XP: How do I find a holistic or natural vet?

[scooter028]

Any recommendations for a natural or holistic vet in the Philly area?  
I'm a raw feeder and I am really tired of paying our vet to scold me for 20 minutes.  The amount of vaccinations they want to give is also ridiculous.  Has anyone else read this article about new vaccination guidelines?  healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/10/27/new-canine-vaccination-guidelines.aspx
What kind of schedule does everyone do for vaccines?  Our current vet wants to give us the whole kit and kaboodle every year and I think it's completely unnecessary.  Maybe I'm offbase, curious to hear what others do. 

[patches31709]

Our guy only gets the rabies vaccine.

ETA: I just wanted to add that we titer yearly for DHLPP and our guy hasn't needed it as an adult dog. Studies are showing it can last 5-7 years.

[redheadbaker]

Rockledge Vet Clinic (401 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, PA 19046) are great advocates of the raw diet.

ETA: Our schedule is to give rabies one year, DHLPP the second year, nothing the third year, then repeat.

[riverpestie]

www.ahvma.org/

[greencrayon]

Vets spend tens of thousands of dollars to go to school for years and work 80 hours a week, but I'm sure YOU know whats better for your dog.

[patches31709]

Feb 13, 2013 21:59:18 GMT -5 greencrayon said:

Vets spend tens of thousands of dollars to go to school for years and work 80 hours a week, but I'm sure YOU know whats better for your dog.

Ummmm, what? There's plenty of research that raw diets are better than kibble, but vets arent' all experts in nutrition, and they receive training from companies like Science Diet. 
There's also plenty of research that shots aren't needed yearly - you don't get the same shots every year, do you?

[awick14]

Feb 14, 2013 12:38:03 GMT -5 greengardener said:

Feb 8, 2013 17:47:41 GMT -5 patches31709 said:

Our guy only gets the rabies vaccine.

ETA: I just wanted to add that we titer yearly for DHLPP and our guy hasn't needed it as an adult dog. Studies are showing it can last 5-7 years.

This is an interesting idea.  Our vet just mentioned moving to an every other year schedule for distemper for our older dog.  I guess I hadn't even thought about titers being available for dogs.

If you board, do you get any flack from the boarding facility?  

This would be my main concern. We have only had our puppy for 9 months and we were discussing this the other day. He will be going in for his yearly shots and I was curious on how this works when you board your pet.

I will have to talk to the boarding place before he gets any shots.

[patches31709]

Feb 14, 2013 12:38:03 GMT -5 greengardener said:

Feb 8, 2013 17:47:41 GMT -5 patches31709 said:

Our guy only gets the rabies vaccine.

ETA: I just wanted to add that we titer yearly for DHLPP and our guy hasn't needed it as an adult dog. Studies are showing it can last 5-7 years.

This is an interesting idea.  Our vet just mentioned moving to an every other year schedule for distemper for our older dog.  I guess I hadn't even thought about titers being available for dogs.

If you board, do you get any flack from the boarding facility?  

He actually has never been boarded, we're very lucky that my sister or my ILs will always watch him for us. I'm not sure the DHLPP is required for boarding everywhere, is it? Maybe proof of a good titer would be enough to satisfy that?

If nothing else, I know there's a 3 year DHLPP available - I would at least switch to that instead of the yearly version.

[scooter028]

Feb 13, 2013 21:59:18 GMT -5 greencrayon said:

Vets spend tens of thousands of dollars to go to school for years and work 80 hours a week, but I'm sure YOU know whats better for your dog.

They sure know how to recommend foods that ensure I have to bring my dog in every couple of months for problems. That's what I know. And dog food companies like science diet are the ones who fund their one nutrition class that most vets take. Not trying to get on any kind of soapbox, just saying. Our new vet was surprised about our dog's remarkable teeth and asked if I brushed them daily. Uh definitely never. That's funny, before raw feeding, our last vet said a cleaning was imminent and their teeth would start to rot if we didn't.