Holistic dog health 101: ultimate science-based guide

When people hear the term “holistic” they typically think about alternative medicine. It brings to mind acupuncture and herbal remedies alone. This is a common misconception, as holistic dog health actually combines several traditional and alternative therapies to treat ailing dogs into a single approach with the focus on what’s most important.

Holistic dog health is often confused with homeopathic dog health. Homeopathic remedies are all about stimulating the body’s natural healing response with the use of plants, minerals, animal substances and other natural treatments. Veterinarians that practice holistic dog health look at the canine’s overall health – not just a few symptoms – and use both traditional and alternative treatments.

If you choose to treat your pet holistically, he may be prescribed an herbal remedy or a prescription drug. He may receive massage therapy or need to have lab work done. In short, holistic dog health looks for the best and healthiest way to treat a dog without choosing to be on the traditional or alternative side of the fence.

Are holistic, alternative, organic, natural, and healthy approaches all the same? No, they are not, and this terminology can sometimes get confusing to pet owners, leaving them wondering which type of “approach” is best for the dog.

For example, organically produced corn, wheat and other grain products can be natural and organic, but studies show they may actually be unhealthy for dogs, and some of these carbohydrate sources are poorly digested by dogs. In the same vein, raw food for dogs alone may be natural, but not necessarily organic, holistic, or healthy to a canine. So you have to pick and choose wisely.

Natural dog foods, treats and treatments

The “natural approach” refers to feeding and treating dogs with ingredients and components that come only from natural sources and with no artificial additives.

When it comes to dog food, the FDA has yet to put a clear definition on “natural” foods, supplements and treatments for dogs, but they do allow the label to say “natural” if it “does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.” For more, read FDA’s “natural” labeling requirements.

Organic dog foods and treats

Organic pet foods and dog supplies are highly government-regulated, so they’re easy to find. Products bearing the USDA Organic seal were made from ingredients that are 95% organic (measured by weight). “Organic” has nothing to do with veterinary treatments of dogs, and only applies in cases of foods and treats.

Again, “Organic” label on pet foods by itself does not equate to being the best food for the dog, but it is a great indication of a very high quality product. As an example, here’s a list of some of the best organic dog treats and top USDA certified dog foods – all of these have been highly praised by vets.

Alternative dog healthcare

Alternative dog healthcare approaches veer away from the regular drug-based methods. Alternative veterinary medicine includes acupuncture, homeopathic therapy, and other unconventional ways of treating dogs. Just like organic approach has nothing to do with treatments, alternative dog healthcare has nothing to do with pet foods or treats.

Alternative medicine for dogs has been a controversial topic for a long time. Scientists completely disagree with this methodology, and advise against using acupuncture, homeopathic therapy and other methods of alternative medicine on dogs.

It’s true: plenty of studies show alternative medicine to be ineffective, but there is some evidence that certain “alternative” approaches – and acupuncture in particular – can work. It’s up to you where you choose to stand on this argument.

Holistic dog foods and holistic veterinary medicine

Finally, the holistic approach to dog’s health takes every aspect of the dog into account – food and nutrition, lifestyle, activity level, supplements, medicine, and treatments. All these must work together to support the dog’s well-being.

Holistic veterinary medicine is currently a trending topic, and pet food companies are quick to utilize opportunities. So when it comes to holistic dog foods, FDA is still unsure what to do with this label (although they are working on how to approach the matter). In the meantime, pet food manufacturers are pilling onto the bandwagon and label everything and anything they can as “holistic.”

Like I said before, it’s important to keep in mind that even though holistic may refer to something better than a regular commercial product, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all items under that label are safe for dogs. Many of them, in fact, are unsafe. We need to wait for the regulatory body to take charge on this and establish some ground rules for companies.

With that being said, holistic dog foods and holistic veterinary medicine field is seeing a lot of positive results. Plenty of pet owners have anecdotal evidence where their dogs and cats have benefited greatly from holistic treatments or holistic dog food diets.

Here’s a curious interview on the details of holistic veterinary medicine and what owners need to know. And in the below video a woman is sharing an interesting story about her pet and how she came to treat her dog through holistic approach rather than conventional methods:

Natural & Holistic

While these ideas come from different schools of thought, together they bring us the natural and holistic dog health approach. This approach encompasses various disciplines ranging from traditional to modern, eastern to western. The goal, however, is always the same: to keep the dog in the best health level with the right dog food, medicines, and elements that exist naturally.

As dog owners, we already know that a dog’s health and well-being is an integrated system of many functions, each different from the other, yet interdependent. Whatever is given to the dog must support its whole being, not only one part.

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When something causes the dog to itch, conventional solutions include anti-itch liniment, dog shampoo or cortisone for dogs. This may relieve your dog’s itching but will not, however, treat the root cause of the itching. With the holistic and natural dog health approach, it will be necessary to look deeper for the underlying condition that causes itching.

The goal is always to find a natural way to treat the root of the problem and condition.

Dog food, treats, supplements, and other nutritional and medicinal sources must be in the form closest to what the dog would find in the wild. Although not totally the same as other dog health concepts, the natural and holistic approach supports raw dog feeding and organic dog food supplies. It also supports traditional medicines, alternative remedies, herbs, Chinese medicine, and many others.

Natural and holistic dog health approach is all about being open-minded to new ways to treating dogs. However, we must still keep a healthy level of skepticism, look for science’s health and constantly search for evidence. As veterinarians and pet owners, we cannot assume that one single approach is always best, and that applies to both evidence-based veterinary and holistic medicine.

There is no hard and fast rule for determining which holistic diet is best for a dog. A pet parent must consider the whole being of the dog – his needs, activity, medical history, energy levels, environment and living conditions, diet and supplementation, medical conditions, and his breed and genetics.

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No two dogs are alike, therefore no two dogs have the same needs.

There is a basic premise in feeding dogs, however. Even though domestication of dogs have led them to adapt and become omnivores, studies show that canines actually thrive on carnivorous diet that’s high in protein. Moreover, the old myth that protein can cause renal disease in dogs has also been dispelled many time already.

Therefore, dogs do need a high-protein content in their food, preferably with little to no grains, and definitely with no artificial ingredients. High-protein dog foods are commercially available. They come in dried, frozen, or fresh and raw preparations and contrary to what some owners may believe, they are optimized for perfect dog nutrition. An alternative way is making your own homemade dog foods.

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For owners wanting to get into homemade dog food and particularly a diet similar to what dogs eat in the wild, there’s plenty of advice out there. The most common canine diet for that is called BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, or bones and raw food for dogs). The main ingredient is raw meat (poultry, pork, beef, venison, fish), with ground vegetable and meat mixture and dog supplements.

Raw dog feeding is the most natural way to feed a carnivore, of course. It is important to emphasize that raw dog feeding is not easy. It requires commitment on the part of the pet parent to sustain the dog’s raw diet. Not only that, but BARF diet has also come under fire by many scientists, and indeed, there is evidence showing how certain ways of BARF feeding aren’t good for dogs.

When these are difficult to obtain, or when your pet refuses this diet, high-quality and high-protein dry dog food preparations are an option. These are the next best thing to fresh, raw meats. With these canine diets, nutritional management will be relatively easier. Commercial dog foods are also more convenient. However, some of the better ones may be a little costly.