Fall Education

Fall is "meeting season" for me. Two of my main meetings that I try to get to every year always seem to happen within a month of each other every fall. I just returned from the AHVMA (American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association) meeting in conjunction with the VBMA (Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association). Such an amazing assortment of veterinarians trying to make the world a better place through kinder gentler treatments that support the body's natural healing abilities. Lectures on nutrition, herbs, essential oils, acupuncture (watch out, I've taken some general courses and have needles...), and many other topics. There is a strong movement to have scientific verification and proof that these therapies are genuine. What is being discovered about the effects of acupuncture on the nervous system and blood circulation is fascinating. As with the herbs, I need to see these things work for myself and enjoy the science along with the history and tradition that created these therapies when they were the only options for our ancestors. Yes, modern medicine is fabulous and saves lives, but there is still so much that we don't know about traditional as well as modern therapies.

My next meeting is in October, the
IAAHPC (International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care). Again, another incredible group of people, passionate about what they do to help animals and their people. I have been on the Board of Directors for this group for the last year and helped create the animal hospice guidelines the year before. There is still a lot to be done including more education and working towards a certification course for veterinarians, also for veterinary technicians and others involved in caring for animals at the end of life. I feel very fortunate (and busy!) to be involved with these projects and to watch this field grow.