Phone Consultation
Learning About Homeopathy
Getting the Medical History
Sending the Information
Scheduling Our Appointment
After the Initial Work-up
Telephone Hours
Directions to the Office
Fees
Our Agreement

Phone Consultation

Most of us have been conditioned to think that a veterinarian must be within driving distance. After all, how can you treat an animal if you don't see him/her in person? With homeopathy, you can.

     I have been practicing veterinary homeopathy exclusively since 1985, and have provided phone consultations since near the beginning. Back then, there were so few veterinary homeopaths that, for most of the country, phone consultation was the only way to access veterinary homeopathic treatment.

     It is very important to have a local veterinarian who can provide physical examination and diagnostic testing such as blood work and radiographs. Local support is also important in case of the need for emergency care.

     For the most part, though, all I need in order to successfully treat your pet homeopathically is for you to be observant, and to report what you are seeing accurately.

     For many years my practice has been predominantly long distance, and national in scope. Even local clients, after the initial work-up, usually prefer the convenience of telephone follow-ups. Office visits are always available, however, and are encouraged for initial work-ups. The choice is yours.

     So no matter where you live, chances are that I can help you improve your pet's health.

Learning About Homeopathy

If, like many people, you are not especially familiar with homeopathy, I encourage you to read a bit about the basic theory and principles. There is only one good book on veterinary homeopathy, which is "Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs" by Don Hamilton, DVM. Alternatively, you could read about the basic theory and principles in any introductory book on homeopathy for people. The principles are exactly the same regardless of the species of the patient. Another alternative is to go to the website: www.beyondflatearth.com, and download the book "Beyond Flat Earth Medicine" by Tim Dooley at no charge.

Getting the Medical History

The next step is to gather as much information as possible on your pet's medical history. Ideally, this should include copies of the original handwritten medical records from any veterinarians who have seen him/her. You can request that the veterinarians' offices fax the record directly to me.

     In addition, it would be helpful for you to write down anything you can think of regarding the medical history that might not be in the veterinarians' records. This might include symptoms that you treated yourself or that were not treated, patterns of symptoms, or emotional factors that had a lasting impact.

     Finally, if we will be working together over the telephone, it would be helpful if you could send a photograph of your pet. This is not critical, but I find it helpful to have a visual image of your pet as we're talking about him/her. Photographs do not fax well, so they should be sent by mail or e-mail.

Sending the Information

Mailing address:
71 Ashfield Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096

Fax number:
413-268-0333

Scheduling Our Appointment

Once you have sent the historical information, we're ready to schedule an appointment for the initial work-up. Please call the office so my assistant, Betty, can arrange a mutually convenient time for us to talk. This is usually a 90-minute appointment, although it doesn't always take that long. I will review all of the historical information in preparation for the work-up.

     The initial work-up is a comprehensive review of all current symptoms, relevant aspects of the history, general characteristics and preferences, and behavior and personality. By the end of the work-up, I am nearly always able to prescribe a remedy with no further case study required. Occasionally, with very complex cases, I may need to analyze and/or reflect further on the information I've gathered in order to select the best possible remedy for your pet.

After the Initial Work-up

The purpose of the initial work-up is for me to determine the best remedy with which to begin treatment. Homeopathic treatment, though, is an ongoing course with the goal of improving your pet's health on the deepest possible level. As such, follow-up appointments are necessary at appropriate intervals so that I can interpret your pet's response to the prescribed remedy, and make recommendations regarding ongoing treatment.

Telephone Hours

My assistant, Betty, is available to take telephone calls on weekday mornings, except for Wednesdays, from 9:00 until noon, Eastern Time.

The main number for the practice is (413) 268-3000.

Directions to the Office

From the south: Take Route 91 North to exit 19. At the exit, go straight through the light, crossing Route 9. Follow Damon Road through 2 lights (it becomes Bridge Road), to its end at Route 9 (Look Park). Turn right onto Rt. 9 West. It is 4.9 miles to the center of Williamsburg. Turn right at the blinking light, over the small bridge onto North St., which quickly becomes Ashfield Rd. Look for my mailbox, #71, on the left, 1.8 miles from the blinking light.

From the north: Take Route 91 South to exit 21, which puts you on North King Street going south. At the first stoplight, turn right onto Bridge Road, and take that to its end at Route 9 (Look Park). Turn right onto Rt. 9 West. It is 4.9 miles to the center of Williamsburg. Turn right at the blinking light, over the small bridge onto North St., which quickly becomes Ashfield Rd. Look for my mailbox, #71, on the left, 1.8 miles from the blinking light.

Fees

This is a topic about which some folks are uncomfortable asking, but everyone wants to know the answer. So let me broach the subject and spare you having to ask.

     The charge for the initial workup is $170–$230, depending on the amount of time spent. After the initial workup, follow-up appointments are billed at $82.50 per half hour, pro-rated to whatever amount of time is spent. Time is measured in 6-minute increments, or tenths of an hour. Consultation time may include review of medical records, and case analysis, if necessary.

     Payment may be made by check, or applied to a MasterCard or Visa.

     After the initial work-up, subsequent charges, such as for follow-up consultations and remedies, are billed monthly. A payment envelope is provided for your convenience. You may elect to have any charges automatically applied to your credit card each month. In that case, I will send you an itemized statement and a credit card receipt.