There Is a New Craze in Veterinary Medicine . . . and We’re Loving It!
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t seems like integrative medicine is becoming more popular than ever, with more veterinarians recommending it every day! Integrative medicine involves the fusion of conventional and alternative medicine. Conventional medicine will involve what you typically experience going to the veterinarian: diagnostics including imaging and bloodwork, procedures such as surgery, and prescription medications like NSAIDs and chemotherapy. Alternative medicine is a broad term used for a few modalities. Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) is an ancient modality that includes acupuncture, food therapy, herbal therapy, and Tui-na (massage). Rehabilitation and spinal medical manipulation (animal form of chiropractic), LASER therapy, homeopathy are also commonly considered alternative therapies. Integration of both styles of medicine provides many benefits for the long-term quality-of-life of your pet. Conventional medicine has made great strides in preventing bacterial and viral infections, repair of injuries, earlier disease recognition with diagnostics, and much more. Routine and regular veterinary visits are paramount to gaining the benefit of these advances in modern medicine. On the other hand, alternative medicine compliments conventional medicine where it falls short. For example, an older arthritic dog may benefit from NSAIDs for pain management and may improve significantly but still have hind-end weakness. This is where alternative options shine; acupuncture and herbal therapy can break down energy blockages in the body, bringing more energy to the hind-end. Rehabilitation can help to strengthen the hind limbs and medical manipulation can help prevent front 14
Acupuncture Needle
limb compensatory issues. Conventional medicine shows its strengths with sudden or acute issues, whereas, alternative therapies are strongest with chronic issues.
Is integrative medicine right for you? This is a great discussion to begin with both your primary care and integrative veterinarian. Further advances in conventional medicine may be offered for pets that have battled chronic disease, but sometimes their progress can plateau. Reaching out to alternative therapies may be a great option. These therapies are considered successful in the treatment of arthritis, weakness, chronic skin/ ears and allergy issues, chronic gastrointestinal issues, and neurological deficits. Another consideration are those that have been diagnosed with cancer that are not undergoing invasive surgeries or chemotherapy. There are no limits to allowing integrative medicine to complement conventional therapies.
Some of the common services integrative veterinarians provide are:
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Acupuncture: Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles through the skin at strategic points along pathways called meridians. This stimulates nerve bundles under the skin to achieve a reaction across the body.
Medical Manipulation: Pet chiropractic care identifies any dysfunction in the vertebrae and joints and works to clear these issues to minimize stress within the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
Rehabilitation: Pet physical rehabilitation is the management and improvement of patients with painful or functionally limiting conditions. This often includes exercises, LASER light, shockwave, and ultrasound therapy. Often recommended after surgery or injuries.
Food Therapy: Food Therapy is the use of diet to treat and prevent imbalance within the body. It utilizes knowledge of the energetics of food ingredients to tailor diets for individual animals. Ensuring a complete and balanced diet is imperative and should be done under the supervision of a veterinarian.
