How To Find A Holistic Vet In The UK
Choose A Natural Approach
22 Nov 2017
Category:- Health and Wellbeing
I hope this article goes some way to explaining the Holistic Vet world, and where to find a Holistic Vet for your pet.
Firstly, please understand the majority of Holistic Vets do not own practices that you as a pet guardian can go and register at with a new pet, or arrive at with a poorly pet, in the same way you currently can with conventional vet’s practices.
Most Holistic Vets work within an existing conventional practice or have a referral clinic, where they work alone and pets have to be referred to them by a conventional vet.
There are a few veterinary practices that have both a conventional and holistic approach over the whole practice but these are very few and far between. Two examples are Towerwood Vets in Leeds and Wylie Vet Centre in Essex. A few Holistic Vets travel around the UK offering clinics in different locations, or offer them Online, one of which is Vince The Vet.
So you will most likely need to register your pet with a conventional practice, then ask for referrals to a Holistic Vet or keep the registration for emergency attendance or basic queries.
This is actually exactly the same as our UK GP service, you register with a GP but you make your own choice to go and see complementary therapists too.
Second to understand is that not all Holistic Vets practice the same natural service.
Some chose to qualify in Acupuncture following their conventional qualification, some chose to qualify in Homeopathy, others in Herbalism, and some in more than one therapy or modality.
There is no specific qualification to become a Holistic Vet!
All have had conventional vet training but then progressed on to study further different therapy qualifications.
There is no veterinary qualification in holistic or natural diet. A natural diet is simply something most Holistic Vets favour due to their understanding of the Holistic approach to wellness.
This means that you could find a Holistic Vet who practices any number of different Holistic treatments and they may still not believe in a fresh diet. They may or may-not even know about vaccines issues too, or how to perform a different type of neutering etc. Each Holistic Vet is an individual, with their own set of knowledge gained from the specific training they have had.
Believe me, I too, long for the world where you can simply register your pet at a practice that favours natural diet, herbs, limited or no vaccines, spays more naturally and practices other natural ways. But for now, until that does happen UK wide, then we must make the best of the Holistic Vets we have in the UK, and support them as much as we can.
My experience of meeting Holistic Vets has shown me that many of them have exactly the same fears and worries about opening practices or starting businesses as human therapists do! We may feel we could fill their diaries with all the people we know of and hear of who are looking for the 'natural approach' but it’s a big thing starting and funding a business as well as believing in yourself – and even more so with an organisation like The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons gazing over you with questioning eyes.
Here are a few resources to get you started. Why not also Google your area, some Holistic Vets may have their own websites.
Unfortunately there is currently no website that lists all Vets who have trained in a complementary therapy.
The same as our own natural health service, you choose a therapy and find a vet in your area who practices that therapy.