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Chelsea Vet Likes
When Dr. Betty Jo Black visited—and fell in love with—Vermont one year ago, she may not have predicted the dramatic impact it would have on her life. Black had her own business as a certified veterinary homeopath in Colorado, with patients referred from all over the state and beyond. In a serendipitous turn of events, the Chelsea Animal Hospital was looking for a second veterinarian. Black’s training in veterinary homeopathy was a perfect complement to Dr. Anne Carroll’s conventional practice. Dr. Black closed her office and moved to Chelsea and has since moved her mother to Chelsea as well, to live at Riverbend Residential. "I was afraid I might feel claustrophobic," the Montana native admits of living in a New England village, but she is enjoying her new, tight-knit community and getting to know people quickly. Black is accustomed to wide open spaces, as a wilderness guide and avid hiker and backpacker in the Rockies. Her other interests include folk music and dancing, and recently, sea kayaking. Black’s real passion, though, is her practice. She earned her doctorate in conventional veterinary medicine in 1991, at the age of 43. She had been using homeopathy to treat her family at home, and was interested in applying the same holistic approach to veterinary medicine. She seized an opportunity to train with advocate Dr. Pitcairn in 1997. "Veterinary homeopathy is a way of addressing the underlying cause of a disease," she explains. "You treat an animal’s physical, mental, and emotional health." During an initial appointment, Black observes the animal carefully, learns the history as far back as birth, if possible, and conducts an extensive interview with the owner, looking for clues as to what might be going on with her new patient. "Every case is individualized—you could have a row of kitties suffering kidney failure, and each one calls for a different course of treatment," Black said. "Understanding the animal’s emotional state helps with a thorough diagnosis, and may also require treatment." For example, is the animal in pain, or might she be mourning the loss of a companion, or anxious about something going on at home? Any of these might cause loss of appetite or energy, and affect the appropriate choice of homeopathic remedy. She believes in finding the best options and tailoring treatment to the animal. Another aspect of veterinary treatment and animal care that fascinates Black is behavior modification. She praises Cesar Millan, and says that she has found some of his "Dog Whisperer" techniques to be effective. Black still uses conventional medicine as well, though, and maintains that the two are not mutually exclusive. She praises the high quality of care at the Chelsea Animal Hospital and finds the collaborative approach among staff to be exciting. Clients are offered a homeopathic option; some feel more comfortable with one course or another, but "I speak from experience—if I’ve had good luck with a particular treatment for a similar case, people are often willing to give homeopathic a try." Homeopathic remedies are usually cheaper than conventional medicines, although the initial examination costs more. A new year always brings uncertainty—but 2008 is unlikely to bring Betty Jo Black more changes than the year 2007 did. ____________ |
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