Holistic pet care is a blend of eastern and western medicine. Photo by Aaron Kirby.
Perth pet owners are turning to ancient methods to help treat their sick animals.
Holistic pet care combines traditional eastern and Chinese medicine with western pet care, to treat animal illnesses.
Holistic treatments are used to provide balance to animal’s health through what’s known as their “Ying” (internal health) and “Yang” (external health).
Dr Neal Loh is a Certified Veterinary acupuncturist who grew up in Singapore around Chinese medicine.
During his vet studies, he identified where eastern medicine could be used to improve pet care.
“Conventional therapy often treats the disease very well, but it doesn’t treat the [overall] health, and that is what I am after,” said Dr Loh.
Dr Loh owns his own veterinary acupuncture business in Perth and uses a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine, food therapy and massage to relieve pain, treat illnesses and help pets recover.
He mostly works on cats and dogs but has also treated birds and rabbits.
He believes that treating the animals at home in familiar conditions, with calming low light, is the best way to get results and does home visits to assess and then treat each animal.
“Every pet I see is different, just like people they have different personalities and that’s the most challenging part, but it’s rewarding,” said Dr Loh.
He says treating pets is not like following a recipe book, there are no specific steps and it takes a lot of experience and judgment to determine the best treatment for each pet.
Kerry Tribbs has a 17-year-old Jack Russell named Keesha.
She found Dr Loh because Keesha’s severe arthritis was making her back legs collapse and other vets had run out of ideas and suggested having her put down.
“It was very upsetting,” said Tribbs.
Dr Loh treated Keesha with acupuncture and herbal remedies and after about a month her legs stopped collapsing.
“The difference in her is amazing, she looks very happy,” said Tribbs.