What in the World is Animal Naturopathy?

​You might be familiar with the practice of Naturopathy as it applies to human care. Perhaps you have even sought out this type of service for yourself at some point. Naturopaths teach their patients how to live in a healthful manner and do not employ the use of surgery or prescription drugs.
​
Whether for people or animals, I would describe Naturopathy as a philosophy and system to prevent illness and promote health through the adherence to the laws of health and the use of natural agents to support inherent healing functions.

To get a clearer picture of Naturopathy let’s take a look at the six fundamental principles which are the foundation of this modality:

The inherent healing power of nature – organisms have an inherent ability to heal themselves. Homeostasis or balance is always the state that any organism is trying to achieve and maintain, from a single cell to the body as a whole.
Identify the cause - look beyond symptoms for the cause of the health challenge. Addressing the underlying cause is the only way to truly restore health.
First do no harm – Use methods that are in alignment with nature which will not harm.
Doctor as Teacher – Educate on how to achieve health. The original meaning of the word “doctor” is teacher. 
Treat the whole – All aspects (physical, emotions & spiritual) are considered.
Prevention – Proactively minimize risk factors and build health to prevent illness.
 
An Animal Naturopath believes in a holistic approach to health and considers the interconnectedness of each animal’s unique mind, body, and spirit and how their individual dynamic situation reflects their current state of health. Naturopathy is a philosophy for a lifestyle that invests in building health by honoring each species specific requirements so they can thrive.
 
Education of the client is a primary function of an Animal Naturopath. Through education of the laws of health in regards to their pet, the client is presented with the opportunity to facilitate the process of health promotion and restoration for their animal. In this way, the pet caretaker is empowered to claim their true position as decision maker and advocate for their animals. The task of the Animal Naturopath is to guide the client how they can actively create conditions that are conducive to health for the animal; provide an environment that allows the animal’s inherent healing functions to flourish so they achieve a state of balance and harmony.
 
In Naturopathy symptoms are not so much viewed as something to directly manage or fix. When the body is manifesting signs of illness what we are witnessing is the attempt by the body to correct an imbalance that lies within, to heal itself. A Naturopath instead sees observable symptoms as the map that will to lead them to the cause of the illness which must be addressed in order for health to be restored.  Since symptoms are viewed as the body’s internal attempt to clean house and restore health, Naturopaths do not employ methods to suppress symptoms as this is actually quite detrimental to health. Instead, an Animal Naturopath will assess any areas of the animal’s life that may not be in alignment with their species specific needs, such as diet, exercise, stress, rest as well as natural habits and environments. Non-invasive modalities such as chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, essential oils, massage, herbs, hydrotherapy and energy work may also be used.
 
Naturopathy is a method of healing that employs various natural means to achieve the highest possible level of health. Although the term “naturopathic medicine” was not used until the late nineteenth century, its philosophical roots go back thousands of years. Naturopathy draws on the healing wisdom of many countries, including India (Ayurveda), China (Taoism), and Greece (Hippocrates).
 
Animal Naturopathy is most successful when it is adopted as a way of life, from the start of life. When used as a last ditch effort after conventional methods have failed to produce results, the animal may be irreparably damaged and lack the vital force necessary to make a full recovery. ​