Holistic Therapies
If you’re interested in holistic therapies for your greyhound, consulting a holistic veterinarian is the absolute best resource for helping your canine with proper diet and holistic solutions. Holistic therapies are often a complement to traditional veterinary care, so using both is probably the best form of practice. I am including a few items under this section that I have tried and have worked for my greyhounds. Check back often for more holistic therapies.
Aromatherapy – Essential Lavender Oil
I love this essential oil and it is a mainstay in my apothecary! It’s one of the safest oils to use on humans and pets because it can be applied directly to the skin. Lavender oil is an anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-septic. It works great for reducing inflammation from bug and spider bites, especially mosquito and tick bites. Lavender oil is a mosquito’s enemy, so it’s great to use as a deterrent to mosquito’s and other biting bugs. You can dilute it in a spray bottle filled with water to spritz on to the skin or your pets fur, especially their feet and legs before taking them for an evening walk….when mosquitos are out. Mosquito’s, fleas, ticks, and bugs hate lavender, so they stay off you and your pet, plus it has a pleasant smell and is non-toxic as compared to toxic DEET products such as “Off”. To find out more about this all around great essential oil and other essential oils safe for pets, visit the websites below. There are instructions on how to prepare the solution to make is safe for your pets. Lavender oil generally costs around $10 a bottle and if diluted will last you a long time; certainly worth the money! Be sure to only purchase pure essential oils.
http://www.thewholedog.org/EOFleas.html/
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/aromatherapy-for-dogs.html/
Bach Flower Remedies
Some of you may have heard of a combination flower remedy called “Rescue Remedy”. This has been used successfully with animals and humans to deal with situations from stress to improved healing of wounds. I have used this remedy for years for myself and for my greyhounds with much success. Rescue remedy also comes in a cream form and I can testify to its efficacy with speeding up the healing of wounds. I keep both the liquid form and cream form in my “apothecary” at home to have on hand at all times. There are also specific flower essences that support individual emotions such as fear, over excitability, and depression. Please consult the Bach Flower Remedy site below to find out more about these amazing 100% safe remedies.
Reiki
Reiki is an energy based healing modality that can help your canine with a number of issues. It is a therapy that opens up the energy centers within an animal or human to allow for self-healing. When I first sought information about this ancient healing technique, I wanted to learn from a Reiki Master who had experience using Reiki on animals. I traveled to the central California coast to complete my first two levels of Reiki training in 2010. There, we learned about the ancient practice as it was used on humans. The place I attended the certification courses was located on a wild horse sanctuary and on the second day after practicing on humans, we were able to practice on the horses. This was invaluable to me because it afforded me the training to conduct the same on my greyhounds and other pets. I have seen some pretty amazing results with Reiki from tumor shrinkage and improved healing times following a trauma or surgery to emotional issues (i.e.reduction in submissive peeing issues and anxiety issues). Reiki has a profound relaxing effect on animals as they are much more sensitive and in tune to energy. I received my Master Reiki certification in 2011. Below is a good website to find out more about Reiki as it relates to animals:
http://www.animalreikisource.com/
Slippery Elm and Diarrhea/Vomiting
Sometimes greyhounds have bouts with diarrhea. This is certainly true when they become stressed or are introduced to a new food source or sometimes have eaten something that does not agree with them. Diarrhea is not something to ignore and you should consult with your vet about the situation. There is one safe herb, that I’ve used for many years with my greys. It is called Slippery Elm. This herb is used both internally and externally and was used by Native American Indians and America’s early settlers for a myriad of cures. The inner bark of this tree is used for its soothing and emollient effects. Dr. Michele Yasson, DVM and holistic veterinarian says the following about this herb: ” I use this herb more than any other in my practice! It provides superb relief, and has kept many patients from hospitalization. It is a soothing nutritive herb which is perfectly suited for sensitive or inflamed mucous membrane lining of the digestive system. The bark contains mucilage and tannins that act as demulcent, emollient, protectorant, and astringent. You might think of it as a soothing internal bandage coating the digestive tract for its entire length. Imagine the relief for your pet to have a jelly-like coating soothing in an esophagus (food pipe) burned by acrid vomitus, or in an ulcerated colon. This herb makes a huge difference. It is easy to make and has a very bland taste which makes it easy to add to tasty things.” To find out more about this herb, visit Dr. Yasson’s website below. You can also research Slippery Elm and Dog on the Internet and find lots of information about this great herb. Incidentally, this herb is effective for humans as well.
http://www.holvet.net/slippery_soup.html/