integrative practice
The road to integrative healing by Richard Palmquist, DVM, President and Research Chair, AHVMA
hen I graduated from Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1983, I was well prepared for the challenges of small animal veterinary practice. After doing a preceptorship in an exclusive feline specialty practice, I went to work as a small animal clinician in a busy, high quality AAHA-accredited, multi-doctor practice in Sherman Oaks, California. At the time, my primary concern was in making a correct diagnosis and then initiating the most current treatment plan for my patients. I thought all useful information about our profession came from our continuing education meetings and in the publications of our profession. As a clinician, I felt it was someone else’s responsibility to discover new things. I just wanted to know what to give for what condition. As a new young professional, I did not spend much time considering what healing is, or how we should best pursue health. There was plenty to do just seeing the next patient and taking emergency pages 300 out of 365 days a year. About a year after graduation, I had my first encounter with “alternative
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integrative veterinary care
medicine”. A Schnauzer suffering with chronic active hepatitis failed to respond to correctly delivered and administered medical therapies, but rapidly improved and resolved his hepatitis after seeing a “quack” alternative veterinarian. In my mind, I firmly believed we had done everything possible and followed the best practices of the time. While I was happy the dog improved, I was certain the antiquated herbal medicines given by this practitioner were not a part of the dog’s healing. Coincidence seemed the best justification of the events I observed. Explanations about “drainage” and “Liver Chi” were not well received, and I frankly told my client I was the proud purveyor of “scientific medicine” and had no interest in ancient beliefs or practices. Many years later, basic scientific research led to improved understanding and evidence for the use of milk thistle and its biochemical constituents in the management of hepatic disease. Once there was a credible way of explaining its traditional uses, it became more acceptable. A major company began producing the
