Holistic ways to keep your pet healthy

If you are a pet owner, then there is no doubt that you love your furry friend. You want to make sure that they are healthy and happy. The best way to do that is by feeding them a well-balanced diet and providing them plenty of exercise. But what about holistic health?

We realize that it feels like there are so many options for what is best for our pets that it can feel overwhelming. Holistic health is an alternative approach to providing optimal wellness by focusing on the whole body rather than just one aspect of its care. The holistic approach focuses on treating the root cause of illnesses instead of using symptomatic treatments. This blog post will give you tips on providing holistic care for your pet, from feeding habits to lifestyle choices to help them live a long and healthy life!

What does holistic healthcare mean?

Holistic health is defined as the overall state of well-being. Holistic health means treating the whole body to maintain optimal wellness for our pets instead of focusing on a singular aspect such as only the immune system. Holistic health for your pet can include dietary changes and additional therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, or massage therapy that works alongside regular veterinary care.

Holistic veterinarians aim to see the bigger picture and integrate natural methods into both diagnosis and treatment. Their goal is to find the root cause(s) of pet’s barriers to excellent health. Once the root cause is found, they will suggest meaningful solutions that meet your family’s philosophy, resources, and abilities. They design individual care plans for your pet considering their particular environment and offer the most current, evidence-based approach to your pet’s future wellness or disease treatment across both traditional and conventional medical systems.

Nutrition is the heart of holistic pet care.

Proper nourishment is the foundation of optimal health in all species. Holistic veterinarians are always looking for better ways to feed (and fast) pets without harming them.

Nutrition is the cornerstone of holistic pet care. A diet of natural and organic food and treats has numerous health benefits, such as boosting your pet’s immune system, an easy way to prevent diseases and other health problems. Our dogs’ digestive systems aren’t meant to deal with many of the preservatives and chemicals found in overly processed pet food. High-quality, natural dog food also helps our dogs fight allergies, intestinal problems, obesity, diabetes, and other food-related diseases. Once you find a food that your pet likes, consult your vet for more information on feeding.

To keep your fur baby from developing some nasty diseases, ensure they have access to clean water. Never fill their bowl with water that has been previously used and served in plastic bottles. Stainless steel dog bowls are always preferred, as opposed to plastic bowls.

How to keep your dog healthy with exercise and mental stimulation

An active dog is a healthy dog. Exercise keeps joints and muscles strong, builds muscle mass, and helps dogs lose weight. Muscle burns more calories than fat tissue, so the healthier your pet's muscle mass becomes, the better their metabolism will work to burn fat.

Exercise also plays a vital role in your dog's mental health. Regular exercise leads to increased serotonin levels, same with humans. A "happy" brain produces chemicals called endorphins that make us feel good all over! Exercising regularly also means having enhanced cognitive abilities, so you'll have an intelligent pup! Playing reduces anxiety and stress levels as well as improves attention and focus. It gives them time for deep thinking sessions that can ease boredom and loneliness issues.

Keeping your dog physically fit also aids weight loss, lowers cholesterol levels, decreases diabetes risk, lessens the risk of heart disease, helps with anxiety, and helps fight certain cancers.

The benefits of using holistic care for dogs and their owners

There are several things that you should know about the holistic treatment method before trying. As the name suggests, holistic treatments are a system of views and practices centered on the idea that the body, mind, and soul are interrelated. It is an approach to health care that has been practiced for centuries to improve pets’ well-being by looking at them as a whole instead of treating just one ailment.

Holistic healing includes all methods for diagnosing and treating illness that consider these relationships between different aspects of living matter. The holistic approach does not reject modern medicine outright but believes it can aid in it.

Other options?

In addition to healthy eating and exercise, other options help your pet have a long, healthy life.

   • Acupuncture: Just like for us, acupuncture is a tool that can relieve many conditions and improve overall health. Acupuncture is used to release sore muscles and joints, digestive problems and support kidney function in pets with kidney issues. The most common use of acupuncture is for mobility issues, as it can reduce a dog’s required medications.
   • Herbs: Herbs have been used historically in humans to maintain and even improve our health. Recently there has been increased research and innovation in applying herbs to aid medical conditions in dogs.
   • Chiropractic Care: Dogs can undergo physio or chiropractic treatments rather than relying exclusively on medicine and drugs to improve muscular-skeletal or neurological problems. These muscular-skeletal therapies aim to solve your dog’s condition from the root cause, rather than simply to improve or to cover up the symptoms with pain relievers.

National Holistic Pet Day was started by Animal advocate Colleen Paige of Animal Miracle Foundation to raise awareness of this integrative approach, leading to a longer and healthier life span.

With the help of these holistic health tips, you can provide your pet a more natural lifestyle and help prevent them from developing life-threatening conditions. By reading this blog post, we hope that you’ve found some useful information to pass onto friends with pets who are seeking alternative treatments for their furry companions. We’d like to know what you want to learn about! Our team is always happy to answer any questions our readers may have to make sure they feel comfortable feeding their animals an organic diet without feeling overwhelmed. How will you celebrate National Holistic Pet Day this year? Share your pictures with us on social media so we can see how much healthier your pet looks now! Be sure to tag @vitalpetlife when posting. #nationalholisticpetday