Have you ever thought about integrative or functional medicine for your pet?

It may seem like an unexpected topic for a physician, but pets come up more often than you might think in conversations with patients.

Pet owners often say their pets are family, and that connection can have a real impact on human health. Pets can bring companionship, emotional support, routine, movement, and purpose.

But when a pet becomes sick, develops mobility problems, or begins to decline, the physical and emotional stress on the person caring for them can be significant. And when a beloved pet dies, the grief can be profound.

Pets also come up in another way. Patients who discover that mold, toxins, food, or other environmental factors have been contributing to their own health problems often ask whether those same exposures could be affecting their pets.

Veterinary diagnosis and treatment are outside my scope of practice, but pets and people living in the same home are exposed to many of the same things. Mold, pesticides, poor indoor air quality, VOCs, cleaning products, and other environmental chemicals do not stop at the human body.

So pet health can become a two-way conversation. The environment may influence the health of both pets and people, while changes in a pet’s health may sometimes draw attention to an exposure affecting the entire household.

Chronic disease, cancer, and metabolic problems are also increasingly common in companion animals. These trends raise many of the same questions that come up in human health: What may be contributing to disease, and what can be addressed earlier?

The core principles of functional and integrative medicine are rooted in looking upstream and asking what may be driving a health problem rather than focusing only on the symptom. The same bigger-picture questions about nutrition, environment, lifestyle, stress, and prevention are worth considering when it comes to a pet’s health and longevity.

An integrative veterinarian can help bring that broader perspective to veterinary care, while also recognizing that a healthier pet can have a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of the person who loves them.

In this article, you’ll learn:

  • How changes in a pet’s health may sometimes provide clues about the shared environment
  • Why food quality and pet food ingredients deserve a closer look
  • How a pet’s declining health or loss can affect the people who love them
  • How to find an integrative or holistic veterinarian

Can Your Pet’s Health Tell You Something About Your Environment?

Pets and people share the same environment every day, which means they may also share many of the same exposures.

If there is hidden water damage or mold in a home, pets are breathing that air too. If pesticides or herbicides are used on the lawn, a dog may walk directly through them and later lick residue from its paws. New flooring, paint, cabinetry, furniture, and construction materials can also release VOCs into the air that everyone in the household is breathing.

Pets may even have greater contact with some exposures because they spend more time close to floors and carpets, walk barefoot through treated grass, and groom substances from their paws and fur.

An illness in a pet does not necessarily mean something is wrong with the home. But persistent or unexplained changes in health can be a reason to zoom out and ask:

  • Has there been recent construction, renovation, water damage, or mold?
  • Are pesticides, fragrances, cleaning products, or other chemicals being used in or around the home?
  • Are people in the household experiencing unexplained symptoms too?

Sometimes the most important clue is recognizing the symptoms and exposures everyone in the home shares.

While every species is different, some general patterns may overlap:

System In Pets In People
Skin & Coat Itching, rashes, hot spots, hair loss, paw chewing Rashes, eczema, skin irritation
Digestive Vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite Bloating, GI upset, food sensitivities
Respiratory Coughing, wheezing, sneezing Coughing, wheezing, sneezing
Energy & Behavior Lethargy, anxiety, disorientation Fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, mood changes
Immune Chronic ear/skin infections, worsening allergies Chronic infections, worsening allergies
Weight & Appetite Unexplained changes Unexplained changes

These are general patterns, not a diagnostic checklist. Any new or persistent symptom in a pet is best to have your vet evaluate.

Common environmental exposures worth considering include mold and water-damaged buildings, pesticides and lawn treatments, VOCs, synthetic fragrances, household cleaning products, plastics, flame retardants, contaminants in drinking water, and indoor air pollution.

You cannot eliminate every exposure, but reducing avoidable exposures consistently may help lower the overall burden for everyone in the household.

A Few High-Impact Swaps

  • Cleaning products: Choose fragrance-free, lower-toxin options and avoid synthetic air fresheners.
  • Filtered water: Offer fresh, filtered water to help reduce exposure to contaminants in tap water.
  • Bowls: Use glass, ceramic, or high-quality stainless steel instead of plastic.
  • Bedding: Choose washable beds made from natural, untreated fabrics when possible.
  • Air quality: Improve ventilation, consider a high-quality air purifier, and address mold or water damage at the source.
  • Lawns and outdoor spaces: Be mindful of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers used where pets walk, play, and lie down.

Nutrition and How the Pet Food Industry Shapes Veterinary Nutrition

Food is another important daily exposure. Just as with human nutrition, ingredient quality, nutrient density, sourcing, and processing all matter.

One of the simplest places to start is by turning the package over and reading the ingredient label. Many pet owners are surprised by what they find.

A pet food can meet regulatory standards and still raise reasonable questions about ingredient quality. When refined grains, starches, and plant protein concentrates make up much of the ingredient list while recognizable animal proteins and whole food ingredients are limited, it is worth asking whether there may be more nutrient-dense options available.

Another issue worth understanding is the influence major pet food manufacturers have within veterinary education.

Companies including Hill’s, Purina, Royal Canin, and others provide financial support to veterinary schools through research funding, endowed faculty positions, clinical nutrition programs, residencies, scholarships, educational materials, and training opportunities.

These partnerships can support valuable research and education, but they also raise reasonable questions about industry influence when the companies funding aspects of veterinary nutrition education are also producing many of the foods veterinarians are trained to recommend.

This becomes especially relevant with therapeutic diets. Pets with kidney disease, digestive conditions, urinary problems, weight concerns, allergies, and other health issues may be placed on specialized formulas designed for those conditions.

These diets can serve legitimate nutritional purposes. But the therapeutic nutrient profile of a food and the quality of its ingredients are two separate questions.

Some veterinary formulas contain ingredients such as corn, wheat, rice, soybean products, plant protein concentrates, rendered animal ingredients, flavorings, and other highly processed components. It is important to understand both what makes the diet therapeutic and what they are actually feeding every day.

When a therapeutic diet is recommended, consider asking:

  • What specific nutritional feature makes this food appropriate?
  • What evidence supports its use, and who funded that research?
  • Is it intended for short-term or long-term feeding?
  • What are the primary protein and carbohydrate sources, and how processed are they?
  • Does the manufacturer test for contaminants such as mycotoxins, heavy metals, or pesticide residues?

Pet owners will hopefully feel more empowered by reading labels, understanding recommendations, and asking informed questions.

What Are Healthy Options to Feed Your Pet?

Real, whole foods are foundational to health for all living beings, but with pets there is another important consideration: the diet must also provide the nutrients required for that species, life stage, and individual health status.

Whole food does not automatically mean nutritionally complete.

This is where an integrative veterinarian or veterinary nutrition professional can be especially helpful. A detailed health history, along with appropriate laboratory testing, stool or microbiome testing, nutrient assessment, or other testing when indicated, may provide useful information about digestion, nutritional needs, and underlying health concerns.

Rather than guessing, that information can help guide a more personalized approach.

Fortunately, pet owners have many more food options today. When comparing them, look at the ingredients, the quality and source of the animal protein, how the food is processed, how the company evaluates quality, and whether the diet is complete and balanced for the individual animal.

Companies such as Small Batchand Bones & Co. offer raw food options formulated for dogs. Raw feeding is not appropriate for every animal or household, and sourcing, preparation, food safety, and nutritional completeness all matter.

There are also fresh, gently cooked, freeze-dried, and dehydrated options. The Honest Kitchen, for example, offers human-grade dehydrated recipes that are rehydrated before feeding as an alternative to conventional dry kibble.

Another company worth exploring is Get Joy Dog Food, which takes a gut-focused approach to pet nutrition. Just like human health, gut health can play an important role in whole-body health. Get Joy combines fresh food with its proprietary Belly Biotics™, organ treats, and targeted supplements, with an emphasis on consistency, prevention, and supporting long-term wellness.

And just like people, there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Age, activity level, digestion, food sensitivities, underlying medical conditions, and individual nutrient requirements can all influence what is appropriate.

The goal is not simply to choose the food with the healthiest looking package. It is to understand the ingredients, sourcing, processing, nutritional adequacy, and whether that food is actually right for the individual pet.

Treats Deserve an Ingredient Check Too

Treats are another place highly processed ingredients can easily sneak in.

Read treat labels the same way you would read any other food label and look for simple, recognizable ingredients whenever possible. Options such as appropriately prepared meat, organ meat, or fish may be worth discussing with your veterinarian.

Rawhide, for example, is made from animal hide and can undergo significant processing before becoming the familiar chew sold in pet stores. Simpler alternatives, such as appropriately sourced dried fish skin or other single-ingredient treats, may be preferable.

The same principle applies to treats as it does to the main diet: look for recognizable ingredients, thoughtful sourcing, and as little unnecessary processing as possible.

Preventive Care That is Individualized

Preventive care is another area where an individualized approach matters. Rather than automatically taking the same approach for every animal, factors such as age, health history, previous reactions, lifestyle, geographic location, and exposure risk are considered.

Vaccination schedules, flea and tick prevention, and other routine treatments would ideally be discussed in the context of the individual pet. Many core vaccines do not require annual boosters once the appropriate initial series has been completed, although schedules vary by vaccine and rabies requirements are governed by state and local laws.

Titer testing can provide useful information about antibody response to certain previous vaccinations, although titers may not replace legally required vaccines such as rabies.

Flea and tick prevention also requires weighing risks. Fleas and ticks can transmit serious illnesses, but preventive medications can also cause side effects.

Isoxazoline medications, including Bravecto, NexGard, Simparica, and Credelio, have been associated with neurological reactions such as tremors, loss of coordination, and seizures in some animals. Species-specific safety also matters. Some flea and tick products formulated for dogs, for example, can be highly toxic to cats.

Pet owners may want to consider asking:

  • Why is this recommended?
  • How often is it actually needed?
  • What are the potential benefits and risks?
  • What are the potential side effects?
  • Are there other appropriate options based on this animal’s health and exposure risk?

This is another area where an integrative veterinarian who understands the animal’s full health history can provide a more individualized perspective.

When a Pet’s Health Affects the People Who Love Them

There is another side of pet health that deserves more attention: what happens to the people who love and care for them.

A pet is often far more than an animal living in the home. They are a companion, part of the family, and an important part of everyday life. Pets can provide comfort, emotional connection, routine, movement, companionship, and a sense of purpose.

A pet is often far more than an animal living in the home. They are a companion, part of the family, and an important part of everyday life. Pets can provide comfort, emotional connection, routine, movement, companionship, and a sense of purpose.

I’ve heard directly from patients how caring for an aging or sick pet can bring emotional stress, disrupted sleep, financial strain, major changes in daily routines, and difficult decisions surrounding treatment and quality of life.

The physical toll can be significant too, especially when a pet has mobility problems. Lifting a large dog into a car, helping a pet up stairs, assisting with standing or walking, cleaning up accidents, administering medications, and waking throughout the night can lead to fatigue, back or joint strain, less time for exercise, and ongoing sleep disruption.

For many pet owners, these physical demands happen at the same time as the emotional stress of watching an animal they love decline.

And when a beloved pet dies, the grief can be profound. That loss can affect mood, sleep, social connection, physical activity, and daily habits. Someone who previously walked a dog several times each day may suddenly be moving less. A person who relied on a pet for companionship may experience significant loneliness. The home and daily routine can feel completely different.

Supporting a pet’s health and longevity is therefore about more than helping an animal have more healthy years. It can also have a meaningful ripple effect on the physical and emotional well-being of the people who love them.

Why Consider an Integrative or Holistic Veterinarian?

Looking at all of these pieces together is where integrative veterinary care becomes especially interesting.

An integrative veterinarian takes a broader look at your pet’s health. They typically include conventional veterinary medicine practices, particularly for acute illness, injury, infection, surgery, and other conditions requiring medical treatment, but they expand this care with a more comprehensive, natural, and complementary toolkit.

Because supporting your pet’s health can have a profound impact on your own health.

Prevention and longevity begin long before disease appears.

How to Find an Integrative/Functional/Holistic Vet

If you’re local to Austin, Texas, consider Roots Integrative Vet, a trusted hub for holistic and integrative veterinary care.

Not in Austin? Consider this resource to find a functional and holistic vet near you: Find an Integrative Veterinarian at AHVMA

And when looking for an integrative vet, consider asking if they address some of the same issues that functional medicine physicians look at:

  • Diet/nutrition
  • Digestion and gut health
  • Behavior/stress
  • Sleep
  • Home and outdoor environment
  • Potential toxin exposures
  • Medications/vaccinations
  • Alternative preventive treatments
  • Previous illnesses
  • Laboratory findings

Pets and people are connected in so many ways, through the homes they share, the routines they create, the environments they live in, and the emotional bond between them.

If you think of your pet as family, you may want to consider the same kind of comprehensive, personalized care you want for yourself. Care that looks beyond symptoms, asks what may be contributing to the problem, and considers the whole picture.

If you think of your pet as family, you may want to consider the same kind of comprehensive, personalized care you want for yourself. Care that looks beyond symptoms, asks what may be contributing to the problem, and considers the whole picture.

Supporting your pet’s health can mean more than helping them feel better today. It can mean more healthy years together, less stress for the person caring for them, and a healthier shared environment for everyone in the household. This is the bigger goal: supporting health, quality of life, and longevity for both pets and the people who love them.

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