The Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association was established by Susan Wynn, DVM, CVA, CVCH, AHG in 2002.
A list of current VBMA Board Members can be found on our VBMA Board Members page.
A list of current VBMA Board Members can be found on our VBMA Board Members page.
VBMA GOALS
1. To represent member veterinary professionals and herbalists as political and professional issues arise.
2. To establish standards of training and herbal training programs and to identify established programs with the goal of developing or reviewing certification standards and Degree Programs in Herbal Medicine.
3. To support ethical scientific clinical research in herbal veterinary medicine and maintain avenues for exploration of traditional care in veterinary botanical medicine.
4. To explore cultural traditions such as TCM, Greek/western herbalism and Ayurveda for their proper translation to and application in modern day animal conditions and communicate these.
5. To compile databases of existing science; ethnoveterinary medicine advances; and eventually a library online.
6. To liaise with manufacturers so that they have an expert body to advise them on the needs of veterinary herbalists and quality control concerns.
7. To support sustainable environmental, agricultural and husbandry practices.
2. To establish standards of training and herbal training programs and to identify established programs with the goal of developing or reviewing certification standards and Degree Programs in Herbal Medicine.
3. To support ethical scientific clinical research in herbal veterinary medicine and maintain avenues for exploration of traditional care in veterinary botanical medicine.
4. To explore cultural traditions such as TCM, Greek/western herbalism and Ayurveda for their proper translation to and application in modern day animal conditions and communicate these.
5. To compile databases of existing science; ethnoveterinary medicine advances; and eventually a library online.
6. To liaise with manufacturers so that they have an expert body to advise them on the needs of veterinary herbalists and quality control concerns.
7. To support sustainable environmental, agricultural and husbandry practices.
VBMA PURPOSE
The Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association is a group of veterinary professionals and herbalists dedicated to developing responsible herbal practice by encouraging research and education, strengthening industry relations, keeping herbal tradition alive as a valid information source, and increasing professional acceptance of herbal medicine for animals.
VBMA BY-LAWS & RELATED DOCUMENTS
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Download our By-Laws
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Download our Constitution
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Download our Advisory Board Charter
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CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY
The VBMA strives to establish a benchmark of competency to assist animal owners, farmers, and veterinarians in choosing a veterinary herbalist. Our certification process ensures that professionals meet the highest standards of expertise. Veterinary professionals who earn certification from the VBMA proudly carry the title of "Certified Veterinary Herbalist" (CVH). For non-veterinary herbalists, the title of "Certified Veterinary Herbalism Educator" (CVHE) is granted upon meeting our rigorous standards. For more information on obtaining your certification, please CLICK HERE.
VBMA FOUNDER SUSAN WYNN
Susan Wynn, DVM, CVA, CVCH, AHG, DACVN, is an incredible individual who had the energy and dedication to start the VBMA. In her words, here is how her idea became the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association, as well as her vision for our future.
"VBMA became an idea in about 2002, when I had finished foundation courses in Chinese veterinary herbal medicine (which was not science-heavy enough for my taste) and a human Western herbal medicine (which had no veterinary information or experience to present). Knowing that holistic veterinarians were really the best source of information to start accumulating a 'collective memory' and information database, I talked to a few other vet herbalists (specifically Ihor Basko) and we put VBMA together. VBMA members really helped Barbara Fougere and I gather all the knowledge we needed to write the Veterinary Herbal Medicine text book*.
When it came time to start planning annual conferences, AHVMA was really supportive, allowing us to have our own track and room for board and other meetings. From our get-togethers, it became obvious that VBMA really could play a role in educating not only veterinarians, but regulators and the public, so we developed white papers (over lunch) that have ultimately been studied by FDA and other bodies to learn about veterinary herbal practice.
I'm not aware that herb identification walks were a common practice at *any* veterinary meeting until VBMA began offering one at its yearly conference. I think veterinary herbalists now recognize that personally knowing and being able to identify these plants helps us understand their actions and place in our materia medica more thoroughly.
One of our goals in the beginning was to offer certification of a certain knowledge level so that pet owners and other veterinarians could recognize true herbal expertise at a glance. This program involves a yearly exam and some additional work, and has been slow to take off. VBMA will have reached its true potential, at least in my eyes, when our certification process is sought after and better monitored. I hope newer members will recognize the value and work with older members to make it a reality.
I practice in a hospital with 30+ veterinarians, and herbs give me the capacity to offer clinical benefits that none of these other veterinarians can provide. I'm often amazed at the difference they make, and hope to continue to teach our interns and other impressionable vets how to use them effectively!"
*You can purchase a copy of Susan and Barbara's Veterinary Herbal Medicine from Amazon, either in print or ebook, HERE.
To learn more about Dr. Wynn, please visit her website, Veterinary Nutrition and Integrative Medicine.
"VBMA became an idea in about 2002, when I had finished foundation courses in Chinese veterinary herbal medicine (which was not science-heavy enough for my taste) and a human Western herbal medicine (which had no veterinary information or experience to present). Knowing that holistic veterinarians were really the best source of information to start accumulating a 'collective memory' and information database, I talked to a few other vet herbalists (specifically Ihor Basko) and we put VBMA together. VBMA members really helped Barbara Fougere and I gather all the knowledge we needed to write the Veterinary Herbal Medicine text book*.
When it came time to start planning annual conferences, AHVMA was really supportive, allowing us to have our own track and room for board and other meetings. From our get-togethers, it became obvious that VBMA really could play a role in educating not only veterinarians, but regulators and the public, so we developed white papers (over lunch) that have ultimately been studied by FDA and other bodies to learn about veterinary herbal practice.
I'm not aware that herb identification walks were a common practice at *any* veterinary meeting until VBMA began offering one at its yearly conference. I think veterinary herbalists now recognize that personally knowing and being able to identify these plants helps us understand their actions and place in our materia medica more thoroughly.
One of our goals in the beginning was to offer certification of a certain knowledge level so that pet owners and other veterinarians could recognize true herbal expertise at a glance. This program involves a yearly exam and some additional work, and has been slow to take off. VBMA will have reached its true potential, at least in my eyes, when our certification process is sought after and better monitored. I hope newer members will recognize the value and work with older members to make it a reality.
I practice in a hospital with 30+ veterinarians, and herbs give me the capacity to offer clinical benefits that none of these other veterinarians can provide. I'm often amazed at the difference they make, and hope to continue to teach our interns and other impressionable vets how to use them effectively!"
*You can purchase a copy of Susan and Barbara's Veterinary Herbal Medicine from Amazon, either in print or ebook, HERE.
To learn more about Dr. Wynn, please visit her website, Veterinary Nutrition and Integrative Medicine.
