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What Is Holistic Veterinary Medicine? Holistic (or Integrative or Complementary) Veterinary Medicine is the examination and diagnosis of an animal, considering all aspects of the animal's life and employing all of the practitioner's senses, as well as the combination of conventional and alternative (or complementary) modalities of treatment. When a holistic veterinarian sees a pet, besides giving it a comprehensive physical examination, he/she wants to find out all about its behaviors, distant medical and dietary history, and its environment including diet, emotional stresses, and other factors. Holistic medicine, by its very nature, is humane to the core. The wholeness of its scope will set up a lifestyle for the animal that is most appropriate. The techniques used in holistic medicine are gentle, minimally invasive, and incorporate patient well-being and stress reduction. Holistic thinking is centered on love, empathy and respect. In many acute situations, treatment may involve aspects of surgery and drug therapy from conventional western technology, along with alternative techniques to provide a complementary whole. This form of treatment has great value for severe trauma and certain infections. It often outperforms other methodologies. It is also at this time that other treatment plans such as those listed below are brought into use. Once the symptoms have been treated, the task is not complete until the underlying disease patterns have been redirected. The patient, as well as the client, will be guided to a new level of health. 
Veterinary AcupunctureAcupuncture is one of a variety of therapies that your veterinarian may use to treat your pet. Simply stated, acupuncture (acus, needle; punctura, puncture) is the stimulation of specific points on the body that have the ability to alter various biochemical and physiologic conditions to achieve the desired effect. It is a means of helping the body heal itself. Acupuncture has been used successfully for nearly 4000 years on animals, as well as human beings. As a matter of fact, it is still the treatment of choice for one quarter of the world's population for many problems. It is now being utilized by an increasing number of veterinarians, alongside Western medicine, for various disease conditions. It is not a panacea, or cure-all, but in certain disease conditions it works well. In small animals, acupuncture is most commonly used for: musculoskeletal problems (e.g. arthritis), skin problems, nervous disorders, reproductive disorders, respiratory problems, poor immunity and internal medicine problems such as heart (cardiac) and kidney (renal) disease, etc. Acupuncture is now known to affect all major physiologic systems. It works primarily via the central nervous system, affecting the musculoskeletal, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems. However, acupuncture does more than just relieve pain. Acupuncture also increases circulation, causes a release of many neurotransmitters and neurohormones (some of which are endorphins, the "natural pain-killing" hormones), relieves muscle spasms, stimulates nerves, and stimulates the body's defense system, among many other beneficial effects. The particular method in which it works depends on the conditions being treated and the points used. Usually more than one mechanism of action is involved when each individual acupuncture point is 'needled'. Acupuncture is performed with sterilized thin, filamentous stainless steel needles. Occasionally your pet will experience a brief moment of sensitivity as the needle penetrates the skin in certain sensitive areas. Once the needles are in place, most pets relax, often falling asleep during treatment. For some nervous pets, it may take several treatments before they feel comfortable enough with your veterinarian to fully relax. Acupuncture is one of the safest therapies available and side effects are rare. Occasionally an animal's condition may deteriorate temporarily before positive results can be seen. However, if the body's own system of healing is allowed to work and no chemicals are administered, complications rarely, if ever, develop. If your pet is extremely weak due to advanced disease, your veterinarian may choose only a small number of acupuncture points in the beginning and gradually increase the number of points, if needed, as your pet improves and gains strength. Treatments may last from 10 seconds to 30 minutes depending on the condition treated and the method used. Pets may be treated as frequently as one to three times a week (depending again upon the condition treated), but typically are treated once weekly for four to six weeks. After the initial treatment period, the intervals between acupuncture treatments are then extended based upon your pet's response to treatment and what is needed to maintain improvement. Most pets are seen once every two to six months for continued maintenance therapy, although there are some pets who no longer need acupuncture therapy once their condition has resolved. Before acupuncture treatment is performed on your pet, your veterinarian will perform a comprehensive physical medical and acupuncture examination. During this time it is important for you to inform your veterinarian with pertinent details such as:
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