Inspiring Stories

Pratt the Miracle Cat

PRATT
Pratt is quite simply a miracle cat. She suffered from chronic herpes sinus infections, which resulted in difficulty breathing for most of her life. She overcame stomatitis twice, and held off a vicious sinus cancer for six months longer than the specialist said she would, all due to integrative treatment.

Sammy, a kitty with asthma

Sammy, the tabby with asthma

My 5 year old tabby developed asthma last year and has had several really severe attacks. He was given an inhaler, which we used often twice a day. Recently, he had another attack and my conventional vet gave him a shot, but he was extremely stressed at being in a vet's office where big dogs were coming into the office. They put him in a makeshift oxygen tent, and he almost died.

Chi was my teacher, my mentor, from the moment I held her at birth she was apart of me. Chi led me to the most special people and places. They were my inspiration and helped make managing her DM a creative challenge. Victory was a certainty. She was always a winner. Chi lived over three years past initial signs of DM. Chi graduated from wheels to four wheel drive with her quad cart. She wanted to go everywhere and meet everyone. She was an ambassador for integrative care and rehab.

Shelby with Kidney Infections

Integrative medicine has been a life-sustaining blessing for Shelby. As a result of scarring from several bouts with kidneys stones, Shelby’s kidneys became an ideal environment for infections. She has had countless E. Coli infections. When treated with conventional medicine, the infections would disappear… only to return just a few months later. Since being treated with integrative medicine, the amount of time Shelby is infection free has increased dramatically. She experiences many months without infection, thus improving her quality of life. Nutritional supplements have given her immune system the additional support it needs to combat most of these infections. When she does get another infection, antibiotics are able to clear it from her system. And, because Shelby does not need to take antibiotics frequently, they are still effective when they are prescribed for her. Integrative medicine has been the perfect mix of traditional and alternative therapies which has allowed Shelby to have a good quality of life. At this writing, through integrative medicine and God’s grace, Shelby has just celebrated her fourteenth birthday!

---- Patty Hedges

Sheba - Incontinence from Spinal Cord Injury

Sheba 1999 - 2013

We had a cat, Sheba, who was hit by a car at not quite a year old, resulting in urine and bowel incontinence due to nerve damage.

Trixie: with a spinal problem

Trixie: Acupuncture for a Tough Spinal Issue

Distraught after leaving the local veterinary school and being informed of our dog, Trixie's need for spinal surgery, we travelled to a local holistic veterinarian's office. The office was closed, but we peered into the office to see "if there were stars and moons on the walls." There were no such decorations, but much to our surprise the veterinarian had stopped by to pick up some things and came out to talk with us.

Bailey with Spleen Cancer

“…My beloved Beagle named “Bailey” was diagnosed with spleen cancer in November 2016. She was losing a lot of weight quickly so I took her to her normal veterinarian and he wanted to operate on her. At that time Bailey was over 16 years old. I agreed but after talking to several people, I had second thoughts so I cancelled the operation. When I called the vet it was mentioned to give her the herb “Yunnan Baiyao” and I could get it in the health food store. After trying many stores with no luck I reached out to my good friend Amy that makes essential oils and she recommend Dr. Mary Ellen of Sayre Veterinary Acupuncture... At that time Bailey was only given a few days to a couple of weeks to live. She was that bad.

Diablo - the Comeback Kid

Diablo, cancer
In 1994, my father was diagnosed with cancer. The disease was advanced so alternative treatments, we were told by professionals, weren’t a realistic alternative. The best and brightest minds in oncology decided aggressive radiation would give my dad his best chance.

Two months later he was dead.

My family grieved and while I urged my lonely mom to get a pet, she wasn't ready. Nor was she ready the next year. Or the next. Five years went by until she decided it was time.

We visited a breeder who had five toy fox terrier puppies, all so bouncy they spent more time in the air the on the ground. Of the five, one loomed large and in charge, at a whopping 1.5 pounds. He was more willful than the rest. He wasn't taking no for an answer. He was coming home with us by his choice; we had no say in the matter. And he would go almost two months in our care before being named because we desperately hoped he would outgrow the only name that felt appropriate. He didn’t. So the name stuck: Diablo.