Exclusive Interview with Paul McCutcheon, Author of “The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats”

PETS Magazine caught up with Paul McCutcheon during his recent visit to Singapore.

1. What does the holistic approach entail?

The holistic approach aims to treat the body as a whole and not just the symptoms. It addresses the root of the problem and works to support the body in a variety of ways. Some of the methods include bioresonance therapy, herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture.

Contrary to popular belief, holistic methods do not aim to replace conventional medicine and treatment, but work to complement them. I want readers to be more conscious of how they bring up their pets. In the book, I talk about the stress-health connection and the emotional impact that our lifestyles have on our pets. Our pets pick up emotional stresses from us, too.

When it comes to treatment, some of the conventional treatments can be too destructive for the body. We avoid having to put the body under duress so we recommend treatments that support the body’s journey, and extend the quality and vitality of life.

2. What was your inspiration for the book?

I’ve been a vet for 48 years so it was about time I did something! Actually, I wasn’t thinking about writing a book. It was through encouragement from Susan Weinstein – a writer whose dog was a patient in our clinic – that really pushed me to do so. She’s the co-author of the book but sadly, she has passed on due to cancer.

Because of medical advancements that we’ve had over the years, I feel that our pets are now over-medicated. There are given way too many vaccines, antibiotics and steroids to treat allergies, boost immunity and combat diseases. Some of them are unnecessary to the system. Holistic methods aim to cut down the unnecessary, think of it as, if the body is healthy and if the body is strong, it is less likely to be affected by ailments and/or diseases.

I’ve always had an inclination to the holistic approach. When I founded my clinic, the East York Animal Clinic in 1962, the holistic approach was considered as a “cult” because it contradicted many conventional beliefs and was misunderstood as a replacement for conventional medicine.

I incorporated the holistic approach in my TV work on animal-related shows, my print contributions to animal magazines and through my own practice. Times have changed, and now, people are becoming more educated and are more receptive to it.

3. In your years of practice, what are your memorable success stories?

The success rate depends on how strong the body is to begin with. I find this applicable to human health, too. I had this patient, Tara a terrier, who had an aggressive blood cancer. I diagnosed her with genetic stress, dietary stress and medically-caused stress. I removed the tumourous spleen to allow the slow-acting supportive therapies to take effect on her. At the same time, I put her on an unprocessed diet, drainage remedies, homeopathics, and specific nutritional supplements to improve her immune response. She recovered and her cancer did not return – she even accompanied me to a book signing!

4. In your book, you talk about the stress-health connection. What kind of stresses do domestic pets undergo?

When the symptoms start to show, it means that the body has already been attacked. Stress is the body’s reaction to the environmental demands. Every ailment is a consequence of all the reactions of the body. It’s better to treat the body even before the symptoms start to show.

Domestic pets may experience stresses caused by genes, diet and medicine. Some pets may have behavioural problems caused by pre-natal stress; so this usually starts from young. Sometimes, it is also a result of feeding. It’s very common to find that pet owners do not know how to read pet food labels correctly, they often make their purchase decisions based on how the pet food packaging looks like, without looking at the contents.

Personally, I’m a strong believer of the raw food diet. I believe that real, unprocessed food is better for our pets. They shouldn’t be put on a vegetarian diet just because their owners are vegetarians – our pets are carnivores and they need essential vitamins and proteins (which can be found in meat) to survive.

It’s also very common for our pets to be over-medicated. Sometimes the symptoms are caused by the build-up of all the different vaccines and medicines that our pets have been taking. These medications have a small percentage of insecticides in their ingredients and over a period of time, it really builds up in the body and has harmful effects in the body.

Our pets pick up on all the emotional stresses too. If the owners are upset, they pick it up and feel stressed as well.

5. What is the most rewarding thing about your job?

Seeing my patients recover. That’s really what I love about being a vet.

6. What are your future plans?

I hope that people who read the book will take it a step further and implement the learning points to enrich their pets’ lives.

7. Do you plan to retire soon?

I’m not been thinking about that actually. I went to a high school reunion and I’m one of the only two left who still has not retired. I think it’s such a pity when people my age retire – they should keep going! This is the stage where people need them the most because people look to people with experience and they feel a certain level of trust.

For more information on The New Holistic Way for Dogs & Cats, visit http://www.newholisticway.com/paul-mccutcheon-susan-weinstein.htm