Choosing A Veterinarian

Jan 3

Choosing a veterinarian is one of the most important decisions you will make for your dog. With so many different types of veterinarians out there, it can be hard to know which one is right for you and your pet.

Here are a few of my thoughts to you choose the best veterinarian for your dog.

Types of Veterinarians and Wellness Support for Your Dog

You should have a local veterinarian for exams, diagnostics, bloodwork, imaging, surgery, emergencies, prescriptions, and hands-on medical care — while also building a wellness support team that helps you think through nutrition, lifestyle, supplements, essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, detoxification, and long-term prevention.

That is where many pet parents get stuck. They think they have to choose between conventional veterinary medicine and natural wellness. In reality, the best support often comes from knowing when each approach is appropriate and how to use the right resources at the right time.

Holistic Veterinarian

A holistic veterinarian looks at the whole animal, not just the symptom showing up today. Instead of focusing only on suppressing itching, vomiting, pain, inflammation, anxiety, seizures, or chronic illness, a holistic vet is more likely to ask what is happening underneath the symptom.

Holistic veterinarians may use nutrition, acupuncture, chiropractic care, herbs, homeopathy, nutraceuticals, traditional Chinese veterinary medicine, bodywork, energy medicine, and other natural therapies. Many are also beginning to incorporate essential oils into their practices.

The biggest difference is the mindset. A holistic veterinarian is usually looking at the dog’s terrain, immune system, digestion, inflammation, stress load, toxin exposure, diet, organ support, and overall vitality.

That matters because symptoms rarely happen in isolation. The itchy dog may also have gut imbalance. The anxious dog may also have nutritional deficiencies. The senior dog with mobility issues may also need inflammation support, weight management, kidney support, and nervous system support. The body is not a filing cabinet with separate drawers. It is all connected — whether the appointment is long enough to discuss it or not.

Integrative Veterinarian

An integrative veterinarian uses both conventional medicine and natural therapies. This can be a very helpful middle ground for pet parents who want access to diagnostics, prescriptions, surgery, emergency care, and lab testing, while also exploring nutrition, herbs, acupuncture, homeopathy, supplements, food therapy, and other supportive options.

Integrative veterinarians tend to understand that there is a time and place for conventional medication, but they may also be more open to asking:

Why is this happening?
Can we support the body more deeply?
Can we reduce the need for repeated medications?
Can we improve the diet?
Can we support the gut, liver, kidneys, immune system, nervous system, and detox pathways?
Can we use conventional care when needed without ignoring long-term wellness?

That is the kind of thinking many pet parents are looking for, especially when they are dealing with chronic allergies, seizures, cancer, kidney disease, liver issues, Cushing’s, diabetes, anxiety, vaccine reactions, mobility problems, or senior dog decline.

Why Holistic and Integrative Vets Can Be Hard to Find

Holistic and integrative veterinarians can be difficult to find, especially in local communities. There simply are not enough of them. Many have full schedules, long waitlists, or limited availability.

Some offer telemedicine or virtual support, especially when they can work alongside a local veterinarian for bloodwork, exams, imaging, and other hands-on procedures. This can be a wonderful option when your local vet is open-minded and willing to collaborate.

And this is where someone like me can also be part of your dog’s support team.

I am not a veterinarian. I do not diagnose, prescribe, perform medical procedures, or replace veterinary care. But I can help you understand the wellness side of the conversation. I can help you prepare better questions for your vet, understand what options may exist, organize your concerns, support nutrition and lifestyle changes, and explore natural wellness tools that fit your dog’s bigger picture.

That kind of support matters because many pet parents leave the vet with a diagnosis, medication, or “wait and see” plan — but very little guidance on food, supplements, detox support, environmental changes, emotional health, or how to support the body between appointments.

That gap is where I work.

Naturopathic Veterinary Support

Naturopathic medicine focuses on supporting the body’s ability to heal and regulate itself using natural tools. This may include herbs, homeopathy, essential oils, massage, acupuncture, exercise, nutrition, detoxification support, and lifestyle changes.

Some veterinarians practice with a naturopathic mindset, and some naturopathic animal professionals work outside the conventional veterinary model. The titles and legal rules can vary, so it is important to understand who can legally diagnose and prescribe, and who is providing wellness education and support.

When a case needs veterinary oversight, I can refer to holistic or naturopathic veterinary professionals when appropriate. I also recommend using the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association directory as a place to begin your search.

Find a holistic veterinarian online:
https://www.ahvma.org/

I often recommend Dr. Barb Fox when a pet parent needs holistic veterinary support, and I have other holistic and naturopathic resources I may refer to depending on the situation.

But here is the part that matters locally: you do not have to wait until you find the perfect holistic vet to begin improving your dog’s nutrition, environment, daily routine, supplement plan, and wellness foundation. There are many practical steps we can begin discussing right away.

Traditional Veterinary Practice

Traditional veterinary medicine is still important. We need veterinarians for exams, diagnostics, surgery, emergency care, imaging, bloodwork, prescriptions, dental procedures, wound care, and urgent medical decisions.

I am grateful we have access to that care.

But I also believe pet parents need to understand the limits of the conventional model. Many traditional veterinary appointments are built around symptoms, medications, procedures, and short appointment windows. That does not always leave room for a deep conversation about fresh food, gut health, chronic inflammation, detoxification, environmental toxins, vaccine timing, supplement quality, emotional stress, or long-term prevention.

There was a time when I fully relied on my vet for my dogs’ health. I accepted monthly flea and tick medication, monthly heartworm medication, repeated antibiotics, steroids, prescription foods, and the “let’s try this and see what happens” approach when no one really knew what else to do.

Now I know there is more to the conversation.

That does not mean every vet is bad. It does not mean every medication is wrong. It does not mean we throw out veterinary medicine and start playing internet doctor in the kitchen with a bottle of oil and a prayer.

It means pet parents deserve a fuller conversation.

They deserve to know there may be nutrition changes, natural support options, safer product choices, gut repair strategies, detoxification support, immune support, and lifestyle changes that can make a real difference in their dog’s quality of life.

The Corporate Veterinary Problem

It is also fair to acknowledge what many pet parents are noticing: veterinary medicine is changing.

Many veterinary practices are now owned by large corporations. Some are connected to major pet food companies, pharmaceutical interests, or large investment groups. That does not automatically mean your individual veterinarian does not care. Many vets and vet techs are compassionate, overworked, and doing their best in a difficult system.

But the system itself is not always built around long-term wellness.

When a clinic has sales goals, product goals, food recommendations tied to corporate relationships, short appointment slots, and standard protocols that leave little room for individualized care, pet parents can feel unheard. And dogs can end up stuck in cycles of repeated medications without anyone asking why the same problem keeps coming back.

This is why I encourage pet parents to be educated, respectful, and proactive. Ask questions. Read labels. Learn about food. Understand medication risks and benefits. Know when conventional care is necessary. Know when natural support may be appropriate. Build a team instead of handing over every decision and hoping for the best.

Hope is lovely. Strategy works better.

Natural Wellness Consulting

My role is to help you understand the natural wellness side of your dog’s care.

Through my blog, guides, consultations, and educational programs, I help pet parents explore nutrition, fresh food, supplements, essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, detox support, PEMF, senior dog wellness, allergy support, behavior and nervous system support, and proactive prevention.

I can help you think through questions such as:

Is my dog’s food helping or hurting the situation?
Are there safer options I should consider before jumping to long-term medications?
What should I ask my vet before starting this drug?
What labs or testing should I discuss with my veterinarian?
How can I support the liver, kidneys, gut, immune system, lymphatic system, or nervous system?
Are there nutrition changes that may support allergies, seizures, kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, Cushing’s, anxiety, or mobility issues?
What can I do at home that supports wellness without crossing into veterinary medicine?
When do we need a holistic vet involved?
When do we need emergency care now?

This is where I can participate in the process in a meaningful way.

I can review your dog’s history from a wellness perspective, help you organize concerns before your vet visit, suggest questions to ask, explain natural wellness concepts in plain English, and help you build a practical support plan around food, lifestyle, and supportive modalities.

When we need veterinary input, I will say that. When something sounds urgent, I will tell you to contact your vet or an emergency clinic. When a holistic veterinarian is needed, I can help point you in that direction.

But many pet parents do not need someone to replace their vet. They need someone to help them understand the rest of the picture.

Education Matters

Please understand this: nutrition, herbs, essential oils, homeopathy, detoxification, and many natural wellness tools are not deeply taught in most conventional veterinary programs.

That does not make them worthless. It means many veterinarians had to seek that education after school through additional training, workshops, mentors, certification programs, conferences, and personal study.

The same is true for many of us who work in natural wellness.

I have invested heavily in education in canine nutrition, raw feeding, aromatherapy for animals, homeopathy for animals, herbs, Reiki, Raindrop Technique, animal communication, energy work, and whole-dog wellness. I am not claiming to be a veterinarian. I am saying I bring a different type of education and support to the table — one that many pet parents are actively looking for and often cannot find in a standard appointment.

There is room for both.

Your vet handles veterinary medicine. I help you understand and apply wellness support.

That partnership can be powerful when everyone stays in their lane and the dog remains the priority.

Building Your Dog’s Support Team

The goal is not to choose one person and ignore everyone else. The goal is to build the right support team for your dog.

That may include:

A local veterinarian for exams, diagnostics, prescriptions, imaging, procedures, and emergencies
A holistic or integrative veterinarian for deeper medical guidance and natural therapeutic options
A rehabilitation professional for mobility, pain support, strengthening, laser, hydrotherapy, massage, or spinal care
A canine nutrition and natural wellness coach like me to help with food, supplements, lifestyle, detoxification, essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, and day-to-day wellness decisions

When you have the right team, you are less likely to feel trapped between “just do what the vet says” and “figure it out alone online.”

Neither of those is ideal.

You deserve better support, and your dog deserves a more complete plan.

Let’s Explore Your Options

If you are choosing a veterinarian, looking for a holistic vet, wondering if your current vet is the right fit, or trying to understand what natural options may exist alongside veterinary care, I can help you sort through the pieces.

I am not here to replace your veterinarian. I am here to help you become a more informed, confident, proactive pet parent.

Whether your dog is dealing with allergies, anxiety, seizures, cancer, kidney disease, liver issues, diabetes, Cushing’s, mobility problems, vaccine concerns, chronic inflammation, senior dog changes, or you simply want to do better before problems start, there is usually more we can discuss.

And when we need the holistic vet? I have resources for that too.

Choosing the Right Vet and Building the Right Support Team

Choosing a veterinarian is one of the most important decisions you will make for your dog, especially if your dog has allergies, seizures, cancer, kidney disease, liver issues, diabetes, Cushing’s, mobility problems, anxiety, vaccine concerns, or chronic symptoms that keep coming back. I am not a veterinarian and I do not diagnose, prescribe, or replace veterinary care, but I can help you ask better questions, understand nutrition and wellness options, prepare for vet visits, and build a more complete support plan for your dog. When appropriate, I can also refer pet parents to a holistic veterinarian who offers telemedicine, while supporting the non-veterinary side of care through nutrition, fresh food planning, supplement education, essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, detox support, PEMF, senior dog wellness, and whole-dog lifestyle coaching. I work with pet parents in North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Little River, Cherry Grove, Conway, Carolina Forest, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Calabash, Shallotte, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Brunswick County, Wilmington, Leland, and surrounding areas through local and virtual consultations. If you are searching for a holistic vet near North Myrtle Beach, integrative vet near Myrtle Beach, holistic dog wellness support, dog nutritionist near me, natural support for dogs, or help choosing the right veterinarian for your dog, let’s talk through the pieces your regular vet may not have time to cover.

Dana Brigman