Finding a veterinarian that matches your expectations can be challenging. Many people will rely on family and friend recommendations only, but remember, you may have very different expectations for your dog. 

You may have heard that all veterinarians are against raw feeding, so how do you approach one knowing that you want to feed your dog a raw diet? Do you hide that information from them? 

The first step is defining the attributes you want in a veterinarian. What are the non-negotiables? Write out a list before looking around. Once you have your list completed, you can start your search. 

Most veterinary practices have comprehensive websites listing staff members, including the veterinarians and the clinical staff. You can also learn about the additional training each veterinarian has had, the services offered, and the practice policies, making this a great way to start your search.

There are a lot of veterinary philosophies and specialties. Some clinics may specialize in low-cost vaccines and spay/neuter options, while others have a complete menu of services. Many practices will have a mission statement on the home page of their website. Most statements are relatively generic, but you can glean meaningful information. 

The list of attributes you make for your ideal veterinarian should include the following:

Compassion is an obvious attribute of the ideal veterinarian. Some veterinarians are science-oriented and lack interpersonal skills. We want the best, but compassion and empathy are a plus. 

Passion for the profession with a dedication to continuing education- Many people are satisfied once they attain their desired degree. However, in veterinary medicine, you must be willing to stay abreast of all new developments and techniques. 

Willingness to listen to all of your concerns- You need to feel that your veterinarian is genuinely listening to your concerns and not just offering the standard solution prescribed to all patients. Find a vet that will sit down and talk to you about your thoughts on your dog's health, not one that tells you her thoughts only. 

Willingness to "think outside the box"-In vet school, students are expected to learn so much information in a brief window of time. They are taught specific solutions to specific problems. Cookie-cutter medicine is what I call it. Many other treatment options exist, but many vets are either too overwhelmed to learn about them or scared to try anything new.

Strong diagnostic and research skills- Is the veterinarian willing to look for the root cause of a problem rather than merely treat clinical signs?

A balanced work and home life-Too many veterinary personnel become overwhelmed and face burnout. The profession has the highest suicide rate among professionals worldwide. Finding a vet with outside interests and limited hours of practice may have a better work-home life balance.

Holistic approach- Holistic is a great marketing tool that attracts potential clients to a veterinary clinic based solely on the word holistic. But are the practices within the clinic genuinely holistic, integrative, or conventional? 

Willing to be a part of a veterinary team- Not all veterinarians are comfortable working with others as part of a veterinary team. But as a pet parent, you need to find the right combination of veterinary care for your dog. Have this discussion with a potential veterinarian during your selection process. If you need to work with a veterinarian remotely, you will need to have your local vet be willing to cooperate with the recommendations of the other veterinarian.

Ideally, you will find your ideal veterinarian before you adopt your dog. You don't want to wait to find one when you have an emergency!

Adopting a new pet is a huge decision, so you want to have the necessary tools in place. Deciding which vet to use will be a big step in making your pet ownership transition smooth. If you used a veterinarian in the past, do not feel pressured to return. Look at all options available to you.

Questions to Ask a Veterinarian or the Front Office Staff

The front office staff should be able to answer most of your questions about a veterinarian and the veterinary practice during a telephone call. How the receptionist answers your questions is an essential clue to the practice philosophy. 

Start with the structure of the veterinary practice. 

Do all doctors have the same philosophies about veterinary treatments and practices? If not, do they still support each other's values?

Do they use credentialed veterinary nurses or technicians? Or do they only use on-the-job trained veterinary assistants? 

What modalities are offered? Do any doctors have certifications in advanced acupuncture, chiropractic, or other holistic therapies? Are they board-certified in specialties such as orthopedic surgery or internal medicine?

What is the philosophy on using alternative, holistic and integrative medicine? If there is no interest in these philosophies, then the vet is unlikely to be an advocate of raw feeding or any other unconventional therapies for your dog. 

Do they have after-hours onsite emergency care?

Are they affiliated with a group of emergency providers?

Do they use titers to determine if annual vaccines are necessary? Suppose the front office staff is not aware of this option. In that case, it means that the practice does not believe in the use of titers, only in providing the regiment of annual vaccinations recommended by veterinary associations.

Are the veterinarians advocates for raw feeding or food therapies other than commercial prescription diets?

Policies on spaying and neutering of dogs

Do they advocate for dogs to mature physically before desexing them?

Are they willing to only remove the females' uterus to preserve the hormonal balance?

Use pesticides for heartworm, flea, and tick preventative and intestinal parasite control.

Do they discuss alternate methods of parasite control?

Schedule a Visit with the Prospective Vet

As you enter the veterinary clinic, take notice of the products available for sale. Is the clinic selling prescription diets and flea-preventative products? This is unlikely to be a holistic veterinary practice if there is an extensive product line of these items. 

Hopefully, you will develop a rapport with your veterinarian during the initial visit. If the veterinary visit is for a medical problem with your dog, the veterinarian's questions will tell you a lot about her philosophy. You should be asked to supply a comprehensive history of your dog, from vaccinations given as a puppy to the diet you are currently feeding. You should have a complete copy of your dog's medical file from all other veterinarians. 

The length of the visit also indicates the level of commitment the new veterinarian will have to your dog. You cannot get to the root of a medical problem in a 10-15 minute visit. A more extended consultation is required to discuss all circumstances affecting your dog.

If your initial visit is a wellness visit, use the opportunity to ask the veterinarian questions about her ideas on nutrition, vaccines, parasite prevention, and training. Ask about alternative therapies. These questions will demonstrate how the veterinarian responds to new ideas. You don't want to feel stuck with someone you think is not listening to your concerns or goals for your dog.

Do not feel you must stay with a veterinary practice because you started with it. As you expand your knowledge base about your dog's needs, your beliefs about the type of care may shift. As the guardian of your dog, you must advocate for your dog. If the veterinary practice is no longer meeting your expectations, keep searching for one that does. 

Many veterinarians have standard treatment plans for common problems without really addressing the root cause of the issues. For example, you take your dog to the clinic because you notice blood in her urine. Many veterinarians will prescribe an antibiotic for an assumed urinary tract infection without running any diagnostic tests. They may think they are doing you a favor by saving money, but what if it is more than a simple infection? How many times will you be sent home with a bottle of antibiotics before it becomes necessary to start running tests? 

During any veterinary visit, you want to request a list of possible causes of your dog's condition. In the example above, what are all the possible causes of bloody urine? What diagnostics should be performed to determine the root cause rather than simply treating clinical signs? Ask for a complete estimate of costs for diagnostic testing. If your dog is not in dire pain or needs immediate care, take time to decide how you want to proceed. 

Holistic or integrative veterinary medicine combines conventional and alternative therapies tailored to your dog. The holistic approach outlines a treatment for the whole body to target all aspects of the patient, not just the current clinical signs. By looking at all aspects of the patient, including your dog's medical history, genetics, nutrition, exercise, environment, family relationships, and stress levels, the holistic veterinarian will make an overall recommendation for a lifestyle change. 

The goal of your holistic veterinarian is to discover the root cause of your dog's ailment. A thorough examination of your dog, from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail, along with a series of appropriate diagnostic tests, should point the vet in the right direction to create a plan for a full recovery. 

Holistic medicine uses modalities that help the body heal itself. Treatment possibilities are numerous and may include acupuncture, supplemental Chinese herbs added to meals, veterinary osteopathic manipulation (chiropractic manipulation), nutraceuticals, and laser therapy.

Many people mistakenly use the terms "holistic" and "homeopathic" interchangeably. But there is actually a significant difference between the two. Homeopathy is a modality used within the scope of holistic medicine. Homeopathic medicine is based on the belief that our body can cure any ailment by using tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals, that are believed to stimulate the healing process.

The premise of homeopathic medicine is to stimulate the body's natural healing process with substances that mimic the symptoms of the disease by using specially prepared, highly diluted preparations. The central principle is, "Like cures like."  

A veterinarian needs extensive training to be considered a homeopathic specialist. The Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy provides a national certification program for veterinarians to become certified in veterinary homeopathy.

VetFinder – Find a Holistic Veterinarian – American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (ahvma.org) 

The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association lists holistic veterinarians by state and modality. Their modality list is extensive! It includes acupuncture, acuscope, applied kinesiology, Bach flowers, Chinese herbs, chiropractic, clinical nutrition, color therapy, craniosacral therapy, electromagnetic therapy (EAV, Interro, Biotron II, etc.), glandular therapy, homeopathy, homotoxicology, AT (Immuno-Augmentive Therapy, laser therapy, magnetic therapy, massage therapy, microcurrent therapy, nutraceuticals, nutrition, osteopathy, ozone therapy, prolotherapy, pulsating magnetic therapy, rehabilitation therapy, Reiki, veterinary medical manipulation, and Western herbs.

When you input your location, a list of veterinarians near you will populate. Hopefully, there will be one in your area. If not, many holistic veterinarians provide online consultations. 

The main reason veterinarians do not advocate for raw-feeding dogs is a lack of knowledge. Vet students must learn to treat and care for at least nine different species, so nutrition is not a priority. And the minimal nutrition instruction that the students receive is based on the use of commercial pet food. 

Most veterinary schools in the United States are sponsored by pet food companies that offer the veterinary students free or discounted pet food throughout their training. The basic nutrition book for small animal courses is the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, written by the Mark Morris Institute, a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive, the maker of Hill's Scientific and Prescription Diets. 

Hopefully, you can establish a good working relationship with a veterinarian willing to learn about the benefits of raw feeding. If not, keep searching for a veterinarian who listens to your ideas and concerns.

Finding the right veterinarian is an essential aspect of keeping your dog healthy. Take the time to research the veterinarians in your area and online to find one that matches your philosophies on raw feeding, alternative modalities, vaccinations, and the use of pesticides.

Never feel that you have to stay with the same veterinarian. You are your dog's advocate! Do what is suitable for her.

Working with a holistic veterinarian may be the best option to meet your dog's needs, even if only through online consultations. 

 What Your Pet's Gut Microbiome Is Trying To Tell You With Dr. Judy Morgan 

Not Just About Dogs with Dr. Peter Dobias: Interview with Dr. Katie Woodley on Life, Medicine, and Thinking Differently on Apple Podcasts 

Your Questions On Treating Pets the Holistic Way Answered! With The Natural Pet Doctor Katie Woodley  

Brady, C. (2020). In Feeding dogs: dry or raw? The science behind the debate (pp. 167-169). Farrow Road Publishing.

You may have heard that all veterinarians are against <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/raw-feeding">raw feeding</a>, so how do you approach one knowing that you want to feed your dog a raw diet? Do you hide that information from them? 

<a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/vaccination">Vaccination</a> policies

Many veterinarians have standard treatment plans for common problems without really addressing the root cause of the issues. For example, you take your dog to the clinic because you notice blood in her urine. Many veterinarians will prescribe an antibiotic for an assumed urinary tract infection without running any diagnostic tests. They may think they are doing you a favor by saving money, but what if it is more than a simple infection? How many times will you be sent home with a bottle of <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/antibiotics">antibiotics</a> before it becomes necessary to start running tests? 

Many people mistakenly use the terms "holistic" and "homeopathic" interchangeably. But there is actually a significant difference between the two. <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/homeopathy">Homeopathy</a> is a modality used within the scope of holistic medicine. Homeopathic medicine is based on the belief that our body can cure any ailment by using tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals, that are believed to stimulate the healing process.

<a href="https://www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/">VetFinder – Find a Holistic Veterinarian – American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (ahvma.org)</a> 

Most veterinary schools in the United States are sponsored by pet food companies that offer veterinary students free or discounted pet food throughout their training. The basic nutrition book for small animal courses is the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition (SACN), written by the Mark Morris Institute, a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive, the maker of Hill's Scientific and Prescription Diets. 

Finding a Veterinarian Who Supports Raw Feeding

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