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What is Holistic Veterinary Medicine?
By Marlene Smith-Schalkwijk DVM
There are many opinions of this word, some of them translating
it with the word "whole", meaning that it treats the
whole animal instead of only parts of it. For me, it embraces a
philosophy of healing that utilizes as many healing disciplines
as the practitioner can call upon to aid in the healing of the
patient. It is like being in a large show room with many different
booths, each of which represents a form of healing practiced over
the whole world at different times. So we will see a booth of Western
medicine, one for Traditional Chinese Medicine, one for homeopathy,
Reiki, nutritional healing, Healing Touch, Chiropractor, Massage,
Physiotherapy etc. The forms of healing different to Western Medicine
are often referred to as " alternative medicine"; a more
appropriate word would be "complimentary medicine". The
job of the doctor is to decide which form or approach of medicine
is appropriate for this particular patient and this particular
disease. The following will shed some light on these complimentary
modalities.
Article written by Dr. Marlene Smith for Dogs of Canada Magazine
1996
What is Holistic Veterinary Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture
T.C.M. has been used for over 4000 years and is based on the observation
of the natural occurrences. Environmental occurrences as cold,
heat, dryness, dampness, and wind are also reflected in the body.
Creation is based on opposing expressions as dark and light, hot
and cold, day and night etc. The TCM expresses this as Yin and
Yang. A T.C.M practitioner will base the diagnosis on a pattern
of disharmonies in the Yin and Yang, an excess or deficiency of
heat or cold, dry or moist etc. The spiritual and emotional components
are important parts of the diagnostics. For example: an outburst
of anger or irritability might be seen as "liver Qi stagnation" as
the liver is the organ that carries the emotion of anger. This
is an important finding if the animal has become more irritable
in the course of the disease.
The information needed to form a diagnosis is obtained through
a careful and lengthy interview, observation, palpation, tongue
and pulse diagnosis. Acupuncture is based on the philosophy
that organ functions can be influenced through points on the body
surface with a (measurable) lower electrical resistance. Insertion
of a needle in one of these points will send a message to the brain
via the nervous system, blood vessels, muscles and interstitial
fluids to release endorphins. Some endorphins will act as a naturally
produced morphine, creating a feeling of well being (hence its
use in addiction programs) and also reducing pain. Others will
block the release of histamines and have an anti- inflammatory
effect. Also hormones and enzymes etc can be released and blood
flow can be increased. The TCM practitioner will use herbal formulations
(based on traditional recipes) acupuncture, dietary and exercise
advise in the treatment protocol. The use of TCM is wide spread
from pain and inflammation control in chronic arthritis to
treatment of paralysis and acute vertebral disc diseases. Immune
dysfunction diseases such as allergies, asthma, lupus, and other
immune mediated diseases, and dogs with protractive urinary incontinence
also respond well to this form of medicine.
As an addition to western medicine TCM extends healing opportunities
for the patient, especially in cases where Western Medicine has
no answers or treatment side effects are unacceptable to the pet
owner. It can be used in conjunction with other modalities of healing.
Raven is a 6-year-old female terrier cross. One year after having
been spayed she lost control over her bladder and leaked urine
during the night. Hormonal treatment helped for a while but had
to be increased to a level that she started to show signs of heat.
Her owners were desperate and decided to try acupuncture as a last
resort. After a one-hour consultation and examination the doctor
diagnosed a kidney yang deficiency. Raven was treated four times,
one week apart and additional Chinese herbs were given. She was
taken of the hormones. Her bladder control improved slowly but
steadily and her energy and happiness were most remarkable. Now
1 year later she needs the occasional treatment and herbs and she
stays dry all night and day!
Herbal Medicine
This traditional form of medicine has been practiced since human
memory by every group of humans over the entire world. Its knowledge
and information is based on traditional folk knowledge of herbs
and other plant or tree material used to cure diseases. In the
Middle Ages women who were the gatherers of food and plants practiced
it predominantly. Their knowledge, often passed on by oral tradition,
was nearly wiped out by the witch-hunt. Many western medicines
such as penicillin, valium (valerian) digitalis (foxglove)
and many flea products (chrysanthemum flower) are derived from
plants or fungi. Herbs are used in Chinese medicine and in the
Western world. There are many household remedies available for
animals. Immune enhancers such as Echinacea and astragalus are
very useful in the beginning of diseases especially of the upper
respirator tract. Golden Seal, Calendula, Hypericum and Comfrey
are useful for topical applications on cuts and skin infections.
I have found all animals responding well to herbal treatment. They
can be combined with acupuncture, western (allopathic) medicines
and homeopathy. Chronic infections, heart diseases, immune diseases,
cancer, allergies etc. are all conditions that can be treated successfully
with herbs. Demodex mange for example responds better to the western
treatment with the addition of herbal immune stimulators as Astragalus
combinations.
Veterinary Homeopathy
Developed at the same time as western medicine by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann
in 1790, veterinary homeopathy uses the law of simile. It is based
on the observation that a diluted form of a toxic substance can
cure the symptoms created by that same substance. For example:
Nux Vomica will induce vomiting when eaten whole. These symptoms
can be cured by strongly diluted extracts of the same plant. It
also will have a curative effect on other forms of vomiting.
Homeopathy works well in acute and chronic diseases or where the
patient cannot tolerate western or herbal medicine. Every disease
from acute trauma and infections to arthritis, heart, liver and
kidney failure, immune diseases and cancer can have benefit from
homeopathy. I have found homeopathy to be particular useful in
immune mediated diseases and epileptic seizures.
Physiotherapy and Massage
These two forms of healing have proven to be very effective and
useful in the human field. Our animals will benefit equally. Any
animal with muscle or joint trauma or injury will experience pain
as a result of incorrect weight bearing or shortening of muscles.
Animals suffering from problems related to spinal disc problems
and crusiate ligament repairs would greatly benefit from massage
and physiotherapy. This is certainly a field that needs further
development in veterinary medicine.
Chiropractor for Animals
Even though most of us are familiar with and may have used the
services of a chiropractor, not many people seem to realize that
the same applies to animals. Indicators for a visit to the chiropractor
are not only lameness and back pain, but some organ disharmonies
might also respond to this treatment. A veterinary chiropractor
successfully treated her own dog for urinary incontinence. Veterinary
chiropractor courses are now available for veterinarians and hopefully
this service will soon be available for most pet owners.
Reiki
This is an ancient form of healing which has recently been rediscovered.
The translation of this Japanese word means Universal Life Energy.
It is based on the understanding that all beings are surrounded,
influenced by and also create their own specific life energy. Imbalances
in these energies can create diseases or prevent a patient from
getting well again. Stress and emotional trauma are typical examples
of this. In my practice I treat a lot of animals with immune mediated
diseases and cancer and I have been surprised to find that in many
of these cases the owner or a close relative suffers from the same
disease! This indicates to me a sharing of energy fields. Reiki
works with these energy fields, utilizing the Chakras. The well-trained
and balanced Reiki practitioner can feel the imbalance in the energy
of the patient and can help to correct this. I have found that
animals respond well to this treatment and recommend that the animal’s
caretaker have a treatment at the same time. The Reiki practitioner
who works on animals should have an understanding of animal anatomy,
physiology and diseases, and also have Reiki training.
Nutritional Therapy (Nutraceutical Medicine)
The term nutritional therapy is used when the healer tries to influence
the course of the disease through improvement of the digestive
system. This happens not only through the diet, but also trough
additions of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids. The liver
plays an important role in the detoxification process. Toxins can
come from the food, environment, hormones, or from the metabolic
processes. Few people are aware that the liver has three phases
of detoxification. When one of those phases is impaired, toxic
products build up, are stored in the fat and eventually spill over
in the bloodstream. This can result in dermatitis, colitis and
liver, kidney and heart diseases.
The food we feed our animals plays a large role in their well-being.
It is also true that an animal’s stomach was never designed
to eat dry kibbles only! Over the last twenty years we have all
been told that the only thing your dog and cat need is a bowl of
dried food and water. Veterinarians and animal owners battle an
ever-increasing amount of chronic skin problems related to allergies.
Also degenerative diseases and immune diseases are on the increase.
Cortisone and antibiotics are mostly used to control the disease,
sometimes with disappointing results. Looking at these diseases
from a holistic point of view, a part of these problems could well
be caused by the liver's inability to detoxify. Home cooking an
individual and specifically designed diet supplemented with enzymes,
vitamins, amino acids and herbs to aid the liver in the detoxification
process can give amazing results. Diseases such as hyperactivity,
seizures, allergies, chronic ear infections, smelly skins, re-occurring
hotspots etc. have responded to nutritional therapy. Clinical
nutrition is a field that is been now also developed for animals.
A good knowledge of animal nutritional requirements and liver detoxification
processes in animals is vitally important to home cooking
and supplementing your pet’s diet.
Ear Candling
We see a rising popularity of ear candling in humans. A paraffin-covered
tube is applied to the opening of the ear and lit at the far end.
A vacuum is created and this will (if done correctly) create a
negative pressure in the ear canal. The heat softens up the wax
and the difference in pressure "sucks" the wax out of
the ear canal and into the candle. The technique is used in people
to remove earwax and also to aid into clearing the sinuses in chronic
sinus infections (as in hay fever). I can see the same application
in animals. One caution, do not use in case of ear infections.
The ear canal can be re-irritated in animals with chronic wax built
up and where applications of oils or cleaning fluids and Q-tips are
used. More research in this field is definitely needed.
For more information on veterinary acupuncture contact:
I.V.A.S Box 2074 Nederland, Co, 80466 USA. 303-258-3767.
For veterinary homeopathy and other approaches:
AHVMA 2214 Old Emmorton Road Bel Air, Maryland 21015 USA 410-569-0795
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