It’s important to be able to look after our pets and ourselves during what can be a difficult and upsetting time. We asked pet bereavement counsellor and founder of Living With Pet Bereavement, Dawn Murray, to take us through what to expect in dealing with end of life care and suggest ways of coping with the surrounding grief.
One of our long-time supporters Val Brown writes about the joys of having a rescue dog and making up for the years of abuse she had suffered as well as learning first hand about the benefits of holistic veterinary care alongside her inspirational dog Annie.
You might be waiting for the vet to arrive, or on the way to the vets. It may be a simple minor bump or bruise. Either way, a first aid kit of homeopathic remedies at home or in the yard could be invaluable in helping your animal.
Illustrated by CAM4animals co founder Isobel Hunt.
We asked CAM4animals supporter Helen Wilson about how she discovered the benefits of homeopathy as part of integrative vet care.
Jack is my 15-year-old Jack Russell. He is incontinent and has kidney disease, but it’s not the end of the world. Supporting Jack has been significantly helped by integrated vet care which treats him as an individual with his own specific needs. As well as a mix of conventional and complementary treatments such as herbs, homeopathy and nutraceuticals, this individualised medicine approach has included tailoring his diet. Jack’s excessive drinking and incontinence have become much reduced. We have also incorporated several tricks into making life as easy as possible for him and for us.
Valentine’s Day gives us the chance to celebrate the love we have or the love we have known in our lives. For many of us that love comes in the shape of our dog, our cat, our horse or the many other animals we look after – the animals who look after us and give us their unconditional love.
With a background in river and wetland conservation, Isobel Hunt was aware of the threats that pollution poses to the biodiversity of these precious habitats. As a user of integrative veterinary care, she also knew the importance of minimising the chemical load affecting her Jack Russell. This is an example of how it is possible to approach tick management to optimise health and environmental benefits.
When Sue Maclennan received the devastating news that her dog Monty had a form of bone cancer which had few conventional treatment options, it set her on a course to find an alternative. Two years on, she shares the story of his remarkable recovery and how homeopathy helped give Monty a new lease of life.
Vet Vicky Simon has written about her treatment of Hamish the lurcher when his owner Rebecka Blenntoft came to her with a very lame dog. We asked Rebecka to tell us more about him and why she made the decisions she did for Hamish’s future …