The turning of the year is an opportunity to glance back at 2019 before eagerly stepping into 2020
Two years old
At two years old, CAM4animals has witnessed some significant changes in the world of veterinary medicine and has come of age.
Despite the detractors, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is becoming ever more popular as evidenced by the upsurge of enquiries to vets and practitioners along with the growth of casework demonstrating its effectiveness.
We celebrated this progress on the two year anniversary of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) position statement on holistic modalities back in November. This is great news, but we need more people training and practicing in the many regulated and effective CAM therapies that are available if practitioners are to meet this increasing demand.
Of fundamental importance to CAM4animals is the belief in an integrated approach to veterinary care that combines the best of complementary, alternative and conventional medicine and therapies. This ensures there is an increased capacity to prevent and treat disease that would not be possible using one system of medicine alone. We underlined this cornerstone of our work here.
Over the year, CAM4animals has:
- Helped support holistic vets
- Worked with various CAM bodies and individual practitioners
- Launched a new blog
- Sent out thousands of flyers enabled by much-appreciated help from the numerous raw food and other pet product companies and the practitioners who have supported us
- Published a range of articles
- Promoted the Animal Owners’ Charter and gained lots of new signatures [update – now closed – June 2020]
- Attended shows and conferences
- Created a new flyer
- Attracted many more followers on social media
Blogging
This marked the start of a regular series of informative blogs and case studies.
These included:
- A tribute to the animals who serve us in times of conflict
- Case studies highlighting a homeopathic protocol used for eliminating sarcoptic mange in a dog terrified of being touched, the use of homeopathy to avoid leg amputation where antibiotics had failed to cure a troublesome wound, and a dog with numerous digestive problems and cruciate ligament issues treated with a combination of homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic and raw feeding
- Demonstrations of how therapies work such as physiotherapy and flower essences
- The benefits of raw feeding
- Celebrating how hydrotherapy, acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine, chiropractic care, homeopathy, Tellington Touch and raw feeding have benefitted our supporters’ dogs in National Dog Week
- Conference reports from the Homeopathy Research Institute (HRI) and the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons (BAHVS) annual meetings
- Insights from a vet nurse
Vet Nurse, Morag Sutherland
Molly Robinson attending the Ypres Festival of Remembrance to honour the pet dogs & other animals who have served us in times of war
A major milestone in the fight to protect the use of homeopathy was highlighted in a blog outlining the exposure of the inherent weaknesses and questionable tactics employed in the so called “Australian Report”. This is one of the three main reports that are typically used in the case against the use and effectiveness of homeopathy by its detractors. It’s also being examined for serious fraud by the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
Fireworks
Another key set of blogs dealt with the various ways of enabling pets and other animals to cope with fireworks:
This can be a very stressful time for pets, horses and farm animals, not to mention local wildlife and some humans. It’s well worth a read in light of the current New Year festivities.
Among a range of things to try, reading calmly to your pet may help reduce their stress and yours!
CAM4animals has participated in various celebrations and awareness campaigns on social media such as World Homeopathy Awareness Week and National Tree Week. Trees and woodlands provide us with various herbal medicines, homeopathic remedies and flower essences as well as being uplifting places to walk and enjoy. We have also supported other organisations in their work such as the wonderful Dogs on the Streets who go above and beyond to help homeless people and their dogs. They too are advocates of integrated veterinary care and are about to build a much-needed sanctuary for dogs complete with a permanent vet station and a hydrotherapy pool.
Poetry Book
Giving Voice is a collection of poems illustrating our love of animals
and some of the complementary therapies used to keep them well.
The book was inspired by Ilse Pedler, a homeopathic vet and poet.
Thanks must go to Ilse and the impressive range of contributors as well as BAHVS for funding the production of the book and selling it along
with Helios Homeopathy.
And so, to the future
CAM4animals has evolved into the only consumer-led organisation safeguarding complementary and alternative medicine for animals as part of integrated veterinary care.
Our website is currently being transformed into the go to place for all things veterinary CAM. It will highlight the benefits of CAM, explain how treatments work and help make them more accessible to everyone. It will enable people to find a CAM practitioner and be packed full of case studies along with vet and owner insights. We are currently working with various registered CAM bodies to develop and update this resource for animal owners, farmers, vets, vet nurses and CAM practitioners alike. Look out for the launch of our Newsletter next year too. Any suggestions for articles are most welcome.
We see ourselves as part of a bigger picture where we promote care for our animals, wildlife, the environment and ourselves. Open-mindedness, kindness, compassion, professionalism, discussion and knowledge will continue to underpin all our work.
CAM4animals would like to thank everyone for their support during 2019 and a happy, safe and healthy 2020 to you all
