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Holistic Medicine |
Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre |
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Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre Holistic Vet - Homeopathic Vet - Acupuncture Vet - Herbal Vet - Natural Vet Holistic Medicine for Animals Veterinary Holistic Medicine with notes on reductionism Holistic, Alternative, Natural or Complementary? or follow the links in this table:
The word holistic has been mentioned a great deal on this site and you are bound to encounter it elsewhere. Not everyone understands what it means and not everyone who would purport to be using holistic medicine really is doing so. There is, in fact, nothing mysterious about the word 'holistic' and its application is simple. It does, though, require scrupulous attention to detail and due diligence and to understand the term and its implications is important to an understanding of the work of a real holistic vet. Holism involves treating the body as a whole, including the mind and spirit and including a study of the diet, the lifestyle, the environment and the circumstances in which that body operates. It also recognises and works with the two-way interaction between the body and its environment. The holistic vet must take all this into account, to fit the description.
Nature tends to form systems. In any system, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The whole is not entirely explicable in terms of its parts. Each system has others within it. Within each system, each part interacts with every other part and is, in turn, acted upon by each other part. No part can be independent of the others and no part can be independent of the whole. Each part is unique, and cannot be compared with another, yet is essential to the functioning of the whole. Each system in turn interacts with every other system. No system is independent of any other. Some may hear echoes of De Morgan’s parody of Jonathan Swift’s eloquent and elegant observation on fleas: “Big fleas have little fleas All things are connected, as in Seathl’s words, whence came the Gaia Theory of our earth as a living organism. Because holism knows no boundaries, we need to define a context, before we can communicate and discuss any ‘system’. In holistic veterinary medicine, we are referring to the animal patient 'system'. We must then look both inwards and outwards, from our visual image of the animal, in order to understand the meaning of this system. Looking outwards, we find that the animal operates within his environment and cannot be independent of it. Each part of his environment acts upon him and he, in turn, impinges upon it. He cannot usefully be considered outside this context. This explains why an animal may appear differently in a veterinary consulting room than at home and why he may appear to be ‘cured’ in hospital, for example, but not when sent home. The environments are wholly different and exert massive effects. This is also a possible explanation for one aspect of the scientific failure of laboratory animal experimentation. For any given patient, we must observe how his environment, circumstance and lifestyle play a part in his disease and in his health. In a working horse’s case, for instance, this necessarily also includes saddling, shoeing, stabling, feeding, riding etc. Looking inwards, we find each part of the animal interacts (two-way) with every other part and that no part is independent of any other, nor of the whole. This means that we cannot usefully consider one part of the animal in isolation. Although an organ has an existence and can be removed from the body and viewed in isolation, there is no such independent functional entity. As ‘specialisms’ develop in human and animal medicine, so there is a tendency for the patient to be broken down into more and more 'separate' components (reductionism - see below), with a tendency to ignore the other parts of the body. This can lead to great misunderstandings of the body, because it is not a machine. The patient is a living entity, following the laws of holistic nature. The individual components have no independent function and no meaning, without the others and without the whole. For this reason, Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (including Acupuncture), Herbal Medicine (herbs) and some other systems of natural medicine, which consider the body as a functional whole, within its environment (i.e. holistic), are often able to produce results, when a more conventional and 'reductionist' approach has failed.
Christopher Day, practising at the Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre, is a holistic vet of more than 38 years experience in holistic medicine, especially homeopathy and is willing to share experiences, understanding and ideas with veterinary colleagues, veterinary students and animal owners on any aspect of vet holistic medicine. The AVMC was the first dedicated holistic veterinary practice in the UK, founded in 1987. He offers holistic vet advice for each and every patient. N.B. Many of the therapies used at the AVMC are restricted to use by a fully-qualified veterinary surgeon (Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966). On this site, each page describing a therapy has a note, explaining this. Reductionism may be the opposite of holism. It is anyway very foreign to the methodology and reasoning of a holistic vet. Reductionism has been explained as: a doctrine that maintains that all objects and events, their properties and our experience and knowledge of them are made up of ultimate elements, indivisible parts (Ackoff 1974).
Descartes formally declared that the mind was separate from the body. He attempted to apply certainty to philosophy and biology. His life was therefore close to being an oxymoron, in itself (it appears clear, in my work, that the only certainty is uncertainty - Chris Day, holistic vet). In Rules for the Direction of the Mind (1625-28), he laid down the elements of 'rational analysis' which, combined with experiment and observation, became the basis of modern scientific method. In De Homine, he held that animals could be reductively explained as automata. Animals (and humans) do not function in parts, we function as a whole and mind, body (with all its individual organs and parts) and spirit are an inseparable entity. This is a fact and to think and work otherwise will inevitably lead to failure.
Note: Sometimes, we have been asked just to treat one of a horse's problems and not to bother about whatever else may be wrong or that we might find at the examination. This is not possible, using holistic therapies such as acupuncture or homeopathy, in that it is the horse (or cat, dog, pony or other animal) as a whole that we are treating, not one of the symptoms or signs of disease. We treat the horse and the horse is the one who heals. Hippocrates is credited with saying that: 'The physician treats, Nature heals'. This means that we cannot target one specific part of the picture, nor should we, as holistic vets, leave correctible problems unattended (e.g. ill-fitting saddle, bad shoeing etc.), as these can significantly impede the healing process and potentially lead to problems further down the line. Avoidable problems should be avoided. Synonyms: 'Holism' and 'Holistic' are sometimes written 'Wholism' and 'Wholistic'. N.B.: When a case is referred to us, it is much more helpful to receive the entire medical history, rather than selected detail from it. The holistic methodology and treatment are more effective, when based on the full medical history. P.S.: In the USA, it appears that a veterinarian who uses a spectrum of natural, alternative and complementary medicines is called a holistic veterinarian. This interpretation of the meaning of the term 'holistic vet' is well demonstrated by the article in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holistic_veterinary_medicine (at the time of writing on 10th June 2010). According to the UK understanding, however, it is the methodology that makes one holistic, rather than the systems of medicine applied. One might only use one medical system but still practise it in a truly holistic way. This is simply a matter of varying definitions and common usage. Holistic, Alternative, Natural or Complementary? http://www.veterinary-holistic.co.uk Holistic vet work
An information-only website drawn up to introduce readers to natural feeding for dogs, cats, horses & ponies
An overview of the work of a holistic vet & the therapies involved
The work of a chiropractic vet explained
www.equineacupuncturevet.co.uk The work of an acupuncture vet explained
Christopher Day was one of the first holistic vets in the UK, pioneering holistic care and methodology from the 1970s. He is among the most experienced holistic veterinarians - the practice is a no-frills, traditional and homely enterprise.
The Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre (AVMC) offers Holistic Veterinary Medicine for horses, ponies, dogs, cats and other species. Main Treatments offered (see Therapies): Homeopathic treatment Acupuncture treatment Herbal treatment Aromatherapy treatment Chiropractic treatment Nutritional advice - Feeding advice LASER treatment Ultrasound treatment Back manipulation - Back treatment Bach Flowers Holistic medicine - Holistic veterinary medicine Flower Essences Tissue Salts Holistic therapy - Holistic treatment - Holistic care Holistic advice Natural medicine - Alternative medicine - Complementary medicine CAM - CAVM Integrated medicine Natural Feeding - Natural Diet
Holistic Horse Vetting - Holistic Pony Vetting
These approaches represent a philosophy that is alternative to the current conventional norm but the use of alternative therapies does not do away with the need for a thorough examination and assessment. Nor does it preclude the use of modern diagnostic techniques where necessary. A holistic vet will take into account all these things, in addition to closely scrutinising lifestyle, diet, environment, riding, tack, shoeing, grazing, stabling, management etc., depending upon the species.
We have a deep respect for Nature and we work with Nature
N.B.: At the AVMC, we try not to be 'bogged down' by terminology or ideology. Much argument accompanies discussions on nomenclature. We do not mind whether we are called holistic, complementary, alternative or natural. Likewise, it does not matter whether we are described as a holistic, natural, herbal, homeopathic, chiropractic, acupuncture or integrated veterinary practice. The medicine we practise is the best we can offer, for each patient and it matters not whether it is perceived as holistic medicine, alternative medicine, complementary medicine, natural medicine, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM - CAVM) or integrated medicine. We offer traditional standards of professional care, in an integrated package. Although we specialise in alternative therapies, seeking alternatives to conventional drug therapy, we do not shun conventional therapy, per se, considering its worth in each case. Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre Holistic Vet - Homeopathic Vet - Acupuncture Vet - Herbal Vet - Natural Vet Copyright © AVMC - April 2007 Associated websites: http://chris-day.blogware.com/ - www.acupuncture-animals.co.uk - www.holistic-vet.co.uk - www.homeopathic-vet.com - www.veterinary-acupuncture.co.uk - www.veterinary-homeopathy.co.uk - www.veterinary-herbal.co.uk - www.veterinary-holistic.co.uk - www.alternativeveterinarymedicine.co.uk - www.alternativeveterinarymedicinecentre.co.uk - www.avmc.co.uk - www.naturalfeeding.co.uk - www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~avmc - www.chinhampublications.co.uk - www.equineacupuncturevet.co.uk - www.christopherday.co.uk - www.holisticvetmed.co.uk. Holistic vet at AVMC - Putting the patient first Page refers to: holistic - holistic medicine - holistic veterinary medicine - holistic medicine for animals - veterinary holistic medicine - veterinary holism - holistic vet - homeopathic vet - acupuncture vet - herbal vet - aromatherapy vet - chiropractic vet - alternative vet - complementary vet - natural vet - alternative therapy - holistic vet Oxfordshire - holistic vet UK - holistic vet med - holistic vets - holisticvetmed - holistic medicine for dogs - holistic medicine for cats - holistic medicine for horses - holistic medicine for ponies - holistic medicine for goats - holistic medicine for donkeys - holistic medicine for ferrets - holistic medicine for cattle - holistic medicine for sheep - dog - cat - horse - pony - dogs - cats - horses - ponies - vet holistic - veterinary holistic - veterinary holistic medicine - vet holistic medicine - holistic vet practice - holistic veterinary practice - veterinary holistic - holistic medicine for pigs - holistic vet advice - holistic veterinarian - holistic veterinarians - holistic veterinary advice - holistic advice - nature vet - acupuncture vets - homeopathic vets - holistic vets - herbal vets - holistic medicine for deer - holistic medicine for buffalo - holistic medicine for poultry - holistic medicine for domestic fowl - holistic medicine for birds - holistic medicine for reptiles Holistic Vet - Holistic Vet - Holistic Vet - Holistic Vet - Holistic Vet - Holistic Vet - Holistic Vet |
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Jan
Smuts (1870 - 1950) is credited with coining the term 'holism'
Perhaps
the 17th century French philosopher Ren