1. Will nutritional supplements interfere with holistic medicine?

Whole food based nutritional supplements will not interfere with holistic medicine. Synthetic products can interfere by creating reactions within the body that deplete the very system that the holistic treatments are trying to stimulate.

2. Can my pet get a bacterial infection from raw food?

You can avoid bacterial contamination by using the same proper handling techniques that you would use for your own food. Such techniques practices include:

* Thawing raw meat in the refrigerator
* Cleaning all dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water +/or in the
   dishwasher
* Cleaning and disinfecting countertops
* Cleaning food bowls immediately after your pet(s) have eaten

In addition, it is important to know your sources for the raw foods. Commercially prepared fresh food products typically have quality control and safety guidelines assuring the freshness and safety of their food. Consult the individual companies to find out what safety measures they have in place.

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3. How soon will I see an improvement after an acupuncture treatment?

Each patient has an individual response to each treatment regime. Each patient's ability to respond is dependant upon a variety of factors, including:

* The number of disease processes present
* The length of time the uppermost issue has been present
* The level of tissue pathology present
* The innate recuperative power of each patient's body
* The specific medications the patient is taking
* The cooperation of the patient & care-giver in the treatment process

Holistic modalities stimulate the patient's body to correct the imbalances. Thus, the response to treatment is dependant upon the patient's ability to generate a response. The pet's response can be accentuated by providing the appropriate diet and whole food supplementation to act as a foundation on which the patient's body can rebuild vital health and well-being.

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4. Why can't we use acupuncture and homeopathy at the same time?

The treatment regime of both acupuncture and homeopathy are designed for the individual needs of the individual patient. For each, the direction of a follow up treatment is determined by the response of the pet to the previous treatment. For instance, the response to a homeopathic remedy will help determine the next remedy prescribed. If acupuncture is used in conjunction it is difficult to discern which modality resulted in which response. Thus the whole picture is confused and the next step may not be apparent. Though the two modalities do not "cancel each other out", combined use may obscure the curative direction for a patient. Chiropractic treatments, however, are used with acupuncture or homeopathy treatments without interference in order to enhance the response.

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5. What is palliation, suppression, and cure?

PALLIATION is the temporary relief of one or more symptoms as long as the medicine is continued. The response may be dramatic at first use, but the outward effects cannot be sustained without the medication. If the medicine is stopped the symptoms return and often are more severe than prior to beginning the treatment.

**An example of palliation would be the use of a thyroid medication.

SUPPRESSION is the long term or permanent disappearance of one or more symptoms without improvement of the patient as a whole. Suppression may lead to a decline of the patient in some other part of body, often the mental and/or emotional level.

CURE occurs when the symptoms are removed or reduced in intensity with an increase in the well-being of the patient as a whole.

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6. Does VPC offer traditional services such as vaccinations, ex-rays and so on?

VPC offer holistic forms of treatment only.  We recommend that you maintain your relationship with your regular veterinarian for traditional services and routine prescription items such as heartworm prevention.

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7. Can traditional drugs be used with holistic medicine?

Many of the drugs used in traditional medicine will blend with many holistic modalities.  As our goal is to strengthen the patient and improve quality of life, the desired outcome is often to wean patient off non-essential traditional medications as their health improves or reduce drug use to the least amount of the most effective dose.  Your holistic veterinarian can guide you more specifically.

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