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Resources

My Network & Resources

Over the years I've worked with a lot of vets and pet health practitioners. My one piece of advice is to make decisions based on your gut - if something doesn't feel right, it's probably not. There is no harm in getting second opinions and any practitioner who doesn't appreciate a second opinion or questions you, should be questioned themselves. Of course it's a lot different when there is an emergency situation and in those times you need to act quickly, however, there are a lot of times your faced with making decisions that could impact your pet's long term health.

There are many alternative options for pet issues and an educated vet should be able to at least discuss options. I tried very hard not to do any long term medications with my dogs that had short term benefits, but long term side-effects. I realize that most people don't have a lot of time to do research or have time to get second opinions, but fortunately for you, there are a lot of resources online and a phone call away. I live in Chicago so most of my resources are based there, but most also do phone consults. Here is a list of my favorite people & resources:

Practitioners

  • Holistic Vet: Dr. Kimberly Curtis: http://hwchomevet.com/services.html - she's an expert in Eastern medicine and has practiced this for many years with her patients and herself. It was very difficult to find a vet that has the experience she has, both Eastern and Western medicine, in addition to physical therapy and rehab. She serves the Chicago-land area with home visits and does phone consults.
  • Herbalist: Durkin’s Holistic Supplements: 847-395-2968, Mike Durkin.  Phone consultations and in person appointments, with both humans and pets.  I've known Mike for many years and was my go-to for any issues I've had, in addition to my dogs. He also stocks and ships supplements and food. 
  • Massage Therapy and Special Needs Pets: http://belovedcanine.com/ Aimee specializes in canine massage and special needs pets in the Chicago area.  Massage therapy helped Zeus so much, especially as he got older.  It helped with increasing circulation and sped up recovery when he had a little too much fun running in the park. It's very important to find someone who is trained and certified in pet massage, which is very different from human massage.  When I would tell people Zeus had a massage therapist, they would chuckle and say they massage their dogs themselves, but dog massage is very different than human massage. At the very least, have a pet massage therapist show you how to massage your pet.  The pressure is very different than what you would use on a human, in addition to the techniques. 
  • Animal Communication: http://articulateanimals.com/ Kelly Krueger is a professional animal communicator who I've used to tackle some health issues I've had with my dog, in addition to helping me deal with my dog's passing.  Pet owners know the bond you have with your pet and can pick up non-verbal communication with your pet - if they are hungry, if they are antsy and if something just isn't right with our pet.  Kelly brings a deeper layer of this communication between a pet and their human.  The insight she can give is truly amazing and was extremely helpful to me during some of Zeus's health challenges.  Kelly is based in the Denver area and does phone consults.  
  • Holistic Vet Listing: https://www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/

Books

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats

Four Paws, Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs

 

Reiki for Dogs: Using Spiritual Energy to Heal and Vitalize Man's Best Friend