The following six paragraphs make up an introductory letter given to my first-time holistic medicine clients.

If you are reading this letter it is because you are a pet owner who desires holistic health care for your pet. Your ideas on what constitutes holistic health care may differ markedly from the next client I see while at the same time.your pet's particular health problem may dictate the need for a specific form of holistic health care. Furthermore, personal experiences with your own health may influence your preference for a particular holistic modality. You may be a person who has been interested in holistic medicine for many years or a person who has just recently been introduced to holistic health concepts. You may be a person who is devotedly holistic and wants nothing but "natural remedies" or you may be a person who is interested in exploring the best of both worlds. In order for me to better satisfy your needs and provide the type of health care you want, I need to know who you are but it is also very important that you understand who I am.

Because this is the first time we will be meeting I want you to know something about my philosophy on holistic veterinary health care. I want you to have this information so that you can better communicate to me your own personal holistic health orientation and the type of holistic care your are looking for. I practice what has been termed "Integrative alternative veterinary medicine" which is a combination of alternative/holistic and conventional veterinary medicine. I believe that there is great value in both health care worlds as long as we are judicious about what, when and how we combine them. First and foremost, I believe that the body's immune system has an innate intelligence that far surpasses that of any physician or veterinarian. The body's immune system when functioning properly is capable of defending itself against viruses, bacteria, and fungal infection and is capable of repairing damage done to body tissue. However, when essential nutrients are not available and when overwhelmed by a toxic environment the immune system is unable to effectively respond to disease threats. When this happens our pets suffer with infectious, allergic, inflammatory, toxic, neoplastic (cancer), degenerative and auto immune diseases.

I believe that disease is ultimately a result of one or a combination of the following factors: genetics weakness, mal-nutrition, a structural imbalance, a toxic environment and an unhealthy, stressful life style. These factors can produce a weakened or over stimulated immune system, an exhausted liver that can no longer properly detoxify the blood, an overwhelmed anti-oxidant defense system which can no longer prevent free radical damage to our tissue, and an impaired hormonal physiology which often results from a psychologically stressful environment. The bottom line is that poor nutrition and a stressful, toxic environment deplete our pet's organ system reserves slowly and insidiously until the reserves are gone and clinical disease becomes obvious. Therefore, my job is to help you prevent disease in your pet by advising you on how to provide your pet with the most wholesome, non-toxic diet available, to recommend ways to reduce the amount of environmental toxins your pet is exposed to, and to suggest ways to provide your pet with a less psychologically stressful environment. In addition, my job also involves detecting subtle evidence of depleting organ reserves through laboratory testing and physical examination.

If I discover that a disease is already present I may recommend ways to modulate the immune and inflammatory systems, support liver and kidney detoxification, supply the high levels of essential nutrients, enhance digestive system function, supplement and stimulate the anti oxidant defense system, realign the bodies physical structure, use acupuncture to correct energy imbalances and herbal remedies to deal with bacterial, viral, fungal and protozoan infections. Surgery and allopathic drugs are additional medical options that may be recommended if the situation dictates that it is in your pet's best interest.

Although I will always opt to treat the underlying cause of the problem rather than just the symptoms, I do believe that certain situations demand symptomatic relief. If I can reduce an animals pain or itchiness while at the same time addressing the underlying cause then why not make the animal comfortable. Though cortisone is a swear word around many holistic circles I believe there are times when short term cortisone therapy may be the only way to give your pet temporary relief from severe discomfort and reduce mental stress. Short term use of "alternate day" cortisone therapy can stop "self mutilation" and often break the "itch scratch cycle" just long enough to allow improved nutrition and natural remedies the time they require to encourage the immune system to respond more appropriately. The short term, judicious use of pain killing drugs may be necessary until natural remedies have corrected the underlying problem. Antibiotics may be needed if the body is challenged by an aggressive bacterial infection and the immune system is too weak to respond appropriately. In such situations antibiotic therapy can act as an important stop gap or even life saving measure that can halt an overwhelming bacterial invasion until slower acting herbal, homeopathic and nutritional therapies have had time to strengthen the immune system and reduce bacterial proliferation. The use of supplements containing "probiotic cultures" also known as the "good bacteria" can be used during such antibiotic therapy to help maintain the health and balance of the gut's normal bacterial constituents which are so important for our pet's health.

I see "integrative veterinary medicine", which incorporates the best of both allopathic and holistic medicine, as the way for me to provide your pet with optimal health care and, consequently' with the longest and healthiest life. If, after reading these paragraphs you find portions of my holistic health care philosophy unacceptable then it is very important that you discuss these concerns with me when I first come in so that we can determine if it is appropriate for us to work together.