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Alternative medicine for pets
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Many of the same principles of alternative medicine, which are employed on humans, can often be used on household pets and farm animals as well. An alternative veterinarian is primarily interested in your pet's nutrition, it's relationship with your family, and it's daily hygiene and stress-related factors.
Because treating animals lacks the verbal input from the patient, alternative practitioners need to develop a keen awareness and powers of observation. In addition, alternative practitioners need to the full cooperation of the pet's owner in terms of relating observed symptoms as well as the owner's keen awareness of his or her pet's general condition. For example, how has your pet changed over recent days, weeks or months?
As in the physical health of all organic substances whether they be animal, human or plant, nutrition is a key component to the health and well being of the organism. Nutrition is the first and foremost factor in building a strong immune system in order to fight off disease. Although, most pets have a fairly well balanced diet individual pet needs are seldom addressed. As we have discovered in treating human conditions, individual needs often represent the critical component in establishing and maintaining a high degree of wellness. Unfortunately, the effort that is put into human research on individuals is seldom employed in determining individual needs of pets. Therefore, establishing the best possible diet in the general sense, is perhaps the most efficient means of enhancing your pet's well being. That is to say, since determining individual needs of pets is seldom assessed, a more conscious effort should be made to make sure you pet has a balanced intake of nutrients both from food intake as well as from the intake of nutritional supplements.
When your pet's health deteriorates there are a number of alternative treatments that have shown varying degrees of success in ameliorating conditions: Orthomolecular medicine, Behavior modification, Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Flower Remedies and Homeopathy.
Acupuncture for pets:
Brian F. Colquhoun, DVM, MS, CVA
Veterinary acupuncture is one of the fastest growing areas of natural medicine for companion animals. Pet owners are learning about and asking for the benefits of acupuncture in pet health. Veterinarians are responding by becoming educated and certified in acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine and offering these treatments to their clients. Each year over one hundred veterinarians attend basic acupuncture courses and many of these go on to become certified. Only licensed veterinarians are eligible for certification. The reasons for the increased use of acupuncture in veterinary medicine include its effectiveness, its safety and the high degree of acceptance and enjoyment of the treatments by the animals treated.
Among the benefits of acupuncture is the safety of treatment. Acupuncture does not create negative side effects that pharmaceuticals can. The animal's body itself is the source of the healing and any effects seen post treatment are indications of the body's healing process. The risk of injury or infection from the needling procedure is extremely small. In fact, one of the main concerns is that an animal will feel too good and exacerbate an existing condition by trying to do too much too soon.
While arthritis is the main condition pet owners seek out acupuncture to treat, its uses go way beyond pain control. Many diseases can be successfully managed with this treatment modality, including paralysis, disc disease, chronic organ failures, hormonal imbalances, epilepsy, allergies and cancer. Additionally, it is an effective adjunct to improve healing following surgery, particularly for injuries such as torn cruciate ligaments and conditions like hip dysplasia. The management of injuries and diseases without the use of prolonged or high doses of pharmaceutical drugs is the goal of the veterinary acupuncturist. In addition to stimulation of the immune system, nerve stimulation, the release of hormones and the release of chemicals in the brain are all mechanisms by which the beneficial effects of acupuncture are accomplished. Therefore, the entire body and not just a single part of it is brought into balance.
Most pets being treated with acupuncture accept the treatment with little or no apprehension, even those who are normally afraid or uncomfortable at the vet's office. Every effort is made to make the animal feel as comfortable as possible. As the sessions progress, many animals look forward to the visit and some will even fall asleep during treatment.
Typically, acupuncture treatments are initially administered in a series of six to eight appointments. These appointments are usually about one week apart and will vary in length from ten to fifteen minutes up to thirty to forty-five minutes. After the initial series further treatments may be performed at longer intervals and then discontinued or repeated on a maintenance schedule. In addition to the needles, the acupuncturist may use electrical current, fluid (usually vitamin B 12) injections and heat during the treatment.
Finally, symptoms of a disease are indicators that the body is responding to the underlying cause. Rather than masking those symptoms, acupuncture treats the underlying disease by stimulating the body's own healing mechanisms. As such it is a valuable adjunct to overall health care of companion animals.
Orthomolecular medicine:
Orthomolecular medicine has been found to be successful in treating pet ailments just as it has in treating human conditions. This modality incorporates supplemental minerals, nutrients, vitamins, in the same manner but with more caution then in treating humans. The caution is recommended because of the lack of verbal feedback from the patient to the caregiver.
Behavior modification:
Behavior modification can significantly influence a pet's well being. As in the human condition changes in lifestyle, attitudes, fears and phobias, can influence stress factors which in turn influence the nutritional component of the holistic makeup. Anything that will influence better nutrition will significantly influence the well being of the pet.
Pet Foods:
Although the pet food industry has made major strides in recent years improving the quality of food materials in their products, there continues to be a percentage of ingredients referred to as "feed grade" products. Feed grade implies material fit for animal consumption but not human consumption. Under pet food manufacturing guidelines, material considered acceptable to use includes such ingredients as bone material, parts of diseased slaughterhouse animals, internal components and organs, and other by-products of preparing human food. Some authorities strongly believe the materials found in cans of pet food which represent meat often include rendered animal fat, restaurant grease, in rancid oils not fit the human consumption. Restaurant grease is often collected in 55 gal. drums, which are sold to processing plants where it is processed to prevent further spoilage with various antioxidants, and then is added as ingredients to canned pet food. The AAFCO allows "tale of the mill" material to be added to pet food products. This term includes material found on the floor of the processing plant. Some individuals believe this material should be disposed of and yet established standards allow it to be used in processing pet food. There is considerable lobbying underway to change this standard and consumers should strive to make themselves aware of current standards.
Animals in the wild eat only raw food. Humans on the other hand have developed a taste for cooked foods. Humans also need to cook foods in order to destroy many of the bacteria found in raw food. Animals have developed a stronger immune system and the under normal conditions have sufficient acid in their stomach to kill pathogenic bacteria found in raw foods. Cooking food, as we know, destroys many of the nutritional components found in the foods, which are vital to our physical well-being. Cooking pet food destroys the same nutritional components. One of the most important nutritional components destroyed in cooking foods are enzymes. Enzymes are important in promoting digestion and assimilation of nutritional components in the food. Therefore, common sense indicates that if our pet's cousins in the wild survive and flourish on raw foods and indeed prefer raw foods, then perhaps our own pets may be better off eating raw food rather than processed foods.
Although the ancestors of our contemporary family of pets hunted and ate their prey raw. The digestive tract of domesticated animals has adapted to cooked foods over the centuries. Our cats and dogs readily readapt to raw foods as if their system never experienced cooked foods. Alternative veterinarians recommend raw meat and raw fish in lieu of cooked meat and fish.
Herbs for pets:
Herbal medicine is used in the same fashion as with humans, with the exception, that pet owners should only use herbal substances under the direction of a knowledgeable alternative veterinarian, who is familiar with the contraindications of some herbal substances with pets. Caution using herbal applications is highly recommended, although with the proper guidance of a knowledgeable practitioner, herbs can be a powerful alternative treatment.
Pet owners who are able to allow their pets to roam freely in the outdoors especially wooded and grassy areas are likely to observe their pets sniffing and tasting a variety of plant life, especially grasses. When their system tells them that a particular substance such as a specific type of grass is needed, which they come across, you'll see them eating small portions. Actually if you observe very closely, you will see them recognize certain grasses from a distance and actually go directly to the grass and start eating. From this vantage point a person can readily see the advantages of using verbal products on a therapeutic level.
As indicated earlier using herbs on a therapeutic level requires careful control over strength and duration of usage. Even though caution is recommended, use is encouraged, because by doing so pet owners avail themselves to one of the most efficient resources available in alternative pet care. Herbs in the general sense fall into three categories. First, those herbs that are considered to be poison herbs, which are used for short periods of time and for specific purposes. Second, medicinal herbs, which are also strong, yet are not in the poisonous family are used for specific medicinal reasons. Because they're less poisonous and toxic overtime, less caution is needed in their use. Third, food herbs are the least poisonous and toxic and can be used without concern regarding quantity or duration of use.
To conclude herbs, the most prudent approach to the use of herbs for medicinal pet purposes is to do so under the guidance of trained professional's. By doing so, the true powers of herbal products can be experienced, through the understanding of which herbs and combinations of herbs as well as dosage levels and duration of use, should be used for a particular condition. Only knowledgeable professional alternative practitioners understand these variables.
Homeopathy for pets:
Applying the principles of homeopathy involves choosing specific homeopathic remedies to treat pet conditions involving physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, and perceived mental problems. The process is gradual and overtime the homeopathic remedy can gradually return to pet to a healthy life. There are many other advantages that come to the surface when your animal is healthy, such as the return of a shining coat, better teeth, better gums, less ear infections, better emotions, less allergies etc.. Using homeopathy is not a short-term quick fix approach. It needs supervision of a trained alternative veterinarian and patience by the owner. Unlike certain herbal substances, short-term over dosing is not a consideration because of the diluted nature of the homeopathic remedy. However, giving the wrong remedy to in animal for a lengthy period of time can induce symptoms that otherwise were not present. They were brought on by the use of the wrong remedy. Therefore, proper supervision and guidance from a professional in choosing the appropriate remedy to treat specific symptoms is essential in the success of employing homeopathy to treat your pet.
Aromatherapy for pets:
Aromatherapy also known as flower essence therapy is well known as an alternative treatment for human conditions. Aromatherapy can be a used in a similar manner as homeopathy or herbology where a single essence can be used or multiple essences can be combined for a synergistic effect. Although multiple essences can be used simultaneously, no more than 7 should be use at any given time.
One well-known company namely Bach Flower Remedies has created a product line specifically for animals referred to as Bach's Rescue Remedies. This remedy is known to be effective in producing calming effects on stressed or injured animals. Bach Flower Remedies is a combination of essences, combined together to accomplish a specific purpose. The rescue remedy is the most popular of Bach flower remedies and is prepared specifically for animal use. The remedy is comprised of 5 separate essences. An interesting point which differentiates the application of essence treatment for humans vs. domesticated animals, is that domesticated animals such as dogs and cats a far more in harmony with their surroundings and are more balanced and centered than humans are. Consequently, the effectiveness of the essence treatment is generally noticed more quickly and effectively than with humans. Conditions found to be improved in animals include: the effects of abuse, effects of surgical treatment before and after, grief, excessive fear, jealousy and possessiveness, excessive self grooming, hyperactivity, and others.
As always before beginning a home-based treatment, owners of pets should seek the guidance of a veterinarian in order to firmly establish the nature and severity of the condition. If your pet is under the care of veterinarian it is always important to advise him or her of your intention to use essence therapy. The veterinarian not skilled in alternative treatments should be made aware of the desired outcome of the essence treatment.
Care should always be exercised when actually employing essence treatment in an around your animals mouth. Also care should be taken to observe all manufacturer recommended procedures when employing any form of essence therapy. For example, never let your pet's mouth, lips, tongue etc. come in contact with the vessel containing the essence. Inadvertent contact should result in a thorough sterilization of the vessel prior to returning it to the bottle container.
Chiropractic treatment for pets:
As in humans the spine of most household pets such as dogs are made up vertebra. Chiropractic care has been found to be very successful in treating household pets for a variety of joint, muscle and nerve related problems. Conditions such as arthritis and hip dysplasia respond very favorably in dogs, cats and horses. Typically, chiropractic care for these animals improves mobility and reduces the levels of pain associated with these conditions and without the need for medication. Regular and ongoing chiropractic care for these particular problems can significantly improve your pet's quality of life.
It has been found that long-term chiropractic care on the periodic basis can improve an animal's health over a span of years, as well as to lengthen the number of years in which the animal has a good quality of life.
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