Glacier Peak Holistics News
Volume III, Issue VIII ~ August 2016 Glacier Peak Holistics Herbal Remedies
Making Miracles Happen... Naturally!
Message from the Pack Leader:
One of the 30+ lakes that surround us. Up here in Northwest Montana, our summer has been nothing short of stunning. Our highs only in the low 90’s and 50’s overnight to cool things off for a new day. Without a doubt, my favorite kind of summer. However, it’s been anything but the lazy days of summer here at GPH. We are getting geared up for the annual American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association conference in September. This will be our second trip to this amazing group of holistic minds. We have made some wonderful connections with Alternative Veterinarians all over the country, which for us, is a dream come true. They are the ones with their hands on these pets, so we want to do all we can to support them with our herbal formulations and our Pet Wellness Scan.
Did you know that August 1st is the Universal Birthday for all shelter dogs? What a cool thing that so many precious pups get to have a birthday all on the same day! Happy Birthday to ALL those Furry Fur-ends who have found their forever homes. For those still waiting, may your birthday wish of a home of your own come true very soon.
August is also Pet Pain Awareness month. With that in mind, we are offering our wonderful pain formula, HerbAprin at 25% off for our August Special. Some of you may know it by its former name, Herbal Aspirin. We hope you like the name change. HerbAprin was designed to help relieve pain and discomfort, as well as help them to rest and sleep, as those are nature’s best medicines for healing. We’ve added some mild sedative herbs that really work to help them get there. When our pets hurt, we hurt too, so we want to help in the very best way for our pets. This special formula is not indicated for cats as it contains white willow bark, the original “aspirin”, but it’s great for dogs and horses. Use only as needed for pain from injury, arthritis, overexertion or recovering from surgery.
We have included in this issue a spotlight on a wonderful holistic vet from North Carolina. As you will see, she is dedicated to the natural healing world and is a joy to work with. We are also sharing with you a wonderful story about an adorable little guy named Sledge, and his siblings, Blu and Cohiba, shared with us by his “Mom” Gina Caravella from Pennsylvania. Way to go Gina! These wonderful pups are lucky to have found you.
Please enjoy this issue of our newsletter. May you have a lovely and healthy rest of your summer.
~Happy Tails~
Deb, Ellia and Krieger
We are thrilled to welcome Gina and all of her fur babies to our spotlight for August. It takes a special heart and tremendous courage to handle the needs of 10 pups as special as these! It has been our great pleasure to have been a partner with her in bringing Sledge, Blu and now, Cohiba, back to health.
If you would like to share your wellness story with other pet parents, pet store owners and a growing list of vets, please contact us as we would love to feature you and your fur babies in our Spotlight!
Well, it started with my dog, Sledge. He started losing his hair on his sides 3 yrs ago. Your test showed me all of his allergies and I switched him to raw diet now his hair is grown in but still spots.
Dr. Lisa Busko
Dr. Busko graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences in 2003. While in Veterinary School she completed the Bond – Centered Practice Training Program that included Pet Loss Support, Emotional Support Protocols, Communication Skills and Staff Relations. Since graduating from Veterinary School she has become certified in both Veterinary Acupuncture and Chiropractic and currently owns and operates an Acupuncture and Chiropractic Business in addition to doing some part-time relief work.
Her practice is located in the Piedmont area of North Carolina and is 70% Equine, 25% Small and 5% other farm animals. She is currently studying herbal medicine at the Chi Institute and hopes to become certified in the next year. She lives with 3 dogs, 4 cats, 6 horses 2 goats and many chickens. Be sure to check out her website too.
Her career in Veterinary Medicine is a second career; she started out with a B.S. in Economics from Colorado State University in 1986 and worked in the investment industry in New York City for eight years. Two years in the Mutual Fund Department of Bank of New York and 6 six years for a private investment company, Warburg, PIncus Counselors.
GPH: How long have you been offering holistic medicine?
Sometime in the year 2005 completed veterinary acupuncture training and became certified. I offered this service mainly to my patients at the large animal clinic I worked at.
I have been using cold laser therapy for about 6-7 years with much success in senior dogs, tendon injuries in horses and wound healing in both dogs and horses
My practice is about 50% large animal and 50% small animal and within that 90% of the small animal is actual athletic dogs that compete and train regularly - large animal - a small % of show cattle and about 75% of my horse clients compete on a regular basis the remaining are "pets and trail riding."
GPH: What holistic training have you had since vet school?
I completed acupuncture training in 2005 through the course at Colorado State University and became certified with that organization, (honestly, I can't ever remember what the certifying board name is they use, maybe AAVMA).
Then my large animal clients hounded me to learn chiropractic and I attended Options for Animals College of Veterinary Chiropractic in 2006 and became certified through the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association. Soon after that I became so busy I left traditional practice and worked for myself.
I am currently studying rehabilitation medicine for canines and hope to complete the equine portion in the future. I have been an instructor at Options for Animals since 2007 and see a demand for these services in the students that attend the course - they say their clients are asking for it.
GPH: Why do you think people are seeking out alternatives to conventional medicine?
People are seeking out alternatives to traditional or conventional medicine because they no longer want a "pill" to fix ailments if that pill is not treating the root or primary cause of the symptoms. Traditional medicine and drugs are still needed - they just need to be used in the appropriate way and in conjunction with alternative treatments and therapies to give the animal the best possible treatment and outcome.
People are also becoming more aware of the side effects of certain drugs and if they can be avoided they will choose a more natural root to healing..
Also, holistic or alternative medicine treats the primary cause of the disease process it doesn't cover up symptoms and possibly cause and additional problem.
GPH: What is the most exciting change you’ve seen in veterinary medicine during your practice life?
Many people are doing more with their companion animals and demand a lot from them - they are more geared to preventative "medicine " such as joint supplements, natural anti-inflammatories and the like. They are also more aware of the movement and health of the dog or horse - they notice subtle changes in performance, movement and or behavior and use chiropractic, acupuncture and laser therapies to help with these issues if there is a problem. People also use these modalities as preventative treatments for their companions.
There are also a lot of "working dogs and horses" that have very demanding jobs that are very important and it is imperative that these animals stay in great physical and mental condition so they can perform on demand.
That people are not accepting the run of the mill treatments for our pets, rehabilitation medicine and lameness specialties are becoming more acceptable and are being taught in some veterinary schools. These athletes are athletes and need proper care after injuries.
GPH: Who has inspired you in veterinary medicine?
Actually, I started working in a small animal clinic in Mesa, Arizona, after I quit working in the financial field - I had to just about beg him for a job. It was Dr. Adkins who gave me the courage to go to vet school and study in a field that I had a passion for.
GPH: Do you have any GPH Success stories to share?
I do have GPH success stories - one large animal - a mare with horrible carpus arthritis that could not handle joint injections any longer, used Herbal Aspirin and Inflapotion and she had to cut the dose down cause she was moving so well she was hurting herself - she had limited range of motion in her joint but she felt so good she thought she was 2 again.
I also have a senior dog, Wilson, that has liver damage and can no longer take many traditional NSAIDS - he is maintained comfortably with a combination of HA and Inflapotion, acupuncture and laser therapy - also a lot of care from his mom, dad and grandma!
We want to sincerely thank Dr. Lisa Busko for taking the time to answer these questions and share her story with all of us. ~ the GPH Pack
Brando's Birthday Wish by Traci Suzanne MarvelAs an extra special birthday present to shelter animals, we will be donating a portion of our profits from this month's HerbAprin special to our local shelter.