Loving Our Pets – Holistically and Unconditionally
Terry Rader

What a great day to be walking with my dog in the woods. It was a time of early fresh green spring. Kayla, my beloved Australian Shepherd, aka “Blue Gypsy Spirit,” was leading the way, of course. My protector, my ally, my teacher – my greatest inspiration for my studies in alternative healing – it all began with her.

On that particular day, we were on a familiar well-worn trail, taking in the seasonal brilliance of plants and trees coming to life. After an hour of clipping along, we slowed our pace as Kayla began greeting plants, nuzzling them with her nose and then chewing on one. As we continued our trek, I picked up a piece she had dropped, and twirling it in my fingers, asked: “Who are you?’’ Further along our path, I caught a glimpse of something moving. As I got closer, I saw a tall wispy, surreal looking lady wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, swaying back and forth with her arms raised up in the air. I startled her as I said hello. She looked surprised to see me standing there and exclaimed: “I’m just taking my time, taking my time, it’s such a beautiful day…” She was enveloped with an ethereal energy as the forest sky opened up to allow the rays of the sun to wash over her. Later, I identified the plant Kayla had chewed as a “Dayflower.” It only blooms for one day. Was the lady on the path the Dayflower Plant Spirit? Such synchronicity! Imagine having only one day of life. That’s how dogs live. Every day is the first. Dogs live in the now, and that is good medicine.

At six months of age, Kayla had been diagnosed with CISD (Chronic Immune System Disease); , a condition vaccines often trigger. She was allergic to everything. It was very unsettling to me to be told that cortisone was the answer. The very people I trusted with my dog’s wellbeing made me feel guilty about not wanting to put drugs with dangerous side effects and unnecessary vaccines into an already compromised immune system. I was heartbroken. I knew there had to be another way, and found it in a book by Dianne Stein called Natural Healing for Dogs & Cats. This was the beginning of a long educational process for me. Choosing to take care of an animal holistically is not an easy task, since many vets are not open to alternative options.

I began doing all I could to make Kayla stronger. I started with her diet, making homemade dog food with fresh organic vegetables, chicken, brown rice/oats, vitamins, minerals, Nettles, Astragalus and enzymes. Processed foods lack life force – if you can’t pronounce the ingredients in your dog’s food, chances are their liver can’t process them. I learned how to create cool, soothing rinses with dried peppermint, green tea and lemon juice, and gave her baths to relieve her itchiness with a gentle “Magic Eucalyptus Soap.” You don’t need expensive shampoos; if a label cautions not to get shampoo in your eyes, why put it on your dog? I applied plantain and calendula salves to ease her hot spots, along with giving her energy work and Reiki. Most dogs respond very well to this and don’t seem to need as much as humans do.

Just after Kayla turned a year old, we found a gem of a man who truly loves animals, Dr. Charles Loops, DVM. I believe he is the reason that Kayla is alive today; he helped save her life when her kidneys were failing. He’s always been there for us and thanks to him, she’s doing quite well – almost thirteen years old now and still acting like a puppy despite her CISD, arthritis and hip dysplasia.

Dr. Loops had been practicing Western veterinary medicine for over ten years when he began his studies in homeotherapeutics. Now, over twenty years later, more than 60% of his work is with cancer cases. He combines his knowledge of both worlds and chooses to treat animals more inline with the Hippocratic oath: “First, do no harm.” In talking with Dr. Loops, he shared with me: “I have always been ultra conservative in using drugs and avoiding any unnecessary surgery. When I became aware of the potential side effects of vaccinations, I began questioning where and when they should be used. I love what I do, enabling the patient's ability to fight their imbalances that are stressed by a poor environment, poor diets, multiple vaccinations and bad genes. We all come into the world with our specific deficiencies and genetic imbalances. Homeopathic treatment can help neutralize those imbalances, but even feeding the perfect diet and avoiding vaccinations, you still may not have a healthy animal. They may still get cancer, but death is part of life, a part of the natural flow of things. We can't control it all. But when possible, it is preferable to treat them by enhancing their immune system instead of destroying it with suppressive drugs."

I’ve often had friends say they want to come back in their next life as one of my pets. I believe that just as the Earth does not belong to us, we do not “own” our animals. We are responsible for taking care of them – our souls have an agreement to take care of each other. Do your best, find a vet you can trust, never give up, and keep on loving them through it all. They are here to teach us how to love unconditionally and to remind us to play every day.

Give your pets and yourself the most natural diet and holistic healthcare you can find. Don’t pretend a treatment is okay if it doesn’t feel right to you, but realize that Western medicine does some good things, too – Kayla had knee surgery that allowed her to run again. Educate yourself – knowledge is power (see Holistic Pet Resources below). Be as loyal to your four-legged companions as they are to you. Every step we take to live more naturally brings us more in line with living in harmony with the Earth.

This story is dedicated to the memory of Kacie, beloved companion to Sybil Harmon, 1990-2007. May this blessed little white shadow spirit shine ever brightly and live on in your heart forever.

Terry Rader serves as a messenger for the Earth in her writing, storytelling, drumming and songs, with her life partner, Blair Caudle, of Doedreamers. She is known as an Earth Energy Healer and specializes in Spiritual Herbal Water Clearings on people and places. She is also an herbalist and the Creative Director of a green agency. You can contact her regarding her Earth Harmony columns at ravenseesall@earthlink.net.

HOLISTIC PET RESOURCES

Dr. Charles Loops, DVM
Holistic Medicine & Classical Homeopathy
Pittsboro, NC
919.542.0442
charlesloopsdvm.com

Dr. Kathy Radford, DVM
Homeopathic & Herbal Medicine
Mt Tabor Animal Hospital
Winston-Salem, NC
336.765.3974

American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
410-569-0795
holisticvetlist.com

National Center for Homeopathy
703-548-7790

American Veterinary Chiropractic Association
309-523-3995

International Veterinary Acupuncture Society
610-827-7245

The People¹s Pet Journal
peoplespetjournal.com

Pet Loss:
geocities.com/Petsburgh/7848/petloss.html

“All You Ever Wanted To Know About Herbs For Pets”
by Mary L. Wulff-Tilford & Gregory L. Tilford (book)

“Veterinarian¹s Guide to Natural Remedies for Dogs”
by Martin Zucker (book)

“Veterinarian¹s Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats”
by Martin Zucker (book)

“Bach Flower Remedies for Animals”
by Stephan Ball & Judy Howard (book)

“Homeopathic Care for Cats & Dogs”
by Don Hamilton, DVM (book)