The application of various modalities is done in a synergistic way to help stimulate, strengthen and support the body's own biological processes and natural defenses to premature aging and disease. This is used as a means of preventing-as well as reversing-biological imbalances which lead to health or behavioral problems.

Nutrition is fundamental to a natural animal care program and can often be the deciding factor between emotional wellness, health and disease. Poor nutrition will quickly lead to an imbalance, cripple the body's curative abilities, cloud the mind and possibly create behavioral problems. Regardless of the amount of attention, drugs or natural remedies given to an animal, if the animal is not receiving adequate nutrition, he or she is lacking the basic tools with which to support wellness and a curative response when needed." Nutrition is also the cornerstone of a modality known as NATUROPATHY. Defined by a medical dictionary as a "drugless system of therapy" naturopathy is a comprehensive approach which emphasizes supporting the body's attempts to eliminate disease.

Naturopathic methods follow a central idea that a major cause of disease is an excessive buildup of toxic materials (often due to improper eating, environmental toxins and lack of exercise) which clog the eliminatory system. Various techniques are used to clean out (detoxify) the body and stimulate reversal of symptoms and disease. Besides the cleansing process, animals should be on a supportive program of high quality nutrition, proper food combining (to stimulate and aid digestion) and the judicious use of nutritional supplements, herbs, and homeopathy.

Basic to folk medicine and every culture since ancient times, herbs are probably the most fundamental of specific remedies to stimulate natural healing. It is widely believed that people began using herbs after observing how animals in the wild will often instinctively select appropriate herbs when they are ill. In HERBOLOGY, emphasis is place on the use of specific herbal leaves, roots, bark, flowers and seeds to assist the healing process by primarily helping the body to eliminate and detoxify, thus taking care of the underlying problem the symptoms are expressing. As compared to the pharmaceutical counterparts, herbs provide a slower and deeper action. They are quickly becoming very mainstream, as nutraceutical products (nutritional supplements) are lining the shelves of health food stores and drug stores.(Newman, 2005)

A simplified example of how homeopathy works is that of bee venom. We know that a bee sting will cause a certain topical reaction, including swelling, fluid accumulation, redness of skin, pain, and soreness that is accentuated by the application of heat or pressure. Some sensitive animals will experience mental, physical and emotional symptoms such as apathy, stupor, listlessness, or the opposite, whining, restlessness, and fearlessness. If a homeopathically prepared dilute solution of the venom (known as Apis) is given to an animal with these symptoms - even if they are caused by something other than a bee sting, like an allergic reaction - the condition will soon begin to clear up. The essential key is that the symptoms are quite similar to what the remedy, in its undiluted state, would create. Flower essences (support emotional states) and tissue cells salts (support physiological processes) act similarly in stimulating the body's own natural healing and homeostasis.

A holistically reared animal is in a state of balance existing on three interrelated levels; the physical, the emotional and the environmental. A healthy animal experiences physical vitality and freedom from physiological malfunction, emotional clarity resulting in good behavior and happiness and receives (as well as contributes) joy, love, and security in the living environment.

This is the opposite of a chemically reared animal, who is often found to be in a state of imbalance or dis-ease. The consequences are an unhealthy animal who experiences lack of physical reality. The animal suffers from chronic symptoms, premature aging due to physiological malfunction, and emotional stress resulting in negative behavior. Most often an unhealthy animal als lives in a physically toxic environment. It is impossible to have one organ system affected without it then affecting the others. Frequently, deep in a state of general imbalance, the body will be assaulted by certain substances that an otherwise healthy body would have no problems processing - allergens, viruses, bacteria, toxins - yet the unbalanced body crashes.

Every animal caregiver's primary goal should be to provide their animal companion with emotional and physical well-being - to prevent and reverse disease by supporting the body's natural curative process - rather than simply suppressing the signs of imbalance.

Treat the body well and the body will be well.

By providing your animal with ample love, play time, exercise, quality nutrition, proper supplementation, and holistic remedies when appropriate, your animal's body will remain in healthy balance. If assaulted by certain substances which develop an imbalance, the body simply reestablishes its balance, preventing further degeneration.(Hahnemann)