Holistic CareHolistic is derived from the word whole, and refers to the use of treatment modalities that take into consideration not just physical symptoms, but mental, emotional, environmental and nutritional aspects of a health problem.
The goal is to use natural treatments that help to restore the body to a state of balance and harmony. Holistic medicine is also commonly referred to as “complementary” or “integrative” medicine.
Holistic therapies can be beneficial for practically every medical condition – from arthritis to allergies, kidney or liver disease, cancer, and even emotional or behavioral issues.
Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into specific points of the body in order to create a desired healing effect. Acupuncture has been one of the primary methods of medicine used on people and animals in China and other parts of the world for over 3,000 years.
Chinese medicine considers local symptoms to be an expression of the state of the ENTIRE body. When the body is out of balance or in disharmony, disease can develop. Acupuncture treatments are aimed at restoring balance and helping the body heal itself.
The body’s invisible energy pathways are called meridians. These meridians travel throughout the entire body. Over 2,000 acupuncture points are located on these meridians. Therefore, by stimulating an acupuncture point, one can effect the many different structures along these pathways.
The insertion of the needle is generally not painful. A mild tingling feeling or numbness may occur after the needle is placed. Animals are often relaxed during or after a treatment. Animals are not sedated for the treatment and generally rest quietly.
Animal ChiropracticProper function of the spine is vital to the complete health of your pet.
Chiropractic care is a holistic approach to the health of your dog. Animal chiropractic care focuses on the proper function and health of the spinal column and nervous system.
Subluxation is a term used to describe bones that are misaligned. Subluxations can affect the flexibility and movement of the spine and interfere with nerve signals to other parts of the body.
There are many different reasons that an animal can have subluxations:
Several treatments may be needed in order to correct and maintain spinal alignment. Positive changes are generally seen within 1 to 3 treatments. Regular maintenance treatments are also important.
Dr. Strickfaden has extensive post-graduate training in animal chiropractic care and was certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (A.V.C.A.). in 1996.
Posture
Movement
Gait Abnormalities
Behavioral Changes
What is Bioresonance (BICOM) Therapy?It is a non-invasive, painless therapy for hundreds of chronic diseases in animals. Information is gathered from an animal’s electromagnetic frequencies through a computer called the “BICOM”. This therapy has been researched in Germany for over 30 years and is used in over 65 countries around the world on both humans and animals.
Bicom stands for BIologic COMmunication. The Bicom machine is a computer that identifies internal static (electromagnetic oscillations) via electrodes on the body, inverts the frequencies and returns the oscillations to the patient as a therapeutic signal. Bicom can also amplify healthy electromagnetic information from organs/tissues and strengthen normal physiological functions.
Improvements at the biophysical energy level are followed by an improvement in the biochemical process and physical structure. Improvement reactions can occur immediately as well as slowly over time.
Nearly every illness is connected with disharmonious energy oscillations. This is why Bioresonance therapy can be used advantageously in almost every condition and there are practically no contraindications.
Bicom is a gentle, natural therapy. The Bicom does not generate any electromagnetic frequencies, only changes those received by the body. It does not interfere with any other form of treatment or medication.
Since we are working on a subtle energy level, your pet may experience positive results from just one treatment, but most often it takes several treatments to unravel the layers and address medical problems. Chronic degenerative conditions may take several treatments before we can even address the primary or root problem.
Ideally, treatments are performed every 1-3 weeks and take approximately 30-40 minutes. You should plan on at least 4-6 treatments in order to help your pet achieve long lasting results.
Bioresonance therapy is designed to restore balance and harmony in the body, even before physical symptoms appear. Animals will benefit from therapy whether symptoms are visible or not.
Bicom truly redefines the meaning of Preventative Medicine!
Download a handout explaining chronic disease treatment and the Bicom treatment protocol: Bicom Foundations PDF
For more information, visit the Bicom 2000 company website
Eddie suffered from skin allergies. (Confirmed by skin biopsies & allergy testing). You can tell from his face how miserable he was.
When we first met Eddie, he could not go for 5 minutes without scratching himself. He had lost most of his hair and the pigment in his skin.
After 4 Bicom treatments and a diet change. He is a much happier dog.
Eddie after 8 Bicom treatments. He no longer itched and all of his hair had grown back. He is still doing great today – 4 years later
Craniosacral TherapyCraniosacral therapy is a gentle hands-on alternative medicine procedure for evaluating and enhancing the function of the craniosacral system (the system surrounding the brain and spinal cord).
The craniosacral system influences the whole body by affecting the brain and spinal cord, as well as the brain’s pituitary and pineal gland. As such, the craniosacral system serves as a core function in that the entire body’s health depends on its well being. As a core function, the therapy has the ability to treat a wide-range of disorders and physical disability, including spinal cord injuries.
The spinal cord is surrounded by a protective, three-layered membrane system (the meninges) that lies within the vertebral column. The craniosacral system consists of this membrane system, the enclosed cerebrospinal fluid, the physiological structures that control fluid input and outflow, and related bones.
It is a semi-enclosed biological hydraulic system encompassing the brain and spinal cord. Within the system, the cerebrospinal fluid rhythmically pulses at a rate of about ten cycles per minute. This is independent of heart or respiratory rhythms.
Research indicates that the skull bones gently move continuously to accommodate the fluid pressure changes within this system. Any occurrence that interferes with the membrane’s ability to accommodate the rhythmically fluctuating fluid pressures and volumes is a potential problem.
Craniosacral therapy’s object is to find areas of restricted movement that compromise function and re-establish normal movement. Because the craniosacral system encloses the brain and spinal cord, it influences the entire nervous system, affecting many body functions. These include the brain’s important pituitary and pineal glands. These glands, in turn, have the potential to affect the body’s entire hormonal balance.
During craniosacral therapy, Dr. Strickfaden uses a light touch equivalent to a nickel’s weight, and feels the rhythmic motion of the cerebrospinal fluid within the craniosacral system.
She checks the rate, amplitude, symmetry, and quality of this wave-like motion in places where the craniosacral membrane barrier attaches to bones such as the skull, sacrum and tailbone.
Any restrictions or blockages are treated with light-touch adjustments.
Flower EssenceEssences are a gentle and subtle means of restoring peace of mind and thus, allowing the body a chance to regain its strength and ability to combat ill-health through its own natural healing process.
Flower essences are homeopathically prepared from the flowers of non-poisonous plants, bushes and trees. There are several hundred flower essences each helping with specific mental and emotional states.
They work on the emotional state and body’s vibrational energy to allow the body’s physical system to fight disease and associated stress.
Essences are designed to restore balance and harmony in the body, even before physical symptoms appear. Many animals show emotional or behavioral problems that could benefit from the use of flower essences.
Flower essences are natural and do not interfere with any other form of treatment or medication. The appropriate combination of essences must be chosen in order to achieve results. We use a questionnaire and consultation visit to help us understand your animal’s emotional, behavioral and physical state.
A consultation appointment with you and your animal allows us to discuss your situation to guide us in determining the appropriate formula. You can fill out our behavioral questionnaire and bring it with you to your appointment.
Download our Dog Flower Essence Questionnaire (PDF) >
Fears and Anxieties
Behavior Problems
Therapy LaserLaser therapy involves passing a laser beam above your pet’s skin directly above the area to be treated. To your pet it feels like some warmth is being dispensed to the exact spot where the tissue needs help. The beam of Laser light is passed over the area for 3 to 8 minutes. Your pet does not experience any pain or discomfort. (Note: This is a completely different instrument than a surgical laser which is used for surgical procedures)
Laser therapy is credited with many important and beneficial effects including pain relief, accelerated healing of injuries, increased circulation, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, reduced scarring, increased patient comfort and range of motion.
Treatments are cumulative in nature. For best results, several treatments are generally needed. For chronic conditions, expect 6-10 treatments.
Side effects are not generally provoked by the proper use of a therapy laser unit.
We are using a Class IV therapeutic laser which has the capability of penetrating much deeper into tissues than class I-III units. This allows for more versatile applications, more power, better efficiency and improved results.
We are excited to bring this leading edge technology to our patients. Not only is it non-invasive and non-painful, but it affords other choices for managing chronic conditions and for rehabilitation of acute problems.
Ozone (O3) is an activated form of oxygen (O2). Medical ozone is made when medical grade oxygen is electrically activated using an ozone generator to form Ozone. It has been used in medical and naturopathic medicine since the 1870’s.
Ozone is an effective oxidizer that can kill all kinds of bacteria and viruses, including the toxins that they produce. Ozone is germicidal, bactericidal and fungicidal. It also works quickly to destroy any number of poisonous compounds such as chemical waste or pesticides, which makes the substance particularly valuable as a disinfectant in purifying water.
Ozone therapy is currently being used in many countries to treat a broad range of conditions and ailments in people, including allergies, arthritis, asthma, cancer, colitis, hepatitis and sinusitis.
Ozone therapy can be used to detoxify the body and to activate the immune system by stimulating the production of cytokines. Ozone therapy helps address a lack of sufficient cellular oxygen in the body which leads to poor health. Healthy cells require an oxygen rich environment. Many microorganisms and cancer cells are anaerobic (without oxygen) or have an anaerobic portion of their life cycle – meaning they cannot survive in an oxygen rich environment.
The method or methods used to deliver the ozone generally depends on what condition you are treating. The veterinarian will determine the best method(s) of delivery of the ozone to your pet.
The most common technique is Hemotherapy. Ozone is mixed with a blood sample from the body and injected intramuscularly. This technique targets any condition including allergies and cancer. Other methods of delivery include subcutanesouly, insufflation, inhalation, and transdermally.
Ozone therapy is not a drug or a magic bullet. It is a therapeutic tool which can aid the body in regaining health. In the end, the immune system has to do the work of healing the body. Ozone therapy is best performed along with other treatment modalities in order to achieve the best results.
The number and frequency of treatments will vary with the condition being treated. A treatment plan is determined on an individual basis depending on your pet’s specific medical issues.
For more information on ozone therapy, you can visit oxygenmedicine.com
Nutritional SupplementsIn order to understand why a patient can benefit from supplements, let’s start with defining the different levels of nutrition.
Refers to the animal’s daily intake, which should meet the daily nutritional requirements based on guidelines by the NRC (National Research Council).
Adding nutritional supplements to the basic diet to eliminate possible deficiencies caused by the diet and the animal’s biochemical individuality.
Involves the use of nutritional supplements in animals who display specific health problems and disease conditions.
Just because your pet is receiving the appropriate ‘basic diet’ formulated in the pet food, does not mean that you are supplying all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, etc. that he may need to thrive and be the healthiest that he can be (i.e. preventative nutrition).
Now, add on top of it a medical condition that requires additional support from the body and your pet may require even more nutritional components in order to adapt to a medical problem (i.e. Therapeutic nutrition).
So, the purpose of ‘supplements’ is to supply additional ingredients to ‘supplement’ the basic diet. Every pet’s needs will be different depending on his age, breed, lifestyle and potential medical conditions.
Nutritional supplements include a wide variety of substances. They can be divided into several categories:
Western & Chinese HerbsHerbs are medicinal plants containing as active ingredients only plants, parts of plants or plant materials, or combinations thereof.
An herb is a plant part in its entirety, while a drug is a synthesized copy of one chemical component. An herb’s total effect is a result of the combination of the chemicals.
The beginning of the pharmaceutical world is derived from herbs. The Foxglove leaf was determined to help with the treatment of heart failure in 1785. Researchers isolated a component and isolated the drug digitoxin.
Herbalists believe that by using the entire herb versus extracting one chemical to make a drug makes an herb potentially more powerful for healing than a pharmaceutical compound. Also, herbs in general have fewer side effects than synthetic compounds.
Herbal remedies come in various forms: dried/bulk, oils, tinctures, capsules, tablets, ointments/creams.
There are many different Herb(s) and they can be used therapeutically for any appropriate medical condition or to protect organs of the body. An example is the very popular Milk Thistle which has tremendous liver protectant ability with virtually no side effects or problems.
It is a common misconception for someone to think that because it is ‘natural’ it can do no harm. This is not true, herbs can interact with each other, can interact with medications and can cause toxicity problems. In order to decrease the chance of a problem, make sure that you:
Western herbs are generally plants that are grown in the Western part of the world. Chinese herbs are from China and are generally put into formulations of 4-10 specific Chinese herbal ingredients to apply a complex theory of holistic treatment according to Traditional Chinese Medicine principles.
What People
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"I first came to Countrycare with my female German Shepherd, Fina, who had been diagnosed with pancreatitis. I had left my previous vet's office with a bag full of pills, expensive cans of dog food and not much hope about Fina's future quality of life. I found Countrycare on the Holistic Veterinarian website. When I arrived at Countrycare I was treated with respect. Dr. Strickfaden listened to me and instead of handing me more pills she explained the various treatments that were available. I chose the Bicom treatments for Fina and within several weeks Fina was on the road to recovery. I now bring all my dogs to Countrycare for all their needs and for boarding. From the people who greet you at the front desk, to the technicians and the vets, everyone is very friendly, caring and professional. I wouldn't dream of taking my dogs to any other animal hospital." - Susan H.J., Freedom
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