Traditional Western or allopathic veterinary treatments for pets generally focus on diagnosing illnesses and using medication or surgery to address their symptoms, while alternative therapies offer more holistic approaches to health issues for your animal companion.
These therapies include acupuncture, herbal medicine, shockwave therapy and other methods that may help your pet feel better from head to tail. Speak to a veterinarian at Liberty Lake about these possibilities for your furry friend.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture can be used to treat various conditions in dogs and cats, from pain relief and nausea or vomiting due to surgery or chemotherapy to anxiety and mood disorders, digestion issues like diarrhea and constipation and inflammation conditions such as arthritis. Its most popular use in this regard is as pain reliever and reducer.
Studies on humans have demonstrated the beneficial effects of acupuncture in increasing blood flow and body temperature, altering white blood cell activity (responsible for immune system functioning), lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels and decreasing cholesterol/triglyceride ratios. Animal research studies are less conclusive; however they have revealed an increase in certain brain chemicals released following treatment that can impact behavioral changes as well as pain responses in dogs or cats.
Veterinarian acupuncturists are specially trained to work holistically with you and your pet, employing traditional Chinese veterinary medicine techniques as well as Tui-na (therapeutic massage). Acupuncture may also be combined with other therapies like hyperbaric oxygen therapy or class 4 laser therapy in order to optimize results of treatment.
Some complementary and alternative medicines are regulated in a similar fashion to conventional medicines by professional veterinarians and must only be performed by suitably qualified practitioners under their guidance. Others, however, may not be subject to regulation – in such instances you might consider making use of professional associations or voluntary registers where available to find an appropriate practitioner.
Note that not all therapies have the same firm evidence base as modern medicine; there can always be the risk of placebo effect or cognitive bias (errors in inference). Therefore, owners should always consult a veterinary surgeon prior to beginning any complementary or alternative therapy plan, even those described as such.
Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy is an alternative vet technique designed to relieve pain using focused shock pulses to encourage healing. This therapy may produce several positive outcomes, such as degradation of nerve bundles (nociception inhibition), increasing blood flow to an affected area and stimulating hormones and cells involved with healing processes. There are various devices designed for shockwave therapy delivery; all release pressure pulses that promote healing in injured muscles and tissues.
Piantanida of UCHealth Sports Medicine Clinic notes that their two types of shockwave machines differ considerably: One sends focused shockwaves up to 13 or 14 centimeters deep within the body; while radial shockwaves are used more commonly for treating soft tissue injuries like golfer’s elbow or tennis elbow. Veterinarian surgeons also utilize focused shockwave therapy as part of an application known as lithotripsy which breaks kidney stones into smaller pieces that can more easily pass.
Though there is little scientific proof that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques work, some people–including pet owners and animal therapists–believe they do due to either believing in them (placebo effect) or anecdotal evidence from friends or family who have used these therapies (errors in inference). Before initiating any alternative therapies with their clients, veterinary surgeons must discuss all options available before beginning a course of treatment.
Shockwave therapy is an outpatient noninvasive therapy which typically requires three sessions spaced weekly to notice an improvement in pain levels. Although the therapy may cause soreness or tenderness in the treated area for one or two days following, this should not interfere with everyday activities; using painkillers post-treatment may actually counteract its benefits.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral therapy (CST) has quickly become one of the fastest growing practices in alternative health. Massage therapists, psychiatrists, osteopathic doctors and many other healthcare practitioners now include this gentle yet powerful therapy in their repertoire of therapies.
CST involves gentle touch and manipulation of a physiological body system known as the craniosacral system – composed of membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. CST practitioners use light touch manipulation of this physiological body system, sensing natural rhythms permeating this system while helping release restrictions or imbalances to promote better cerebrospinal fluid flow, positively impacting all bodily systems like digestive, musculoskeletal, respiratory and circulatory.
At each session, a practitioner rests their hands gently on the head and sacrum, feeling for any subtle “pulses” from bones such as skull or sacrum to access deeper layers of fluid and membranes within the body’s fluid and membrane system, helping restore awareness to return and allow healing energy to come into its own.
Practitioners can detect tension in fascia — the band and Latin for “flesh”. Fascia serves to encase organs, glands, muscles, blood vessels and nerves throughout your body and when constricted can disrupt normal energy flows and cause pain or discomfort – but CST sessions can release this tension and restore natural flow, aiding healing processes as Hugh Milne from Britain who specializes in this work says that children respond especially well. He reported on an incident when learning problems in one young girl were resolved after one session!
Healing Touch for Animals
At a holistic exam of your pet, the veterinarian takes into account every factor. This includes not only medical history and symptoms, but also environmental, dietary and emotional stressors that might be impacting it. After this examination is complete, he or she develops a treatment plan which may include herbs, supplements massage therapy or even acupuncture to aid recovery of the animal.
Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for treating many conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal pain and general chronic aches and pains. Additionally, it has also been utilized in the treatment of anxiety in both dogs and cats as well as behavioral problems like inappropriate urine output or excessive barking.
Alternative therapies such as herbal medicine, homeopathy, ethnomedicine and chiropractic have also been recognized by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as safe and effective therapies; however, not enough clinical data exists to justify them as standard methods in veterinary practices.
Healing Touch for Animals (HT/HTA) is a noninvasive energy healing modality similar to Reiki. Practitioners assess an animal’s existing energy anatomy before employing techniques like light touch or near touch, essential oils and sound therapy in order to bring balance back into its system. HT/HTA may also help release energy that no longer serves its animal recipients such as habits or beliefs that no longer serve them.
Holistic vets in NYC will focus on more than just your pet’s physical wellbeing; they’ll also offer nutritional counseling and complementary therapies that help your animal heal more quickly and feel their best. For more information about holistic veterinary care, speak to your vet now; they may have a list of trusted practitioners that can help your pup or feline feel great!
Therapeutic Lasers
Therapeutic lasers use light with wavelengths that penetrate body tissues. The length of wavelength determines its effect on cell structure and physiological processes within tissues – shorter wavelengths tending to have more superficial effects while longer ones reach deeper within. Therapeutic laser treatment is commonly used to relieve pain and promote healing after injuries such as sprains or strains; but can also be helpful with osteoarthritis, skin issues, post-surgical wounds, or healing of lick granulomas.
Alternative medicine uses non-invasive electromagnetic energy beam therapy to address various health issues, including muscle and ligament injuries and skin disorders. Light energy absorbed by tissues appears to activate their natural self-healing response and reduce inflammation and swelling while at the same time decreasing production of proinflammatory mediators linked to diseases like arthritis or allergies.
Homeopathy, acupuncture and herbal medicine are among the many alternative veterinary therapies, although their efficacy remains controversial. Furthermore, Ontario’s College of Veterinary Medical Practitioners mandates that those practicing complementary and alternative veterinary medicine must complete an accredited training program before practicing this type of veterinary care.
Many holistic veterinarians employ multiple alternative therapies in tandem for an integrative approach to animal care. Holistic veterinarians may perform comprehensive exams on your pet that include dental x-rays to detect potential issues before they worsen; and may suggest diet modifications to promote optimal wellness.
