How to talk to your vet about alternative therapies for your pet

Callie enjoys acupuncture and laser therapy at Central Veterinary Services

This is a hot topic even though I don’t think that it should be.  Why should exploring traditional and non-traditional therapies be so controversial?  Why does it feel like there is a divide between eastern and western medicine?  And why is no one comfortable talking about all of this?

Well, let’s dig in and see what we can find.

If you want the “skip to recipe” option, scroll down to the bottom of the article for the How To Guide.

Veterinarians, just like physicians, go through a rigorous schooling process.  From start to finish, the average amount of time spent in university is seven to eight years. And let me tell you, there is a lot of material to cover. Consider that we have to learn about so many species, and clinical techniques in general practice, surgery, anesthesia, reproduction, nutrition, dermatology, oncology…. The list goes on. We graduate with a license for a lifetime of learning. 

What I’m getting at here is this: Veterinarians are eternal students.  We want to know more about everything that can help us to treat our patients and to improve their lives.  Whether this is a new prescription medication to help control allergies, a certification in acupuncture, a new surgical technique to remove a tumour, or training in Traditional Chinese Medicine. We want to learn.

There is a school of thought that spills over from the human medical system that some alternative therapies will be frowned upon by the doctors of the traditional medical system.  And I have no doubt that at some point, this was the widely accepted truth.  Maybe it still is. However with time and better understanding of alternative therapies, we know that treatments exist outside the scope of traditional western medicine.  And the same is true for our pets. 

However, there are still two main mindsets that I encounter in veterinary practice, that act as a barrier to being able to have these conversations:

1.     Pet owners do not disclose the alternative therapies that they are already trying on their own because they fear judgement from their veterinarian.

2.     Pet owners have been guided by widespread misinformation about veterinarians with ulterior motives for prescribing traditional treatments while dismissing the value of alternative treatments.

Here’s a quick public service announcement: Veterinarians have your pet’s best interests at heart!  And though I cannot speak on behalf of all veterinarians, I am about to speak on behalf of the majority of us.

What veterinarians want you to know

We don’t prescribe medications because of “kick-backs” that we get from the drug companies.  Yes there are rebate programs from some drug companies, but I can assure you that they are minimal enough that only the practice manager knows about them while the veterinarians carry on in providing their honest recommendations. 

We don’t over-vaccinate your pet as a means to lure to the clinic every year.  We vaccinate based on data, to ensure that we are vaccinating as infrequently as possible to provide protection against preventable diseases with absolute certainty. We even offer titre testing when available so that we can avoid vaccinating year to year if your pet has enough protective antibodies.

We are naturally curious and genuinely interested in new and emerging treatments and therapies. The use of CBD products in pets falls nicely into this category.  We know that there are benefits in human medicine and that physicians are prescribing it.  And we think that there may be benefits in pets as well.  But as a newly available product, the guidelines for how and when, and even dosing, are not widely available yet.  But believe me, we are all waiting for the memo that gives us the green light and the guidance to use alternative products like this in veterinary medicine.

We are also bound by certain standards of practice and a code of ethics that has us promise to do no harm.  This is so important because there may be times when a client mentions an alternative therapy that they wish to try, and we will offer to do further research for them to make sure that the treatment is safe.  In the same way that some essential oils are poisonous to pets (especially cats), others may be helpful.  If we don’t know what you are using on your pets, we can’t do our part to advise you on how to navigate the world or alternative therapies in a safe and meaningful way.  And yes, I am sure there have been many naysayers that have criticized pet owners for reaching for alternative therapies.  But here I am once again saying that it’s ok to be open with your veterinarian about your reservations for traditional therapies, or your curiosity about alternative therapies.  Choose a veterinarian that will have an honest conversation about these topics and will help you to choose a treatment path that you are comfortable with.

The pandemic of misinformation

Veterinarians, just like physicians are also on the frontlines of battling the spread of misinformation as it pertains to your pet’s care.  We are in the age of misinformation wildfires and contagious myths that hinder our ability to maintain veterinary medicine as a trusted profession.  In the same way that misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines exists, the same goes for similar topics in veterinary medicine.  It is a pandemic of epic proportions.

So how do you go about having these meaningful conversations with your veterinarian?

1.     Choose a veterinarian that shares the same values as you, whether that be the use of integrative medicine, alternative therapies, or simply keeping up on new and emerging treatments.

2.     Always tell your veterinarian about alternative therapies that you are already using, or ones that you wish to explore.  Being open about this allows your veterinarian to provide you with more information to empower you to continue taking an active role in your pet’s healthcare.

3.     Ask questions.  If you are wondering why we are recommending something, please ask us why.  We are happy to explore the ins and outs of our recommendations, as well as alternative options.

4.     Please do not be offended if we differ in opinion. It is our duty to ensure that your pets are healthy, and that you feel comfortable with the care that you receive from us. We promise to have constructive and respectful conversations about our differing opinions, if you promise to be receptive to the information that we wish to share, and vice versa.

5.     If we agree to disagree, understand that we are not in any way challenging your core beliefs.  It is quite the opposite.  We are agreeing to respect each other’s point of view. But if we are concerned that your pet’s health may be in danger, it is our sworn duty to let you know.

6.     Remember that we will still happily work with you to provide continued care to your pets, even if we agree to disagree!

At the end of the day, please remember that the heart of every veterinarian belongs to a compassionate animal lover, caregiver and healer. We are curious and eternal students.  We sincerely look forward to helping to guide you on a path in providing the best care for your pet, whether you choose the traditional path or the road less travelled.