The Value of Integrative Veterinary Medicine
As most veterinary professionals know, the health of a patient is more than the sum of its various parts and systems. Besides absence of illness or injury, a pet’s well-being encompasses lifestyle, nutrition, behavior and exercise. Nobody understands this like veterinarians who take an integrative approach to patient care. Treatments and services such as acupuncture, phototherapy, nutraceuticals and rehabilitation are becoming less “alternative” and more mainstream all the time, especially...
Recognizing Soft Tissue Injuries in the Dog from an Integrative Perspective – part 2
Applying rehab and physiotherapy techniques to a dog with a soft tissue injury should be preceded by a proper consideration of how the injury developed and progressed, and how it affects the health and function of the entire body. The care of the canine athlete in performance and working disciplines is finally getting much-needed attention and awareness. With the recent growth of agility, flyball, obedience, herding, sled racing and nose-work as competitive...
Integrative Treatment of Spinal Dysfunction
How acupuncture, homeopathy and other therapies can help in the treatment of intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and spondylosis in pets. I have seen it time and again: a client brings in a sweet beloved pet that cannot use his hind legs. Depending on which segment of the spinal cord is affected, the animal may also be unable to urinate or defecate with control. The client is understandably upset but still...
Recognizing Soft Tissue Injuries in Dogs From an Integrative Perspective - Part 1
Applying rehab and physiotherapy techniques to an injured dog should be preceded by a proper consideration of how the injury developed and progressed, and how it affects the health and function of the entire body. The care of the canine athlete in performance and working disciplines is finally getting much-needed attention and awareness. While this seems to be a new and rapidly-growing aspect of veterinary medicine, working dogs have needed...