What do you think?
Rate this book
The Royal Treatment: A Natural Approach to Wildly Healthy Pets
Dr. Barbara Royal presents an integrative and revolutionary new way to treat animals, combining the best of ancient practices with modern know-how.Increasingly, animals suffer from many of the same maladies humans are facing—obesity, arthritis, allergies, anxiety, over-vaccination, endocrine imbalances, dental disease, and trauma. Drawing on a number of diverse medical traditions, including acupuncture and physical rehabilitation, as well as common sense and conventional medical treatment, Dr. Royal treats sick animals by acknowledging their evolutionary needs and species-specific qualities. Dr. Royal believes in “wild health,” which starts by understanding the evolutionary history of each patient. For example, when dogs stopped being wild creatures and befriended us, their basic ancestral traits did not cease to exist. The natural nutritional, emotional, and physical needs of animals doesn’t change over time or with domestication. A must-have for the passionate pet owner, this book is full of ingenuity and scientific originality. Dr. Royal gives animal lovers the knowledge and tools to help their pets reach optimal health and happiness.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published June 26, 2012
57 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Royal
3 books9 followersBarbara Royal, DVM, founder and owner of The Royal Treatment Veterinary Center, is an internationally-renowned pioneer in complementary medicine and physical rehabilitation. A passionate advocate of commonsense and cutting-edge approaches to optimal animal health, Dr. Royal provides a bridge between Western and Eastern medicine.
Dr. Royal has extensive experience in veterinary care, including zoo, marine, and wildlife animals, emergency medicine, pathology, conventional practices, nutrition, herbal remedies, physical rehabilitation techniques, and alternative treatments. She is also an acupuncture expert for pets and exotic zoo creatures.
Dr. Royal has extensive experience in veterinary care, including zoo, marine, and wildlife animals, emergency medicine, pathology, conventional practices, nutrition, herbal remedies, physical rehabilitation techniques, and alternative treatments. She is also an acupuncture expert for pets and exotic zoo creatures.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Read
August 10, 2014I am the co-writer. I interviewed my amazing pioneer veterinarian sister for two and a half years and then we wrote this book together. As her sister and co-writer, I wanted it to reflect the many facets of her personality and medical practice. From the start I believed her extensive experience with wild animals was a key component in her ability to accurately diagnose house pets' maladies. From there, we developed the concept of "wild health". All animals can achieve vibrant health when their environment and nutrition reflect their natural habitat.
May 6, 2017
I wasn't sure what to expect from a book about raising a healthy pet. This book and the advice Dr. Royal dispenses was more satisfyingly entertaining and informative than I would have thought.
After watching the documentary Pet Fooled, I was looking for more information on pet diets. Since Dr. Barbara Royal was one of the vets interviewed in the documentary I decided to start with her program.
Her introduction about her house burning down immediately establishes rapport with any pet owner.
Dr. Royal received a phone call from a neighbor telling her that her house was on fire, and she did what many pet owners do. She raced home and tried to save her cats and dogs.
She gave three pieces of solid advice to pet owners:
1. Put an in-case-of-fire sign on windows or doors that tells what pets live with you. Indicate how many and what types of animals they are.
2. Microchip your pets. If your pets escape, an agency that finds them has a better chance of identifying them and contacting you.
3. Be sure to secure the animals that have been rescued so they can't get back into the burning building.
Her story and advice jolted me into action. My pup is already micro-chipped, but we didn't have the window decals indicating how many pets we have. I found several on Amazon at reasonable prices. I did like one featuring a dalmatian fire dog.
In the opening two sections where she defines wild health, she also weaves in her back story about quitting her advertising job to apply for a part-time position in Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo hospital, where she worked for four years before entering veterinary school.
When I got to Part III where she covers pet diets, I was more than hooked. Then I read her basic philosophy on pet food:
“With each passing year as a vet, animal nutrition becomes simpler and simpler to me: feed appropriate foods. This is similar to what Micael Pollan says of human nutrition.”
Most of my highlights in my e-book relate to this section on diet. While she does include raw food recipes, she also gives many tips on how to supplement your dog's diet with various ingredients and foods that address specific concerns or problems.
Her easy, almost conversational, writing style makes her subject accessible. She doesn't get overly technical in her language.
Instead, she mixes a variety of anecdotes with her advice, which makes for a mostly enjoyable read. Be prepared. If you're prone to water works the way I am, many of her stories about various zoo animals, wild animals, and pets will bring you to tears.
Her success with animal acupuncture and various rehabilitation therapies is truly impressive. She makes it clear that she's an integrative vet, so she will use medications and more traditional methods when they are life saving and/or appropriate. However, once a crisis has passed, if she sees opportunities to adjust a pet's diet or use massage or other therapies to potentially replace some medications, she will.
Her section on euthanasia is incredibly helpful. She shares her own story about the process she went through in deciding when the right time was for one of her dogs to be euthanized. I can't imagine the person who doesn't struggle with this decision. She gives practical advice on this topic, including questions any pet owner can ask themselves.
“A sad, but good rule of thumb:
If you feel like you are performing practically all the duties a life support system might do in an ICU in order to keep a pet alive, and there is little hope for recovery, it’s probably time to let your pet go.”
At the end of the book, she includes a Suggested Reading list that is varied. She includes books from other vets, but she also has books on there like The Element by Sir Ken Robinson and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.
I've read this book once. I need to read it again to better process all of the information that she weaves through her numerous tales. While I did highlight a good deal of this e-book, I think I would prefer a physical copy of this book to use as an easier reference, especially in the kitchen.
After watching the documentary Pet Fooled, I was looking for more information on pet diets. Since Dr. Barbara Royal was one of the vets interviewed in the documentary I decided to start with her program.
Her introduction about her house burning down immediately establishes rapport with any pet owner.
Dr. Royal received a phone call from a neighbor telling her that her house was on fire, and she did what many pet owners do. She raced home and tried to save her cats and dogs.
She gave three pieces of solid advice to pet owners:
1. Put an in-case-of-fire sign on windows or doors that tells what pets live with you. Indicate how many and what types of animals they are.
2. Microchip your pets. If your pets escape, an agency that finds them has a better chance of identifying them and contacting you.
3. Be sure to secure the animals that have been rescued so they can't get back into the burning building.
Her story and advice jolted me into action. My pup is already micro-chipped, but we didn't have the window decals indicating how many pets we have. I found several on Amazon at reasonable prices. I did like one featuring a dalmatian fire dog.
In the opening two sections where she defines wild health, she also weaves in her back story about quitting her advertising job to apply for a part-time position in Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo hospital, where she worked for four years before entering veterinary school.
When I got to Part III where she covers pet diets, I was more than hooked. Then I read her basic philosophy on pet food:
“With each passing year as a vet, animal nutrition becomes simpler and simpler to me: feed appropriate foods. This is similar to what Micael Pollan says of human nutrition.”
Most of my highlights in my e-book relate to this section on diet. While she does include raw food recipes, she also gives many tips on how to supplement your dog's diet with various ingredients and foods that address specific concerns or problems.
Her easy, almost conversational, writing style makes her subject accessible. She doesn't get overly technical in her language.
Instead, she mixes a variety of anecdotes with her advice, which makes for a mostly enjoyable read. Be prepared. If you're prone to water works the way I am, many of her stories about various zoo animals, wild animals, and pets will bring you to tears.
Her success with animal acupuncture and various rehabilitation therapies is truly impressive. She makes it clear that she's an integrative vet, so she will use medications and more traditional methods when they are life saving and/or appropriate. However, once a crisis has passed, if she sees opportunities to adjust a pet's diet or use massage or other therapies to potentially replace some medications, she will.
Her section on euthanasia is incredibly helpful. She shares her own story about the process she went through in deciding when the right time was for one of her dogs to be euthanized. I can't imagine the person who doesn't struggle with this decision. She gives practical advice on this topic, including questions any pet owner can ask themselves.
“A sad, but good rule of thumb:
If you feel like you are performing practically all the duties a life support system might do in an ICU in order to keep a pet alive, and there is little hope for recovery, it’s probably time to let your pet go.”
At the end of the book, she includes a Suggested Reading list that is varied. She includes books from other vets, but she also has books on there like The Element by Sir Ken Robinson and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.
I've read this book once. I need to read it again to better process all of the information that she weaves through her numerous tales. While I did highlight a good deal of this e-book, I think I would prefer a physical copy of this book to use as an easier reference, especially in the kitchen.
January 10, 2022
Had thought about exploring eastern treatments for one of our, young very ill dogs. Had heard about Dr Royal’s practice so decided to read the book first. We are working on altering his diet based on the book and many of his symptoms having no explanations. Hoping for the best. We had used acupuncture for another geriatric, arthritic dog with minor improvements but still a believer as every situation is different. Book is very interesting to read given the variety of Dr Royal’s background.
June 27, 2023
really informative. i appreciate the way that Dr. Royal distinguishes between cats and dogs especially wrt nutrition. thinking of them in terms of evolved predators versus evolved scavengers (respectively) was really useful for me. i used several of her recommendations to treat an IBD flare up in one of my cats and to successfully wean both off of kibble.
November 22, 2012
Our pets' lives will forever be better. Three years ago we moved to Chicago and our nine-year old golden started having problems climbing stairs. One vet said surgery; friends recommended Dr. Royal for a second opinion. Dr. Royal's view is so simple and smart: dogs are descended from wolves; feed and exercise them accordingly. What a huge difference we've seen in Dakota. We changed food and introduced Dakota to an underwater treadmill and acupuncture. Almost right away she felt better, seemed happier, and steadily grew stronger. She's twelve now--and we've since moved to Seattle. Our new vets are all dazzled by Dakota's condition. We miss Dr. Royal and her staff, Chicago is a bit far, but the book is so close. I'm giving it to all my pet-loving pals . . . (Besides being smart, it's a great read.)
November 27, 2012
I thought this books was very interesting, I learned a lot. I can't say I agree with everything the author recommends, but I'm not a vet, so maybe I'm just wrong. Good read for people who love animals.
June 10, 2023
As someone in the field of animal welfare, I enjoyed that this book brought different perspectives of care into the forefront.
There is a place for holistic medicine when it comes to animal care, but one that is in conjunction with Western medicine. I believe that they are meant to be used together.
There are some aspects brought up in the book that I don't agree with, or have to do further research on. Tbh I don't believe you should perform a dental on an animal sans anesthesia...and when I asked some of my colleagues in the field, they also agreed.
But I did like that this book leaves readers with the option and encouragement to do research of their own, seek out second opinions, and ask plenty of questions.
Overall, I do recommend.
There is a place for holistic medicine when it comes to animal care, but one that is in conjunction with Western medicine. I believe that they are meant to be used together.
There are some aspects brought up in the book that I don't agree with, or have to do further research on. Tbh I don't believe you should perform a dental on an animal sans anesthesia...and when I asked some of my colleagues in the field, they also agreed.
But I did like that this book leaves readers with the option and encouragement to do research of their own, seek out second opinions, and ask plenty of questions.
Overall, I do recommend.
April 29, 2019
Some really good information here about animal nutrition and health tips. She also had some really great stories about different animals she has treated, but they didn't flow very well with the other information. This would be a good reference book to keep on hand if you don't mind the fact that it reads like half memoir and half pet health manual. There is a lot of practical info, for example, on how to choose the right diet for your pet, how to take care of an older animal, what supplements to consider for different health conditions, how to know when it's time to say goodbye to an aging pet, etc. Worth reading.
January 31, 2020
So, I gave this book 3 stars because it’s very pushy. Dr. Royal basically says that all dogs should be raw fed and that’s that. Anything else is just not acceptable. While I do agree that a species appropriate diet is the best approach, the world is not a one size fits all.
It’s a fun read with lots of stories along the way. I enjoyed the book and the ideas. There is a lot of good information on how what you feed is the basis for health.
I just wish she gave some options and ideas for people who don’t have the money, time or confidence to commit to a completely fresh food diet for their pets.
It’s a fun read with lots of stories along the way. I enjoyed the book and the ideas. There is a lot of good information on how what you feed is the basis for health.
I just wish she gave some options and ideas for people who don’t have the money, time or confidence to commit to a completely fresh food diet for their pets.
July 5, 2017
A bit of a slow read this time (read this during lunch breaks).
I watched the documentary-film Pet Fooled and I think from there got led to this book. This was an entertaining read and very informative. I would have liked to be able to try such raw food diet on my dogs, but sadly pre-prepared are not available here and actual raw food available here are better served cooked (due to the source).
In any case, there were quite some takeaways for me that I can consider adopting.
I watched the documentary-film Pet Fooled and I think from there got led to this book. This was an entertaining read and very informative. I would have liked to be able to try such raw food diet on my dogs, but sadly pre-prepared are not available here and actual raw food available here are better served cooked (due to the source).
In any case, there were quite some takeaways for me that I can consider adopting.
February 5, 2019
Amazing book. Very informative. At first I was not so sure I was going to enjoy it as much as I did since Dr. Royal was using a lot of Latin words in the beginning. If I don't know how to pronounce a word, especially in a different language, I tend to lose the meaning of what is being said. Once I got past the beginning intro, it was smooth sailing.
November 4, 2020
I enjoyed this book a lot more than i thought i would. I learned about this author on pet fooled after doing research online about the best diet for my animals. I figured this was just an informative book, but i have to say it was also entertaining. I recommend this book for all pet owners. She has terrific advice and solutions.
September 30, 2018
Lots of entertaining stories about her vet experiences with animals besides dogs and cats, but helpful to guide us on how we should naturally care for our pets. Holistic, alternative treatments discussed as well
February 12, 2018
Well written book with very useful information
May 1, 2020
Very educational and fun to read. Dr. Royal has a fascinating background and I really like her approach to animal. Her methods are helping my Georgia.
September 26, 2020
Dietary guidelines: no corn, wheat, soy, peanut butter, gluten, spelt, maize, corn syrup.
Protein levels should be a minimum of 30%
Protein levels should be a minimum of 30%
June 11, 2022
Fantastic book of advice and stories from her zoo days.
October 16, 2023
Excellent source to pets diets.
September 13, 2024
A must read for any animal lover. Complete guide from puppy to senior and includes info on cats and exotic animals.
March 4, 2013
A must read if you love animals and want to improve their health and lives. The Royal Treatment is part instructional guide (there's a lot of fabulous advice in here), and part memoir. There are bits that will make you laugh, but mostly, you will cry. Have a box of Kleenex handy. I work with animals as a pet-care professional, and this is a MUST for everyone who is in the industry. But if you aren't and just love your pets, then you have to read it as well. The basis of her care is nutrition, and it's great to see a veterinarian so involved with pet nutrition because it's just something you don't really see.
April 1, 2016
I believe this is one of the most significant books that any pet parent should read. I also insist that you 'doggy ear' the pages, highlight and scribble notes all over this book (even if it's digital- take notes and bookmark everything!). I could not stop going back to the golden advice given by Dr. Royal, she made everything so concise and easy to understand. I feel like I have been enlightened with profound knowledge regarding my dog's dietary needs, I truly enjoy preparing his meals everyday knowing he is eating well and loving it.
December 31, 2012
6 months ago we adopted a 5 year old rescue English Bulldog. She has all sorts of allergies. I am looking forward to see how she responds to the royal treatment diet.
I also feel I learned a lot of new info and enjoyed reading the book too.
I also feel I learned a lot of new info and enjoyed reading the book too.
October 23, 2015
I love the dedication and knowledge she has. I hate that it would cost many thousands of dollars to get treatment like what she provides. I appreciate the advice on end of life issues. I am weary about the diets. Great explanation of how acupuncture works.
October 18, 2012
Very readable in the style of James Herriot's All Things Great and Small. However, I didn't finish this tome of alternative health for pets. Perhaps in the future?
April 24, 2013
A unique blend of Western and Eastern healing modalities make this book a great resource for dog or cat lovers in search of lasting solutions.
March 10, 2016
Lots of sensible ideas in this book which match my persoanl attitude of limiting medical intervention to necessary only. Lots of info about dog food and some training advice too.
May 21, 2017
Making many changes in my pets diets in the near future. This is one of the many resources that I am using. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews