Natural medicine for dogs: Bach Flowers, homeopathy, homotoxicology, digitopressure, acupuncture, hydrotherapy…

Relationship is the focus of the method practiced by Aldo La Spina at the Centro Cinofilo Europeo. Relationship is the focus as well of holistic remedies: it is a concept stating that all aspects of people’s needs (psychological, physical and social) should be taken into account and seen as a whole. I think this is true also for dogs, since they live in a network of relations linking everything: human world, animal world, vegetal word, environment. For example, among the complementary remedies that I use most in my profession are Bach Flowers ("working" on the emotions and life energy) and homeopathy.My wife is a veterinary and works with homeopathy and homotoxicology. My wife and I began to explore ways of using these forms of medicine with dogs to avoid damages and side effects of drugs that are often prescribed unnecessarily. Of course we keep on using conventional drugs, but only in a balanced and correct way. In 1995 I decided to deepen this field because I saw many dogs not necessarily subjected to harmful drugs. Therefore, together with my assistant biologist, I began to use Bach Flowers with excellent results. Dogs’ owners asked us more and more often to use natural remedies to reduce suffering, since there are no side effects. One of the reasons why veterinarians are increasingly using them is that if you work with animals there is no excuse of the placebo effect.

Another method comes from energy disciplines: shiatsu, acupressure and acupuncture. They are very effective on dogs. They help rehab in the case of fractures or lesions due to ageing. The points on which work are identified by analogy with the human anatomy. similar especially in the case of horses. We started practicing acupuncture 12 years ago with a vet and a Reiki Shiatsu operator. During these sessions, dogs lay down. The effect is good, better than when you are using chiropratic care, which is very invasive, temporary and expensive. On the contrary, the effects of acupuncture and Shiatsu are slower but safer. Obviously vet’s supervision is requested as these tretments alongside physiotherapy. 

Hydrotherapy that we practice in our pool for dogs is as well part of natural treatment methods.