Four Winds Holistic Animal Services

– gentle effective healing for body, mind, and spirit –
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Effective immediately, our new office phone number is

865-789-6153
Holistic therapy for animals and their people is gaining in popularity. Holistic veterinary medicine emphasizes the use of natural treatments such as homeopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, and supplements. But there is more to holistic medicine than just using natural substances and methods in place of drugs and surgery.

Six Easy Ways to Improve Your Animal's Health

In our society today health is frequently defined as the absence of symptoms. This definition is inadequate and far too limited. The holistic definition of health is balance, the harmony of body processes called homeostasis. This harmony enfolds the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic aspects of each animal into a unified whole. When balance exists, the animal feels good and there are no symptoms. There are no exceptions; healthy animals do not have ear infections; they are not afraid of thunderstorms; they are friendly, bright, and inquisitive. They are in balance.

When balance is disturbed, symptoms arise. Because the body is a package deal, when one aspect is out of balance, the whole organism is affected. We have all experienced this. When we have a cold, our head hurts, our nose may be stuffy, we may cough, our eyes may burn, we can’t sleep, we can’t concentrate and we may become grumpy. Our animals experience the same sequence. A malfunction in one area sets off a cascade that eventually impacts the entire animal.

If health is balance and harmony and symptoms represent imbalances, then the primary goal of treatment should be to restore balance because that(and only that) will allow the animal to heal. Symptoms are merely a reflection of internal disorder; they are not the primary problem. Restoring balance will, in simple cases, permit the symptoms to dissipate on their own or with trivial treatment. In more complicated and serious cases, working to restore balance will reduce or eliminate the driving force behind the symptoms, facilitate their treatment, and minimize the amount of therapy required.

Chronic diseases can respond particularly well to the holistic approach of strengthening the animal’s life force and promoting normal function of body components. Many holistic veterinarians consider nutritional, lifestyle, and environmental factors as well as medical factors when designing a treatment plan, giving their patients enhanced opportunities for healing.
In her practice, Four Winds Holistic Animal Services, Sandra A. Priest, DVM, offers chiropractic care for small animals, holistic therapy and wellness for dogs and cats, and holistic behavior therapy. Her training includes certification in animal chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and in Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique by the Morter Health System. Dr. Priest has completed Dr Richard Pitcairn's Professional Course in Veterinary Homeopathy and is certified in veterinary NAET (Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique). Dr. Priest is a Reiki Master.

Dr. Priest has been published in the Innovative Veterinary Care Journal, DogWorld, and the American Kennel Club Purebred Dog Gazette. She has appeared on local and Japanese television and been featured in newspaper articles.

Dr. Priest sees dogs and cats at the Knoxville Animal Clinic (5312 Homberg Drive in Knoxville, Tennessee) by appointment only.

Call 865-789-6153 for additional information or an appointment.

Six Easy Ways to Improve Your Animal’s Health


  • Feed your animal a good quality diet (one without byproducts, animal digest, BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin). Make diet changes gradually to allow your animal’s digestive system to adjust to the new diet without upset.

  • Make sure your animal always has access to clean, fresh water. Do not put medicines or other substances in your animal’s only water source. Put any medications in a second water bowl placed by the regular water bowl. Proper hydration is essential to good health and many animals will not drink the water they need if it is medicated.

  • Avoid giving your animal microwaved food. Studies show that ingestion of microwaved food has a negative impact on the body’s immune system. Click HERE for more information.

  • Gradually introduce fresh fruits and vegetables into your animal’s diet. Be sure to wash all produce with a vegetable wash and rinse thoroughly to remove pesticide residues. Fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of naturally occurring antioxidant compounds which can improve your animal’s health. Animals who don’t care for fruits and vegetables should not be required to eat them. Vegetables may be lightly steamed or boiled for animals who do not care for raw produce.

  • Exercise your animal. Appropriate exercise maintains mobility, facilitates digestion and weight control, decreases stress, and improves mood.

  • Minimize the use of chemicals in your animal’s environment. Many animals are indoors most of the time, which increases their exposure to indoor air pollution, mold, and environmental contamination. There are many excellent natural cleaning products whose use can reduce the chemical burden in your home. Click HERE for easy to make formulas. Proper maintenance and ventilation of the home can reduce mold contamination. Fertilizers and pesticides used on lawns and gardens are another source of chemical exposure for your animal. Natural methods of lawn and garden care can be found HERE.

    Four Winds
    Holistic Animal Services

    865-789-6153

    https://www.fourwindsholisticvet.com

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