Eugene Weekly‘s Pet Issue:
Cooking for Canines Get baked with Fido
Neu Day Rising Make your dog’s life testicle-rific with fake balls
Are You a Badfish Too? Exploring the toothy side of freshwater aquarium-dwellers
The Furriest Firefighter Firedog is much more than a mascot
Sasha at Serbu Hero dog needs a home
The Healthy Hound Holistic pet care in Eugene
Pure Pixelated Cuteness Popular cat videos, explained
The Healthy Hound
Holistic pet care in Eugene
By Nils Holst
When their favorite furry friend is struck with a case of the sniffles, most people take Fido on a trip to the vet, leaving with a $40-bag of medicated kibble and considerably less money in their wallet. This approach, tried and true, is usually effective in curing what ails ‘em, as well as creating an entire generation of kittens and puppies with vet-induced PTSD.
But this is Eugene, and — let’s face it — mainstream isn’t too big around here. Instead of supporting the dastardly capitalist machinations of international kibble companies, consider trying holistic veterinary medicine, an umbrella term for a collection of alternative veterinary practices intended to complement traditional veterinary care and treat the problem, not just the symptoms. Holistic veterinary care is big in Eugene, as is feeding pets well, and there are numerous stores and clinics in the area that offer acupuncture, Chinese herbs, homeopathy, raw food diets, nutritional supplements and much more for our four-legged friends.
The Healing Paws Wellness Center is one such clinic. Situated at 160 E. 18th Ave., kitty-corner from Starbucks, the small clinic offers acupuncture and homeopathy treatments, nutritional counseling, herbs and supplements, and carries a variety of raw and whole foods for your dog and cat.
“I’ve always been interested in holistic medicine,” Dr. Elise Radebaugh, who started the practice in 2008 with her husband, said. “I have a strong desire to rebalance and treat on a deeper level, rather than chasing symptoms.”
Radebaugh said the clinic tries to steer clients away from processed kibble, favoring home-cooked, organic and raw pet food.
“Our approach is to eliminate kibble,” she said. “We want to focus on balance, whether it’s mainly home-cooked or commercial.”
The Healthy Pet is another store that offers holistic products. Located at 2777 Friendly St., the store was founded in 1997 by Dr. Doreen Hock, a holistic veterinarian who has been operating in Eugene for more than 15 years, and offers a selection of foods, supplements and herbal remedies, all vetted by Hock herself.
“What we try to carry is the top-of-the-line pet foods,” she said. “We don’t have a huge selection of everything, we have an edited version of what’s out there.”
“We have a very loyal customer base,” said Randall Loew, a customer for 13 years who now works at the store. “We’re not just a pet store.”
All American Pet offers natural, organic and holistic pet food and products. Located in Pioneer Plaza, the family-owned business has been operating in Eugene for more than 20 years.
According to Richie Powell, whose mother opened the business in 1988: “We try to get as far away from chemicals as we can.” He added, “We try to educate the consumer on what is the best for their pets.
“We try to treat people right, we try to be straight with them,” he said. “That’s what we strive for.”
Know more places to get your pets the care and food they deserve? Let us know: letters@eugeneweekly.com