If you're wondering what type of veterinary medicine we practice at Light On Vet, read on. Here you'll find what type of services we offer and what our Mission Mantras (some might call this a mission statement) are.
Our Practice Mantra: Ahimsa
The first mantra that directs our approach towards the practice of veterinary medicine comes from the popular yoga theme of Ahimsa Paramo Dharma. In its most simplistic version, this means the practice of non-violence and benevolence toward all living beings. We treat all of our patients with compassion and gentleness, with their ultimate good health at the forefront of our approach toward treating them.
Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.
- Hippocrates.
We are primarily a holistic, natural pet care veterinary practice. As such we stress the important things in achieving and maintaining optimum health for our patients. First and foremost is good nutrition. We realize this is a loaded and controversial topic. But if your pet's health is not optimum you need to schedule a nutritional consultation with Dr. Busch. We believe The Number One factor affecting an animal's health is its diet. Secondarily, we avoid the most common prescriptions used in typical vet hospitals across the country. That is, we avoid steroids and antibiotics, instead favoring Chinese herbs (e.g. Rehmannia), Ayurvedic herbs (e.g. Turmeric), and Western herbs (e.g. Milk Thistle). Medicinal herbs are a type of food and medicine and can be powerful cures for many diseases and disorders, often without the serious side effects of prescription drugs. If your pet is on a revolving door of steroids and/or antibiotics, it is time to call Dr. Busch for a consultation.
Mantra:
A Body in Motion Tends to Stay in Motion - from a Newtonian Law of Physics.
Exercise is the second most important factor affecting your bonding with your pet and its overall physical health. Therefore your pet's quality of life and your quality of life with your pet (dog or cat!) is directly related to how much exercise it gets. Light On Vet can help you get your dog or cat adequate exercise. (Most behavior problems in dogs are due to lack of exercise.) In fact, we don't just give this lip service by talking the talk, we walk the walk, too. If you live near Havertown, and you're interested in joining Dr. Busch's daily dog walking group with your dog, contact Dr. Busch at 215-287-3206. You can also join us virtually if you don't live nearby. Check us out on Facebook for updates.
Mantra:
First rule of medicine, do no harm - Hippocrates. In other words, if it ain't broke we are not going to go looking for a needless, expensive way to "fix" it and mess up a good thing.
If your pet is in excellent health, we are not going to recommend chiropractic adjustments or even dietary changes or anything else, if nothing is indicated. However, if your pet or horse is an active competitor, such as an agility dog or a dressage horse, acupuncture may help elevate its performance level significantly. Likewise, we know you'll be getting plenty of reminders to have your animal vaccinated from your regular veterinarian. As a result, we do not offer any vaccinations or chemical flea or tick killing products at Light On Vet. In general we see too many patients who have had unnecessary vaccinations and exposure to harmful chemicals over their lifetimes and we are fully prepared to address these issues with our holistic approach to your pet's health.
In addition to acupuncture, herbal (Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Western) botanical medicine, and nutritional consultations, we also offer homeopathy and physical rehabilitation including massage. Beyond these therapeutic approaches, several people bring their healthy pets to Light On Vet for their yearly check up, because they know Dr. Busch will not recommend anything that's unnecessary for their animals. For example, clients know she has nothing to gain by suggesting a dental cleaning of your animals teeth if it's needed, because she does not perform them.
End of Life Celebrations
We at Light On Vet recognize the love you have for your animals. Dr. Busch is available for leading a Celebration of Life service for your ill or recently deceased beloved pet. These services are helpful in honoring a lifetime of companionship and unconditional love bestowed on you by your best four-legged friend at or near the end of its life. Contact Dr. Busch for details.
