Hello. I am Eileen McLean and I am the owner of Natural Animal Care. I started Natural Animal Care in 2004, inspired by the drive in me to support good health and promote natural therapies for animals. Before starting the business, I spent years studying Animal Sciences at UQ, companion animal studies and veterinary nursing at Tafe, and also working in veterinary clinics and a pet supplies store.
I thought working in a veterinary clinic was what I wanted but some things didn’t quite sit right within me. Although I appreciated much of the clinical care and surgical aspects I felt there was an overuse of drugs, chemical based pesticides, vaccines and processed dry foods. Animals would improve but they wouldn’t get better. They would relapse and often be given, in my experience, just another course of cortisone or antibiotics or NSAIDs. The underlying issue would be pushed deeper and there was no true ‘healing’ as it were.
I started to read and read and read about natural alternatives and began to give advice to friends and family about their pets. We would see improvements quite quickly and dramatically and I felt that this was a direction I wanted to continue heading in. I started working in a call centre part time while I studied natural therapies for animals. Over the years I have studied animal nutrition, canine massage, flower essences, essential oils, Reiki, and eventually I completed a diploma in applied Animal Homeopathy. People started bringing their animals to see me at my home and I learnt which nutritional supplements, dietary changes, herbs and homeopathic remedies made marked positive changes in these animals.
I often see animals that are quite unwell by the time they get to me. The owners are frustrated. The animal has had various medicines and types of diets. Sometimes all I can offer is some palliative care and love. Reiki. Essential oils. Flower essences. Nice therapies to help the pets and the people. But we do often have amazing breakthroughs. We clear a lot of problems by encouraging a big change in diet. I find a remedy that takes in all of the symptoms of the dis-ease. We detoxify and balance the imbalances.
Personally my health has been an interesting journey. I have a variety of muscle, bone and therefore mobility issues. I have an excellent team of medical specialists and surgeons, but I also depend heavily on natural medicines, natural therapists, and a good diet. I really am a living breathing example of how natural therapies can help someone to be well despite huge health struggles and challenges.
What I’d love is an integration of natural and conventional medicines in animal health care. There are so many wonderful and effective herbs, essences, remedies, nutrients and therapies that we know work. They are beneficial in promoting the optimal wellbeing of an animal so let’s work together to bring about true healing and good health.
