We love integrative medicine now, but we didn't always feel that way. In fact, in the beginning we were rather skeptical and suspicious.  However, successful experiences with two of our cats brought us to a new understanding and a real appreciation for integrative medicine. Here is Booter's story:

BOOTER

When Booter’s lump appeared on his throat, we had no idea what we were in for.  It was troubling because none of the tests could confirm exactly what the lump was. We had already taken the conventional route - all they had to offer was more drugs, antibiotics and steroids. It took forever to even determine that it was cancer, because the biopsies kept coming back “inconclusive.”  In the meantime, due to all the tests we were running, we discovered that Booter had cardiomyopathy ( a weak heart) AND chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  That meant steroids could worsen his heart health. Earlier in his life he suffered from asthma and had received large amounts of cortisone to suppress that condition.

When we finally confirmed that his throat mass was lymphosarcoma, that was a real problem, because steroids were an important part of treatment for that type of cancer. By then, the lump was the size of a grapefruit on his neck.

Booter was still fairly young and had a strong will to live, so we trucked on over to the vet oncologist and started conventional chemo treatments.  They made him sick and listless, and he kept looking at us with eyes that begged us to fix him.  He was definitely not ready to just give in.  So we sought out an integrative veterinarian who suggested we try some non-traditional holistic medicine approaches to help the chemo work and boost Booter's natural immune system. It made sense to kill cancer cells and support Booter's immune system. There was no formal research for these techniques, but we talked to other clients and made up our mind to put aside our skepticism and give it a try.  What did we have to lose? 
When the integrative doctor talked about energy in the body I’ll admit it was hard to rein in my skepticism.  It seemed a bit fantastical and I wasn't sure of the scientific basis, but we had little to lose.  Nevertheless, as the weeks went by and we kept giving Booter the supplements, we witnessed a remarkable change in him.  While the chemo treatments still didn’t seem to be reducing the lump, he tolerated them so much better. And his oncologist was delighted.  His coat was shining and he was energetic and playful like he hadn’t been since he was a kitten.  He clearly felt better than he had in years DESPITE having this huge lump on his neck.

And just when we were on our second to last non-steroid chemo option, his immune system kicked in.  With all the help and support it derived from the supplements he was receiving, his immune system (which is usually decimated by chemo and years of steroids) finally was strong enough to aid the chemo and drive the cancer away.  It took close to a year, but he was declared in remission.  What had looked like a lost cause in the first few months was transformed into a victory, and our skepticism has obviously been transformed into belief.  In fact, as a direct result of witnessing what non-traditional medicine could do for our beloved cat, we've found a non-traditional medicine practitioner for ourselves, and transformed our lives as well.  But that’s another story!

We are now avid supporters of integrative medicine and hope that others learn and share this information. Supporting the AHVMA Foundation and its mission is a big part of our lives.

Michal Rogson and Grey Blavin, Los Angeles