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Q. What is Veterinary Acupuncture?
A. Essentially, it is the insertion of needles into specific points on the body to cause a desired effect. This practice has been used in human and veterinary medicine in China for over 5000 years. Acupuncture may also be used as preventive medicine. It is used all over the world, either by itself or in conjunction with conventional Western medicine, to treat a wide variety of medical conditions in every species of domestic and exotic animals. Modern veterinary acupuncturists use special acupuncture needles, heat, massage, electricity, low power lasers and occasionally, hypodermic needles to stimulate acupuncture points. Acupuncture is not a universal cure-all, but can work very well for particular problems.
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Q. For what sort of medical conditions is acupuncture indicated?
A. Mainly, it is indicated for the treatment of functional problems such as those that involve neuromuscular weakness or paralysis, noninfectious inflammation (such as allergies), and pain. Some of these conditions include arthritis and intervertebral disc problems, skin diseases, respiratory problems like asthma and gastrointestinal problems like chronic diarrhea.
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Q. How should I find an acupuncturist for my pet?
A. To chose an acupuncturist for your animal you should look for a veterinary acupuncturist who is a licensed veterinarian. Your veterinarian should have formal training in the practice of acupuncture. The more your veterinarian knows about traditional Chinese philosophies and Western scientific bases for acupuncture, the more sure you can be that your animal will be treated properly.
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Q. What is Veterinary Chiropractic?
A. Veterinary Chiropractic is a drug free approach to animal health care, though it does not replace conventional veterinary care. It deals with the special relationship that the nervous system, (housed in the spinal column), has with all systems of the body. By maintaining the structural integrity of the spinal column, and its articulations with the extremities and skull, the physical encumbrances of the free commnunication of the nervous system with the rest of the body are kept to a minimum. Specific, gentle adjustments of the spine, extremities and skull make this possible. This facilitates the animal's inherent capacity to maintain balance within their bodies, and thereby optimize their individual health. Therapeutic exercise can be used as an adjunct to chiropractic care.
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Q. For what sort of medical conditions is chiropractic indicated?
A. Veterinary chiropractic is indicated for the treatment of back or neck pain and chronic lameness. It can be very helpful in management of cases of urine-leaking in older dogs, spinal arthritis, and temporomandibular joint (jaw) problems. Veterinary chiropractic can and should be implemented as a preventive medical modality, so as to optimize the spinal integrity and function of the animals' nervous system BEFORE a problem develops.
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Q. What is Cold Laser Therapy?
A. Cold laser therapy is the utilization of laser light to stimulate the body's own biological processes that promote healing and pain relief. Lasers implemented for therapy use less power than those for surgery. The beneficial effects are not the result of heat, but from the absorption of energy from the laser light by the body's own cells. Most treatments are approximately ten minutes in length, repeated over days or weeks. These treatments are frequently used in combination with other therapies, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, etc.
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Q. What are examples of conditions that can respond positively to Cold Laser Therapy?
A. *wound healing
*post-operative pain management
*injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments
*arthritis
*neurological injury
*intervertebral disc injury or disease
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Q. Who cares what my pet eats? Aren't all pet foods the same?
A. Have you ever heard the expression, "you are what you eat"? Well, the same concept applies for your pet. Just as certain foods don't agree with you, the same thing applies to your pet. Pet foods and pet food diets are NOT all the same, as the quality of ingredients can vary widely from one to another. The better quality the ingredients of the diet, the better your pet can extract the nutrients he/she needs to optimize their health. Proper diet and exercise are investments in your pets health, just as regular oil changes are to the life of your car!
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