by Jean Hofve, DVM
Before last week, I had never heard of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT). But I am tremendously excited about this organization, and I think a lot of our readers will be interested to learn about it. CIVT is an international educational organization that brings science to holistic animal care–a desperately needed perspective! It primarily provides courses for veterinarians, but it isn’t limited to just vets. For example, they offer courses that lead to certification as a Natural Animal Therapies Consultant. For anyone interested in working in the animal health care industry, CIVT offers serious education that will give you a big advantage over folks who haven’t had this depth of training. All courses are online, so they’re extremely accessible. CIVT was founded by a group awesome! veterinarians from around the world, many of whom I know personally, taken courses with, and have learned so much from over the years. They are the top experts in their fields, which include acupuncture, Chinese and Western herbal medicine, homeopathy and homotoxicology. If your conventional veterinarian has any interest at all in learning more about holistic therapies, CIVT is the place to learn!
Last Wednesday, I attended a webinar given by Dr. Steve Marsden (probably the best-known and most-respected expert on veterinary Traditional Chinese Medicine in the world!) that was evidence-based medicine at its best. The topic was renal failure, and the possibilities he presented for long-term successful treatment just blew me away! (I have updated our article on Renal Failure in Cats accordingly.)
I highly recommend this organization for veterinarians as well as other animal health professionals!