Holistic First Aid Kit Benefits
A holistic first aid kit can benefit your dog or cat in many ways. How?
It is said that the driving force behind holistic veterinary medicine is Mother Nature herself. What’s more, holistic medicine for pets and people alike has been a widely accepted medical field for thousands of years.
So if you’re the kind of pet lover who prefers natural remedies that you can give your best friend safely at home (and who better than you?), here’s a checklist of purely holistic herbals, ointments and useful items to have on hand for first aid, just in case.
Incidentally, for those who understand how pets benefit from holistic medicine, this viable alternative to allopathic drugs has become the preferred method of choice. However, the United States and Canada have considered some holistic veterinary practices untested and unproven until recent years.
The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) is the growing bridge between conventional and alternative veterinary health care. In 1982, a group of veterinarians explored the use of alternative approaches to veterinary medicine. This expanded to a large global organization investigating 26 modalities ranging from conventional medicine to Nambrudipad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques.
Holistic medicine as an alternative
More and more pet owners using conventional medicine have begun to use holistic medicine as an alternative method for health conditions such as heart conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer or liver disease. Holistic treatments are non-invasive, simple and painless. They consist of improved health diets, natural herbs and safe supplements – all part of a growing medical field that is one of the safest, most non-toxic, side-effects free on record.
Monitoring pet environments for the removal and control of toxins, additives and preservatives, is becoming an acceptable part of conventional and holistic veterinary medicine. Holistic health treatments are less expensive than conventional by the time one considers vet bills, surgeries, medical supplies or late-hour emergencies.
Healing the body as one unit
Einstein once said, “Fashion abides in every age without people realizing tyrants rule above them.” What he was referring to is how people react to new ideas for mainstream society: with disinterest, hostility or excitement and acceptance. When new ideologies first begin, they typically go against popular opinion until the weight of evidence forces society to succumb to a new truth.
One such example is holistic treatment of the body, mind and soul of pets and humans with the benefit of combining skillful traditional and alternative therapies. Popular ways that pets benefit from holistic medicine involve digestive issues, skin conditions, flea infestations, internal worms and parasites, blood-sugar balance, immune-modulation – all with holistic medications and herbal extracts treating the medical problems while exploring emotional issues and condition-related behaviors as a possible co-factor.
And by the way, most holistic medicine for humans is the same as for dogs (making your holistic first aid kit for pets easy to build), with scientific studies on dogs and animals having a faster turn-around time than with human studies.
Preparing your pet’s holistic first aid kit
Choosing the proper treatment with the least side effects versus long-term effects is vital. Keeping a holistic first-aid kit is safer for pets than a conventional kit due to the types of products used. Note cards with ailments, doses and dates of treatments can be used for on-the-spot emergencies. Herbal extracts, pure herb capsules, and essential oils are the fastest acting of all herbal preparations available.
- Easy-to-transport container, water resistant, unlocked and easy-to-open. Store the container with the pet’s name on it inside a duffel bag or SOS kit.
- Tea Tree Oil – all-purpose disinfectant
- Grapefruit Seed Extract – treating ringworm, pustules and infections
- Lavender Oil (Essential Oils) – apply to burns to reduce swelling, blistering and scarring
- Medicated Honey Formula – treatment for burns, scrapes, cuts or sores
- Aloe Vera – applied topically or taken internally; cuts, burns, abrasions, hot spots, bites, indigestion, parasites, and other conditions
- Book on Plant Identification – able to identify local plants
- Syrup of Ipecac, Hydrogen Peroxide – induces vomiting or can be used as a topical disinfectant (2 – 3 tsp., one time only); considered a 3 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide
- Herbal-Mineral Detoxicant – used to absorb poisons and toxins.
- Herbal Calming Formula – most important in time of need. Calms dogs and cats to reduce nervous stress. Safe for humans as a relaxer in a stressful situation.
As in most cat and dog first-aid kits, incidental supplies are also necessary for holistic first aid kits. These items include tweezers, scissors, Q-tips, tape, towels, blankets, a thermometer, eyewash, and anything else you can add to your best friend’s very own custom holistic first aid kit.