The pros and cons of natural medicine is one area that is literally a loaded landmine for many people. Whether you are a dog owner who wants to try natural medicine, a Vet who practices it, an herbalist who advocates it or a person who has tried it. You ALL have different opinions on the subject. The bottom line for most of you though is “Did it work?” And if the answer to that question is yes it worked, then you are a pro for natural medicine.
If natural medicine did not work that well for you, then likely you will be in the con camp. At the end of the day, the only person who can decide if natural medicine works is YOU, and that will depend on what research you have done, how you feel about the answers you got to questions, and if you got results for your canine companion.
What is quite well known is that herbal medicine (natural medicine, phytotherapy, phytomedicine or botanical medicine) is THE most ancient form of health care on the planet. Virtually all cultures have used herbs in some form since the dawn of time. The pull to use natural medicine is so strong and pervasive (for many reasons) that many alternative therapy practitioners will not only use herbs, but naturopathy, ortho-molecular medicine and even Ayurveda, not to mention the other alternative remedies you hear about. And this is often done in conjunction with conventional vet medicine as well. Bottom line though is if you are going to use alternative medicine routes for your dog, then make sure you see a holistic vet or practitioner. They’re your best bet for a definitive natural diagnosis.
Did you know that roughly 25 percent of all prescription drugs are actually derived from trees, shrubs or herbs? Or did you know that WHO indicates that of the 119 pharmaceutical medicines created from plants, close to 74 percent are used in modern medicine? . There are over 500,000 plants on earth today and only a fraction of these have been studied for medical use. So in some ways if you are taking conventional medicine for something, you may well be taking an herbal (natural medicine). Kind of makes you wonder what the rest of the herbs will yield up in terms of healing properties doesn’t it? Think about this. Chinese Medicine is thousands of years old. Modern medicine is less than 80 years old.
The defining line between herbal and conventional is rather blurred to say the least. One other thing you need to remember is most of the prescriptions used as treatments in natural medicine are NOT just one herb for one disorder. They are mixtures of herbs, plant extracts and other organic substances. If you have allergies or sensitivities to herbs or plant extracts, beware, be AWARE and read the labels carefully. If what’s in the bottle or preparation does NOT list ALL the ingredients – then don’t take it or administer it to anyone you know that has herb or plant sensitivities. And yes, that includes dogs. Speak to you holistic vet about any herbal remedies you are considering. They will be able to put you on the right path and tell you how to properly use the preparation.
