Homeopathy is a system of medicine that was discovered 200 years ago by a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann. It is sometimes confused with naturopathy which is quite different. Naturopathic doctors (ND) have a multi-faceted approach to healthcare that includes nutrition therapy, herbs, acupuncture and sometimes homeopathy. But homeopathy itself is a separate system of medicine that naturopaths sometimes employ in their practice.

It consists of highly diluted naturally occurring substances that can be used to gently stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Homeopathy can be used for acute symptoms such as sprains and trauma and it can also be used more constitutionally, meaning for more chronic and ongoing problems.

In taking a homeopathic case, the practitioner will assess the animals’ issues, what makes them better or worse, how they navigate through physical and emotional stress, the circumstances of when and how the issues started and any obstacles to recovery that might exist. A homeopath may use homeopathic remedies in a number of different ways depending on the findings during the case-taking process.

Homeopathy is safe for people and animals of all ages including children, foals, puppies and kittens, pregnant/lactating mothers and seniors. It’s also a totally green medicine meaning it does not have negative environmental impacts.

For more information, please visit the West Coast Homeopathic Society to learn more about homeopathic medicine.

A raw diet is, essentially, a fresh food diet for your pet. Just like us, animals thrive on fresh food and now, there’s research to prove it. It’s never too early or too late to start. We have lots of free information on the blog as well as personalized planning for special needs pets and horses. To learn more, check out my blog and services.

Pups and kittens do very well on fresh food and it gives them an early advantage with their immune, gut, nervous and musculoskeletal health. Science proves it’s true. Raw feeding is no longer a fad and the facts are out: raw food helps puppies and kittens with disease prevention. It sets them up for life. If you’ve been told you can feed raw to your puppy or kitten, it’s just not true. They will be missing out on the endless health benefits that fresh food provides. Learn how to feed raw correctly to give them the very best start possible in life.

Just like people, processed food can create health obstacles. Our doctors tell us to stay out of the processed food aisles at the grocery store and to stick to a diet rich in fresh foods. Veterinarians are, sadly, the only medical professionals that recommend processed feed over real food. If we just use our common sense, we can conclude that fresh diets are the only logical way to promote health. But there is a growing body of independent science that proves the benefits of fresh feeding are significant. Processed feed can cause gut disease, metabolic problems, organ dysfunction and inflammation in any of the body’s tissues. If your animal is suffering from chronic illness, you’ll need to omit processed foods to see the true picture of what your animal needs help with. Once you eliminate the processed feed, the picture will become clear as to what their health challenges really are. And sometimes, it’s literally all they need to get well. Any therapy that you chose in light of your animal’s illness will be hindered by feeding processed food. Just think about it. It’s not so crazy, right? Learn more about how to create a balanced fresh food for your animals on my blog.

Actually, fresh food diets can be more nutritionally balanced than processed feed when done correctly. There are a lot of important nutrients found in real food that aren’t even recognized by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). AAFCO also focuses on minimum requirements in order to avoid deficiencies rather than optimal nutrition. They do not recognize the difference between synthetic nutrients and naturally occurring ones found in food. And lastly, AAFCO does not recognize the importance of enzymes, phytonutrients and other “non-essential” nutrients found in unprocessed foods. I have a saying: nature doesn’t make mistakes. If something is found in a food, it’s supposed to be in there. Processing destroys many of the special nutrients found in whole foods and they can’t be replaced synthetically. If we want to provide the ultimate nutrition to our animals, we need to do so through fresh ingredients. I’m here to help you every step of the way. Check out my free resources in the blog or book an appointment to learn how to customize a fresh food diet for your animal.

It definitely is! Using a computerized diet formulator, we can hit nutrition targets using fresh foods and whole food supplementation. If you’re ready to trash the processed feed, I’m here to help you learn how to feed your horse for optimal health. From young horses, to seniors to performance horses, it’s 100% possible to create a whole food program for them to help them thrive for years to come. Learn more about the importance of real food for horses in my blog.

Leaky gut syndrome refers to serious disease of the digestive tract which can cause illness through the entire body. It can affect dogs, cats, horses and humans. Simply put, leaky gut is caused by significant insult to the digestive lining, often due to poor diet, antibiotic treatment (disturbance of the microbiome) and environmental/emotional stress. Animals suffering from skin disease are often misdiagnosed with allergies when they actually have an underlying gut problem. The transition to a fresh food diet, supportive supplementation, stress management and homeopathy can make all the difference. Disease doesn’t happen overnight and neither does true recovery. A gentle and steady approach with supportive measures is the most promising way to create lasting change in your animals without the side-effects of suppressive drug therapy. Check out my free resources to learn more about how to use a synergistic approach to addressing this leaky gut.

Stress can manifest in many different ways, including disease. Stress assessment is a majorly overlooked aspect of helping animals heal. And it’s our job to learn and understand if they are comfortable in our human world or if they are feeling out of place. Chronic stress can pave the way for serious chronic disease so it is imperative that you are honest about how your animal is feeling in their own skin. Stress can present as obsessive behaviour, aggression, fear, inappropriate toilet habits, hiding, inappetence and physical disease. Stress can also stem from a physical or emotional place or can be a combination of both. Learn more about how to assess stress in my blog or book a consultation with me to get a customized plan for helping your animal manage their stress. 

There are a number of ways to switch your pet onto a raw diet but the general rule is always to go slow and steady and never change things too rapidly. Rapid changes can cause digestive upset and the can be particularly detrimental for animals with health issues. The transition will be more successful with a slow and steady switch. Please check out my blog for tips and tricks on how to switch your pet safely and successfully to a fresh food diet.