Valerian, kava, St. John's wort. Effective for separation anxiety. Note: St. John's wort leaves your pet vulnerable to sunburn.

Arthritis
• Glucosamine. The same remedy that alleviates humans' arthritis pain.
• Chondroitin. If it causes nausea in your dog, reduce the dosage or stop giving it.

Diabetes
Chromium picolinate. Excellent treatment for diabetes, a growing pet health problem.
Vanadium. Helps regulate the body's use of insulin.

Digestion
• Papaya. Aids digestion and stops flatulence.
• Slippery elm. Give nature's Pepto-Bismol before meals to soothe the gut and stop diarrhea.
• Ginger. Ends motion sickness.

Eyesight
• Bilberry. Veterinarians think this herb, taken with vitamin E, can stop clouding of the lenses in early-stage cataracts.

Immune system
• Echinacea. Enhances the functioning of the immune system. A good preventive for Lyme disease in pets: After the tick is removed, give echinacea for 5-7 days.

Inflammation
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Helps heal gum inflammation and heart-function problems such as congestive heart failure.

Skin
• Calendula. Relieves ringworm as well as the medicine vets prescribe, griseofulvin. Also an excellent topical remedy for scratches and skin irritations.
• Aloe vera. Used for centuries as a burn remedy.

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4 most common holistic treatments for any pet

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