[Quincy]

Hello,
This may seem like a strange question, but here it goes. I am a veterinarian who has an opportunity to practice in the Tulsa/Sapulpa area. The practice is located right between the two cities on the highway. The thing is that along with traditional medicine I also use alternatives like acupuncture, herbs, home made diets, etc. I am also from the East coast and am not at all religious but am politically conservative and love country music. We are looking for a place where we can buy a farm and have horses and eventually open an animal sanctuary for dogs and cats and get active in low cost spay neuter and animal rescue. I now I sound like a liberal, but I'm really not. I don't like putting people into categories anyway. So do you think I would survive and maybe even thrive in this area? I have been reading all of the Tulsa posts but nothing really addresses my questions. Thanks a bunch for any input you can give.

[my3arabs]

We are going to be moving to that same area within the next 6 months and I would be very interested in your methods. I have an older Rotty that has bad hips, and are getting worse in this Idaho cold. Right now he just gets the normal joint supplements.

So yes you would have at least one customer, me, LOL

[Quincy]

Thank you for the reply. I would reccomend acupuncture for your Rotty. Usually helps A LOT with hip arthritis. The joint supplements are good and a good holistic vet may also put him on Chinese herbs, which can be quite remarkable. Something you can get yourself in the meantime is a product called Bromelain. It's a natural anti-inflammatory and works well. You can find it in most health food stores or vitamin stores. I would start him on 500mg twice a day and if it helps lower to the lowest effective dose after a couple of weeks. Also start him on a good human multivitamin (yes, like a One a Day or Centrum) asap. Give one tab per day.

Sorry for getting off topic but I have a soft spot for the older ones. Would love to hear from someone already in the area.

[my3arabs]

Thanks for the advice for my Toby.

The OK forums are pretty quiet for the most part. I have been trying to find out info about Sapulpa and Miami for a lil while. My Hubby is in Sapulpa right now and he loves it.

I am sorry that I couldn't help you more.

[ninat]

Hi,
You might go to www.tulsainfo.com it might help you. I'm getting ready to move to ok also just not that area. I don't see why you wouldn't survive there. Most cities could always use a good vet. If I had one around where I live now would be great. I have 3 dogs of my own and one sounds like she has a cold all of the time. Gets worse in winter. But that is another subject. Try that site and see if it helps in anyway. I do have a friend that lives next door to me now that has a house for sale in Skitook, OK (might not have spelled skitook right ) I could find out more info if you are interested.

[sallybell]

you may also want to try your post on tulsanow.org and click on forums. a great group of people from what i read and extremely knowledgeable about the area.

ps. i am also involved in dog rescue and will be moving to tulsa.

good luck. i could certainly use your services.

[Quincy]

Thank you all for your replies. I always knew there were animal lovers and open minded people everywhere. Here on the east coast everyone has such a negative view of people who live in in the south or midwest. There is a sense of superiority out here that I just can't stand anymore. To My3Arabs -I did visit Miami, OK and thought it was a little run down. I was hoping Sapulpa would be a little nicer. I let you all know what happens,

[klassylady25]

and Tulsa.... Have you thought about Henryetta. Lovely place and it might suit you well too. It's about 45 miles from Tulsa.

I came from all over and chose Oklahoma as home. I love the people and I think that is you prove that you are loving and compassionate as well as good in your work, you'll have plenty to keep you busy.

Good hunting!

[robW]

Having moved to Oklahoma from San Francisco I understand the perception-of-the-south thing quite well. Such perceptions might have been solid truth as little as ten years ago, but the world is changing, and that right fast.

Just because on chooses to live in Oklahoma doesn't mean much of anything anymore. News is available from the New York Times, the London Times, the Guardian, Le Monde, or, for that matter, the Daily Standard. Take your pick: liberal, middle, conservative. While Oklahoma doesn't get first-run films, in reality only New York City or Los Angeles get those. Sure, "Brokeback Mountain" played in San Francisco before it played in Oklahoma City, but it played nonetheless.

If you crave a day at the Guggenheim, it's not like you have to take a train to New York, you can catch a jet and be there in a few hours.

As far as the people are concerned, I've found them to be like the rest of the people I've met on planet earth: very human. And, as far as the Republican/Democrat thing goes, well, from what I've found it's hard to be elected dog catcher in Oklahoma unless one is a Democrat. Well...most everyone in San Francisco (a Democrat stronghold) voted for Arnold Schwartzenegger (a Republican). Go figure. I guess they vote Republican here because the local newspapers and television stations have convinced the populace that Massachusetts Democrats are trying to steal Christmas, their daughters, or their sons, or the sanctity of their marriages. Not much different, when you think about it, from Democrats in Massachusetts or California who convince their populace that the South represents bigotry or closed-mindedness or their right to channel God through a crystal.

There is hipocrisy on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.

All things considered, it's much the same here in Oklahoma as it is in Newton, MA or Palo Alto, CA or Englewood, CO. Same TV; same Internet news; same Internet radio; same heirloom tomatoes from the same seed companies; same movies; same privet hedgerows; same choked freeways (or tollways); same news; same out-of-control government in Washington, DC; same music; same new-age flim-flam; same catholic rigidity; same Protestant ambiguity.

Which brings us to your question--which I think was really a separate question disguised as a single question. In other words, perception of Oklahoma as "red neck" (and I wish I could find a real 1950's red neck, but I think they all evaporated with the summer of 1965 and moved to the Haight-Ashbury in SF or Christopher Street in NY) versus acceptance of alternative vet medicine.

Have the farmers of Mass accepted acupuncture for their farm animals yet? Have the Amish in Pennsylvania accepted it? I don't know, and I don't know whether the large-animal owners here in Oklahoma are ready for it. Most of them that I know and who own large animals have been forced to sell because of the drought. Can acupuncture cure thirst?

Whether Okies will accept acupuncture for their pets, I don't know, either. Did they accept it in Mass? Acupuncture isn't even considered mainstream science in China, where it originated. In China it does, however, provide hope at a low cost in a country in which medical care is based on the ability to pay cash and in which few--very few--people can afford to pay for a trained doctor who has anything more than a two-year degree.

Oklahoma differs from no other state in the Union in that it has no ancient, deep-seated history of folk medicine. And while that is certainly true of the white and black population, it is probably true of the Indian population, which has chosen to make money through casinos, turnpikes, and other business ventures and turn the profits toward advanced medical care for its citizens.

Whether that tendency (of the Indian) population extends towards their pets, I cannot say. Whether I would choose acupuncture for my cat, should Mr. Lucky (his name) become ill, I cannot say. I also have peacocks and guinea hens, but I don't think I would resort to acupuncture to save them. They are living a very Darwinian experience on my property (outside of my sprinkling some feed for them).

I wouldn't pay for acupuncture. I also live in a very racially integrated neighborhood--much, much more racially integrated than my so-called liberal neighborhood on Russian Hill in San Francisco--and none of my neighbors (and neighbors are very vocal here in Oklahoma) have told me they are trying acupuncture for their pets.

I do have a tendency in this matter, however, and that is to say: No. I'm not ready for acupuncture for Mr. Lucky, my cat; NoNee, my dog; my peacocks: Sleepy, Happy, Bashful, Doc, Grumpy, Dopey, Sneezy, Butch, and Martha; or my guinea hens: George and Gracie.

In any case, don't let me dissuade you. I think we all wish you good luck in your move to Oklahoma and we wish you the success you deserve!

Best,

--Rob W

[Quincy]

RobW,

What a beautiful, helpful post. Thank you so much. What you said is so true. I live in an extremeley liberal area of Massachusetts and 99% of our population is caucasian. To be blunt, african americans are quite a novelty around here. We did just elect a black governer and the liberals can't stop talking about how far advanced we are becuase of that. It's just ridiculous.

And you are right many people here won't consider acupuncture. Bottom line is it has more to do with what they can afford to spend than what form of medicine they are willing to consider. I would never pay for acupuncture or even try it on my own goats or chickens and totally understand the plight of the american farmer and rancher. I wouldn't expect it of them.

Currenlty alternative medicine is only a small portion of my practice even here in the northeast. I think you were right, I wanted to know more about the people. The only thing I have to say is that we really don't have farmers here in MA anymore. I dream of open spaces and a slower pace of life and warmer weather!!

Thank you all