Consult with Homeopath and Animal Nutritionist, Sarah Griffiths (DCH) - The Animal Synergist
Sarah Griffiths, DCH is an animal nutritionist, classical homeopath and a EQ/K9 Handler based out of Langley, BC, Canada. She helps empower pet parents and equestrians through education and consultation about preventative and integrative health care options, The Animal Synergist.
About The Animal Synergist
This project is a culmination of 20 years of experience, research, collaboration and education focused on species-orientated wellness. By studying the ecology and origin of species we can learn how to accurately care for our animals without political or egotistical bias. In order to truly understand what our animals need, we have to experience the world through their eyes. Join my never-ending journey to learn and share the science of animal synergy.
“Quality of life isn’t just about nutrition, supplements, lifestyle, or your relationship with your animal. It’s about understanding the dynamic and ever-changing relationship between all of these aspects. It is the key to caring for your animals in the most scientific and individual way.” -The Animal Synergist
About Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a system of medicine that was discovered by a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann. It is the second most commonly practiced modality of medicine in the world. Homeopathy is sometimes confused with naturopathy. Naturopathic doctors (ND) have a multi-faceted approach to healthcare that includes nutrition therapy, herbs, acupuncture and sometimes homeopathy. But homeopathy itself is a separate system of medicine that naturopaths employ in their practice.
It consists of highly diluted naturally occurring substances that can be used to gently stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Homeopathy can be used for acute symptoms such as sprains and trauma and it can also be used more constitutionally, meaning for more chronic issues like immune dysfunction.
In taking a homeopathic case, the practitioner will assess the subjects’ issues, what makes them better or worse, how they navigate through physical and emotional stress, the circumstances of when and how the issues started and any obstacles to recovery that might exist. A homeopath my use homeopathic remedies in a number of different ways depending on the findings during the case-taking process.
Homeopathy is safe for people and animals of all ages including children, foals, puppies and kittens, pregnant/lactating mothers and seniors. It’s also a totally green medicine meaning it does not have negative environmental impacts. Check out the West Coast Homeopathic Society to learn more about homeopathy.
Services & Information
My services are customized to the individual animal depending on their age, lifestyle, diet, temperment and health challanges. In order to help them thrive, I take the synergic approach. The best diet won‘t be as effective if there’s some type of environmental stress or chronic emotional stress at home. If your animal seems happy but you’re feeding poor quality food, they will also struggle with their health. To achieve true health, I’ll take all aspects of their life into consideration to make the most comprehensive plan possible.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Sarah Griffiths, DCH is not a veterinarian. The services at the Animal Synergist are not intended to replace veterinary medicine. They are part of proactive and preventative approach for your animal family members. If you feel that your animal is in an emergency situation, contact your veterinarian right away.
- Consultation for dogs
The Animal Synergist’s canine nutrition and wellness services are designed to identify key areas in your dog’s life that might need improving or may even be contributing to illness development. Dogs may be domesticated but their ancestry still dictates their behaviour, their physiology and nutritional needs. In order to care for our dogs in the most supportive way, we have to see them for who they really are. Sarah takes a synergistic, species-specific approach based on 20 years of education, and clinical/field experience with a wide variety of wild and domestic species. Sarah has several years of experience handling dogs professionally, working with wolves and African painted dogs along with 10 years of clinical experience using species-appropriate nutrition in a small animal veterinary setting. She holds a diploma in classical homeopathy along with specialized small animal nutrition training. She uses this education and experience to understand the true nutritional and emotional needs of domestic canines. Not only will she look at their diet, but also their lifestyle, temperament, their relationship with you and current health challenges. Using this approach allows her to pinpoint physical and emotional stress and create a completely customized plan for your dog.
- The comprehensive canine wellness plan $475 CDN. This plan is for dogs that are struggling with their health and includes both a nutritional and homeopathic consultation. It’s important to note that this is not a quick fix solution. Obtaining true health is a long-term process and we ask that you commit to it for 6-12 months for best results. -------- This plan includes: a 1 hour Zoom conference or phone consultation, a tailored diet and supplement recommendations, a homeopathic program, medical history review and one follow up appointment at no extra charge. This deep study of your animals’ case allows Sarah to carefully study each individual animal to understand where they need support.
- The canine raw diet review plan $350 CDN. This plan is for healthy dogs or puppies (with no chronic health challenges) who are already eating raw and who’s guardians are looking to balance the diet by AAFCO/NRC standards. -------- This plan includes: a one hour Zoom conference or phone consultation, a supportive/NRC-balanced diet plan along with supplement and recommendations plus one follow up at no extra charge.
- The puppy wellness plan $275 CDN. This plan is for healthy puppies (no chronic health challenges) whose guardians would like to switch to a balanced fresh food diet. -------- This plan includes: a 30 minute Zoom conference or phone consultation, an NRC-balanced fresh food diet and supplement recommendations for healthy growth and long term health.
- Consultation for cats
The Animal Synergist’s feline nutrition and wellness services are designed to identify key areas in your cat’s life that might need improving or may even be contributing to illness development. Cats are a highly specialized species and are considered obligate carnivores. Their unique behaviour and nutritional needs are deeply embedded in their DNA. They require us to think outside the box containing the conventional ideas about cat health being recommended today. Sarah takes a synergistic, species-specific approach based on 20 years of education, and clinical/field experience with a wide variety of wild and domestic feline species. Along with her field experience, she has education in wild cat husbandry and many years of clinical experience using species-appropriate nutrition in a small animal veterinary setting. She holds a diploma in classical homeopathy and specialized small animal nutrition training. Sarah uses this education and experience to understand the true physical and emotional needs of domestic felines. Not only will she assess their diet, but also their lifestyle, temperament, relationship with you and current health challenges. Using this synergistic approach allows her to pinpoint physical and emotional stress and create a completely customized plan for your cat.
- The comprehensive feline wellness plan $475 CDN This plan is for cats that are struggling with their health and includes both a nutritional and homeopathic consultation. It’s important to note that this is not a quick fix solution. Obtaining true health is a long-term process and we ask that you commit to it for 6-12 months for best results. -------- This plan includes: a 1 hour Zoom conference or phone consultation, a customized diet and supplement recommendations, a homeopathic program, medical history review and one follow up appointment at no extra charge. This deep study of your animals’ case allows Sarah to carefully study each individual animal to understand where they need support.
- The feline raw diet review plan $350 CDN. This plan is for healthy cats or kittens (with no chronic health challenges) who are already eating raw and who’s guardians are looking to balance the diet by AAFCO/NRC standards. -------- This plan includes: a one hour Zoom conference or phone consultation, a supportive/NRC-balanced diet plan along with supplement and recommendations plus one follow up at no extra charge.
- The kitten wellness plan $275 CDN. This plan is for healthy kittens (no chronic health challenges) whose guardians would like to switch to a balanced fresh food diet. -------- This plan includes: a 30 minute Zoom conference or phone consultation, an NRC-balanced fresh food diet and supplement recommendations for healthy growth and long term health.
Book a consultation with Sarah Griffiths (DCH) today!
About Sarah
My name is Sarah and I’ve been on a mission for the last 20 years to learn how to keep animals and people healthy. My passion is learning and teaching people about the origin of species and how that relates to health. With a 20 year educational and professional background working with wild and domestic animals, I’ve gained a unique perspective on the needs of animals through studying their ancestry. I’ve been involved for many years in wild and domestic animal husbandry and handling, including wild cats, wolves, birds of prey, domestic cats and dogs, horses and more. I also spent 5 years as the Animal Nutritionist for Adored Beast Veterinary Clinic in British Columbia, Canada and became a classically trained homeopath (DCH), clinical animal nutritionist and continue my education, being currently enrolled in both equine nutrition and animal herbal medicine. I have partnered with the Adored Beast Apothecary as the Equine Director and co-formulator of the equine supplement line. I also created all of the natural animal products for my business Equus Soap Co. which can be found under my ‘products’ tab. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to learn more about my background and education. We are always learning and growing and my goal is to help animal owners feel confident about choosing integrative options for their 4-legged family members. I look forward to meeting you and your animals. Xoxox
Some of My Work
Wolves & Wild Cats
My obsession with species-appropriate animal nutrition began in 1999 when I was 17. I had the privilege of volunteering for a local wildlife centre caring for a young group of timber wolves and 2 pumas and a number of other wild animals. I fed them and handled them daily for over a year. Later on, I was blessed to work as a volunteer zookeeper at another wildlife centre caring for a vast array of wildlife including African painted dogs, hyenas, clouded leopards, asiatic wild cats, ocelots, caracal, fishing cats, and many other rare carnivores, herbivores, birds and primates. Around the same time, I got my first puppy, Kody, who lead me to the Adored Beast Veterinary Clinic (the first holistic vet clinic in Canada) where I met Julie Anne Lee. Walking past her clinic, I saw a big raw food sign in the window. I was already very interested in how to feed my puppy like I had learned to feed the wild animal and I went right in. Julie helped me with the basics and that fuelled a never-ending fire to educate myself about bettering animals through nutrition. Soon after, I began working at Adored Beast where I eventually became the nutrition specialist for the clinic, working alongside Julie and several veterinarians creating fresh food diets for dogs with health issues of all kinds. The education I gained by working alongside wildlife and in a clinical veterinary setting at the same time was invaluable and gave me a totally unique perspective on how we need to care for our domestic animals. I continue to study the ecological findings of dog’s and cat’s closest living relatives to update my knowledge on how to feed them correctly for quality of life and longevity.
Raptors
Another predator passion of mine is birds of prey. I am fascinated by them and, in 2012, I decided to contact a local bird of prey centre to volunteer and learn about these amazing birds. The wonderful thing about raptors is that they are unapologetically who they are. Handling them teaches you to be extremely intuitive. They are also classified as obligatory carnivores, meaning they need prey to survive, just like cats. After volunteering at the raptor centre for only a few months, I was invited to join the team of falconers that had a bird control contract with our city landfill here in Delta, BC, Canada. I was thrown into the fire of working on a 100 acre industrial site using birds of prey as natural deterrents for seagulls and other pest birds at the landfill. Were you aware that birds of prey are used all around the world as an eco-friendly measure to controlling pest birds including seagulls and pigeons? Cool, right?! I spent 8 years working as a commercial falconer and bird of prey educator on a number of different contracts with several species of birds of prey under my mentor, a master falconer from the UK. It was an absolute honour and I gained new insights on predator and prey behaviour, husbandry and nutrition from these mysterious and majestic animals.
Diplomas & Certifications
Success Stories
Our seven year old chocolate lab, Bella, has struggled with her weight as well as a variety of other physical issues (i.e. allergies, dermatitis, hypothyroidism) since she was about two. This caused us to try a variety of diets, eliminating ingredients, but sticking to kibble. Two years ago we were blessed to meet Sarah who encouraged our family to make a change to go raw. I had considered it before, but my research always indicated it would be too expensive. When Sarah sat down with us, she showed us that it was possible (and not that much expensive than what we were spending on rare proteins) to make the switch. When we started, Bella weighed 83 pounds and was still suffering with allergies and infections, mostly yeast based. We switched her over to raw proteins including turkey, chicken, and beef and a veggie mix containing kale, bok choy, lettuce, and parsley. Today, Bella is much healthier weighing between 73-76 pounds! What is even more exciting is that her infections and hot spots have decreased significantly! We will continue to feed her raw in order for her to reap all its benefits!
Danielle Le Chasseur – BC, Canada
When my four year old Labrador was diagnosed with Stage 1 Kidney Disease, I was devastated. I had read that a raw or home cooked diet could be used to limit the progression of the disease but I knew I needed help to ensure I was feeding a balanced diet. I contacted Sarah & after a lengthy discussion of medical & dietary history, Sarah created a new nutritional program that was tailored to address not only the kidney disease but also help with chronic GI upset & food intolerances. We discussed the possibility of Leaky Gut Syndrome displaying as food sensitivities & a protocol that would help my dog as well.
Much to the astonishment of our vet, a repeat blood panel several weeks later showed a positive change & shortly after there were no signs of kidney disease. This was done through dietary change alone.
Throughout the last 4 years we have continued to do regular bloodwork without reoccurring issues with my dogs kidneys. I am incredibly grateful for Sarah’s advice & assistance making the switch to a home cooked diet. With Sarah’s guidance we addressed his health at its foundation & he is well supported with diet & the supplements he needs as he enters his senior years. Thank you Sarah!
Beth Holbrook – BC, Canada
I have a lovely Anglo Arabian gelding that unfortunately didn’t get the best feet to support his 16.3hh frame. A change to his farrier routine plus adding a supplement helped however I always felt something was missing. Summer 2020 his coat wasn’t coming in as nice as previous years and we were having lots of training issues so I messaged Sarah to get her thoughts on a few nutrition things. Right off the hop she educated me on a whole foods approach for his nutrition and made some suggestions. Within 2 weeks of making changes his coat was noticeably different and by 4 weeks I noticed him being more playful, happier and more energetic. Within 6 weeks his hooves had also improved. When I began riding him again after a 6 week break he was no longer girthy, was way more willing to go forward and not resistant to many of the things he was before. This changes in his diet have made a world of difference for my horses gut health. I am so grateful that Sarah got me onto it and that she was able to help me understand how it would help my horse. Nutrition plays a HUGE roll in our horses health, I can really see that now. My expectations were exceeded and I would not hesitate to refer people to Sarah if they are struggling with their horse.
Christie Wengranowski – BC, Canada
Working with Sarah has been more than amazing! My 6 year old Miniature Schnauzer Harper has had a full recovery from bladder stones thanks to her help. Harpers urine pH was a 9.0 which is extremely alkaline for a dog causing the bladder stones to form. Sarah helped me tune in the diet + supplement regimen, restoring Harpers urine pH from a 9.0 back down to a normal range of 6.5 which was absolutely amazing! From the very start it has been an remarkable experience! Harper is thriving now, she’s never been this healthy and full of energy. I’m all the way in North Carolina and seeked out Sarah for her professional assistance. Recently I brought in another Miniature Schnauzer “Huck” so Harper has a little brother into the family. Sarah has helped me tune in a diet for him too and guided me through the puppy stage. Now I have two thriving Miniature Schnauzers that are full of love, energy and health. Sarah I can’t thank you enough for everything!
Artim Zendeli, NC, USA