Don't let your dog be a cash cow. I know I did for years until I discovered Eastern medicine and alternative therapies out of desperation. These practices are often viewed as "out there" and definitely not mainstream, but omg they are effective. They are rooted in the belief that the body has the power to heal itself and rebalances and aligns the mind, body and spirit to restore to optimal health. Treatment is individualized and based on the symptoms that are presenting. The goal is to uncover the root cause and then help the body, mind and spirit heal itself.
I never believed in any of this until I saw it work on my dog after years of conventional meds failed him. He was diagnosed with with vasculitis and a host of other chronic conditions, homeopathy saved him, steroids did not, in fact, they almost killed him. I was extremely skeptical of homeopathy and never in a bajillion years thought that it would work, but it did and I am grateful. And my love and appreciation for alternative therapies was born. Modern and western medicine is amazing and can absolutely save lives, but I do believe alternative and Eastern therapies should be considered first.
I've also come to believe that if something has been around for centuries, like homeopathy and acupuncture, it still works today. There is often a lot of controversy and some stigma around alternative therapies and Eastern medicine in our society. I think a lot of this is because our culture embraces quick fixes and popping pills because it is easier than finding and treating the root cause and making major lifestyle shifts. It's much easier to pop a pill for a symptom as opposed to going to say acupuncture weekly or making serious changes to diet. You also need to have the resources, desire and knowledge to obtain and use these alternative approaches.
I think the other big issue is big pharmaceutical companies are truly corrupt and could care less about your health or the health of your dog. According to this article, "Institutional Corruption of Pharmaceuticals and the Myth of Safe and Effective Drugs" published in the National Library of Medicine, states, "The pharmaceutical industry has corrupted the practice of medicine through its influence over what drugs are developed, how they are tested, and how medical knowledge is created." These same pharmaceutical companies that are making drugs are also the same companies that are funding research and sponsoring the FDA, the organization that deems drugs safe or not. How can this be unbiased or ethical? It's not.
There is also a lack of scientific and unbiased research available when it comes to homeopathy for example. It takes an incredible amount of money to fund research and clinical trials, which is a drop in the bucket for pharma companies but virtually impossible for say, your local acupuncturist to fund.
The same thing is happening in the veterinary industry. No question. The medical industry and veterinary industry are just that: industries. The goal of industries and big companies are to sell products like medicine, vaccines and kibble that make money, not necessarily keep your animal well and thriving. Big companies can't profit off of nature, so they don't. They sell you products that are designed to keep your dog alive but not thriving because a healthy dog is not a paying customer. Sick dogs are cash cows.
If you don't want your dog to be a cash cow, feed them raw food. Vaccinate them carefully. You can read more about what to feed, which includes raw food brands, home-cooked food, supplement recommendations as well as how and when to vaccinate. If your dog is sick, please visit Bobzilla's Healthy, Happy Life Made Simple to help your dog feel better naturally.