Western herbal medicine

Veterinary Herbal Medicine is the treatment of various medical conditions using herbal extracts. It is estimated that 70% of the world's population use botanical medicine, in some form. It is no surprise that people have used the same plant medicine for animals under their care as long as human animal relationships have existed. The tradition of treating animals and humans with herbs is many thousands of years old and can be traced back as far as the emergence of modern man.

Many herbs can be/are used alongside conventional medicines/therapies and often have a synergistic effect. It is however important to remember that some herbs can have adverse interactions with some medications. For this reason, if your pet has a disease or is on medication it is vital to consult a trained veterinary herbalist to make sure that the herbs are safe to be used alongside your pet's conventional medications and any other diseases that your pet has. Herbs often have multiple actions so if one herb cannot be used with a certain medication it is almost always possible to find another to take its place.

Integrated Approach

Herbal medicine is an integrated approach that considers many factors, including diet, lifestyle, emotional health as well as medical history, to address the root cause of illness.

Often in today's modern medicine, illness is approached system by system, for example you might see a cardiologist for a heart problem, a gastroenterologist for a digestive issue and so on. This is called a reductionist approach – the cardiologist won't consider digestive health in their diagnosis and treatment and vice versa. Herbal vets understand that each body system is interrelated and inseparable from the others. A herbal vet will look at the whole body, how each system interacts with each other and how disease will affect all of the bodily systems not just one of them.

During your pets first consultation, the vet will build up a picture of your pets health by taking your pet's full case history, undertaking a physical examination of your pet, discussing your pet's diet and lifestyle, finding out about any medication or supplements your pet already takes. This allows your vet to assess the underlying causes of your pet's illness and formulate a herbal prescription tailored to your pet’s individual needs. As well as a herbal formulation, your pet’s treatment plan may also include dietary alterations, lifestyle changes, and nutritional supplements. Herbal supplements can come in many different forms and can be given as a liquid tincture, a tablet, a capsule, or tea for internal use, or as a cream, an ointment, a gel, or a shampoo for external use.

One important thing to remember when using herbal formulations is that they often do not have immediate effects. So, for some complex diseases an animal will need to take the formulation for several weeks before their response can be fully assessed. Your herbal vet will discuss this with you during the consultation.

At PeRiHab, we have a vet, trained in Western Veterinary Herbal Medicine, Rimante Butkute, who can help you and your pet. We use herbs alongside conventional medications, especially for chronic or complicated cases , or where conventional medications are not sufficiently effective, cause side effects, or are otherwise contra-indicated. Our all herbs are obtained from a safe source. It is a mistake to consider herbs to be safe as they can have side effects and potential contraindications, but when prescribed correctly they are generally safe and effective.

Do get in touch if you think we may be able to help you and your pet, using Western Veterinary Herbal Medicine!