Alternative Medical Care for Pets

S. Anne Smith, VMD, OMD, owner of Progressive Health Systems, has been administering alternative veterinary medicine since 1975. She started with homeopathy, progressing to acupuncture and incorporating structural work, chiropractic and myofascial release. Adding sound and color therapy, she currently uses Tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks in her work.

Smith treats mostly cats, dogs and horses, and to a lesser extent, birds and mice. She says, “Most of the conventional medicine and therapies and solutions work unsatisfactorily. They stop short of getting anyone really well. It’s a matter of treading water, and that’s not acceptable.”

In teaching a different kind of thinking to pet owners, Smith finds the biggest misconception that pet owners have is that there is a magic bullet or quick fix. Alternative medicine often involves the owners’ participation and patience.

Smith advises owners to read all pet food labels and look for fresh foods, noting that those containing grain were created as a supplement to real food, not a replacement for it.

Location: 29834 N. Cave Creek Rd., Ste. 118-118, Cave Creek. For more information, call 480-502-3355.