You are probably familiar with holistic medicine options for people, but what about for our pets?
Holistic veterinary medicine offers alternative methods to complement conventional medicine tailored to an individual pet’s needs. The philosophy behind holistic veterinary medicine is a multi-modal approach, which aims to combine minimally invasive alternative modalities with conventional medicine to minimize unwanted side effects. These alternative therapies may be especially beneficial in patients with chronic conditions or multiple concurrent diseases.
Holistic Veterinary Medicine Focuses on the Whole Patient
In Western medicine, when we think about healthcare, we are typically referring to conventional medicine. Conventional medicine is when doctors “treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery.”
Holistic medicine in contrast uses alternative therapies to complement more conventional methods. The philosophy behind holistic medicine is focused on the patient as a whole. Therapies used in holistic veterinary medicine are typically minimally invasive and aim to reduce the patient’s stress while minimizing adverse side effects.
Types of Holistic Veterinary Therapies
There are many tools available in holistic veterinary medicine. Some of the more widely utilized therapies include acupuncture, laser therapy, aroma therapy, rehabilitation, and sports medicine. When a veterinarian approaches medicine from a holistic perspective, they combine a variety of holistic therapies with conventional medicine in a way that is tailored to the patient’s unique situation.
Acupuncture as Adjunct Therapy for Pets with Chronic Pain
A commonly used holistic therapy in veterinary medicine is acupuncture. Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medicine and consists of using needles, laser therapy, or pressure to stimulate acupoints. The concept is to target acupoints to influence the nervous system, improve blood flow, release hormones, and more.
With respect to its role in veterinary medicine specifically, acupuncture is largely used in cases of chronic pain to help patients with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions. For example, studies have shown acupuncture decreases pain and improves mobility in dogs with hip dysplasia. Additionally, research suggests acupuncture facilitates faster and more complete recovery in dogs who have undergone spinal surgery.
As with people, the quality of life of our pets is significantly affected by chronic pain. Therefore, holistic methods like acupuncture can greatly improve your pet’s quality of life and decrease the need for excessive pharmaceutical drugs.
Laser Therapy Can Promote Healing and Reduce Swelling
Another tool used in holistic veterinary medicine is laser therapy. “Laser” stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. In this method, light energy is radiated to reach target cells without causing excessive damage to the surrounding tissues. The power and wavelength of the laser may be adjusted to target different types of tissues in a specific manner, thereby minimizing unwanted side effects.
Therapeutic laser has many benefits, such as decreasing pain by modulating the nervous system, decreasing inflammation, and promoting healing. Laser therapy improves blood flow, collagen formation, and swelling, highlighting its use in wound healing.
Veterinary Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Strengthen Mobility
Rehabilitation and sports medicine aim to use non-surgical methods to improve mobility and mitigate pain. Therapies in this category include underwater treadmill walking, therapeutic exercises, PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy), and massage.
These methods may serve as an alternative or an adjunct treatment to surgery. For example, therapeutic exercises help strengthen muscles and increase range of motion, which is especially useful in senior dogs with orthopedic diseases, such as arthritis.
In cases where surgery is too costly, or the pet is not a good candidate for anesthesia, these non-surgical methods offer another option for pet owners. In contrast, for pets who have undergone surgery, rehabilitation and sports medicine frequently result in faster recovery.
Nutritional Therapy Supplement a Pet’s Needs
It likely comes as no surprise that nutrition plays a powerful role in the overall health and longevity of both people and animals. Nutrition must be complete and balanced but should also be adjusted to meet the specific needs of the patient. For example, there are diets that are specifically designed for certain disease processes, such as kidney diets which typically contain less protein and sodium.
Mega-nutrient therapy, also known as orthomolecular medicine, supplements a pet’s needs with vitamins and nutrients rather than using pharmaceutical drugs. A common example of this is the use of joint supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine in dogs with orthopedic disease.
While diet and supplements alone are usually not sufficient in treating a condition, they are more natural methods of supporting a pet’s health needs. It is also important to note that although many supplements are naturally occurring products in the body, it is possible to over- or under-supplement your pet. Therefore, it is best to consult your veterinarian when integrating nutritional and mega-nutrient therapies.
Situations Where Holistic Veterinary Medicine May Be Helpful
Holistic veterinary therapies are warranted following many orthopedic surgeries. For example, physical rehabilitation in the form of passive range of motion and balance exercises are critical in the post-operative period following cranial cruciate ligament surgery.
A holistic approach to veterinary medicine is also often helpful in chronic disease processes or for patients with multiple pre-existing conditions.
For instance, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are commonly prescribed for pets with arthritis. While NSAIDs are very effective in reducing inflammation and pain, they are processed by the kidneys and thus, should not be used in pets with pre-existing kidney disease. In cases of arthritis, many affected pets are older and may have concurrent kidney disease. This is an example of a situation where holistic therapies like acupuncture and sports medicine may be safer alternatives.
A helpful resource for pet owners regarding holistic veterinary medicine is available through the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA).
