Alternative Treatment with Dr. Erika Halle
Dr. Erika Halle, DVM, graduated from Oregon State University with her veterinary degree in 2010. She is a holistic veterinarian practicing alternative medicine. She practices acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) for dogs, cats, horses, and other animals. She also has experience and a certificate in veterinary spinal manipulative therapy (chiropractic) from Healing Oasis Wellness Center. In addition to these services, she offers Chinese herbal therapy, food therapy, and Tui-Na (Chinese medical massage).
Chinese Food Medicine
In ‘It’s a Dog Life’ podcast, Dr. Halle discussed her work with chinese food medicine. She explained chinese food medicine is utilized the same way chinese herbs are used. She provided several examples throughout the podcast. According to Dr. Halle, “when we’re diagnosing someone to decide on an herbal prescription, we’re looking at their condition. We ask, is it hot or cold? And, is there stagnation?” She continued “is there a deficiency? If so, what kind of deficiency. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, then that’s when we look at the types of food that can help.”
Leaky Gut Syndrome
A large portion of the podcast has to do with a tricky subject: leaky gut syndrome. She explained leaky gut is difficult because it’s a syndrome rather than a disease. With a syndrome, there is often no known cause. Leaky gut can be experienced due to dozens of different causes. Dr. Halle explained “anything that causes inflammation in the gut, even if that inflammation started somewhere else in the body and wasn’t primarily gut-related in the beginning.”
Pets still need to eat despite leaky gut, which makes treatment more difficult. According to Dr. Halle, the key to treating leaky gut is reducing inflammation. Once the swelling is reduced, the junctions can become tight again.
Every pet must also be treated as an individual on a case-by-case basis. But, her favorite method of treatment for leaky gut is bone broth collagen. The collagen comes in and essentially acts similar to a bandage. She continued to state “they cover up these holes, so they prevent anything from getting through. That way, we can still feed them, but we get fewer proteins or no proteins crossing the barrier.”
To learn more about leaky gut syndrome and holistic treatment options, the podcast is a must-hear. Even if your dog or cat doesn’t have this condition currently, it is quite common, and it’s good to know what your options are should he or she be diagnosed.
Contacting Dr. Halle
Dr. Halle can be reached via her website, healinghandspetvet.com. She also has a Facebook group known as Lady of the Beasts open for people interested in learning more about holistic options. Those interested in diving even deeper have the option of joining her exclusive Facebook group, Every Day Better, by clicking here.
About Angela Ardolino
Angela Ardolino, a certified cannabis and fungi clinician, brings over 20 years of expertise to the field of holistic pet wellness. As a graduate of the inaugural Medical Cannabis for Therapeutic Use program at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, she is a passionate advocate for safe, natural, and ethically-grown whole plant and fungi medicine tailored for pets.
Committed to the highest standards, Angela continues to educate and inspire pet parents through her popular podcast, Your Natural Dog, where she hosts experts to discuss holistic pet care, natural remedies, nutrition, and training. Follow Angela Ardolino on her website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to stay updated on her mission to educate and empower pet parents everywhere.
About Dr. Erika Halle
Dr. Erika Halle, DVM, graduated from Oregon State University with her veterinary degree in 2010. She is a holistic veterinarian practicing alternative medicine. She practices acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) for dogs, cats, horses, and other animals. She also has experience and a certificate in veterinary spinal manipulative therapy (chiropractic) from Healing Oasis Wellness Center. In addition to these services, she offers Chinese herbal therapy, food therapy, and Tui-Na (Chinese medical massage). Dr. Halle can be reached via her website, healinghandspetvet.com. She also has a Facebook group known as Lady of the Beasts open for people interested in learning more about holistic options. Those interested in diving even deeper have the option of joining her exclusive Facebook group, Every Day Better, by clicking here.