A collegue recently asked me “Why do people bring their dogs for TCM, is it they don’t like the chemicals of modern medicine?”
I replied that people bring their animals for the same reason they bring themselves; either TCM provides a superior treatment methods for certain conditions or it provides a more comprehensive treatment than conventional western medicine.
Orthopedic problems such as intervertebral disc disease, hip dysplasia and arthritis; dermatalogic problems such as neuro-dermatitis and granuloma; reproductive disorders such as anestros or prolonged estros; immune disorders such as thyroid chronic ear infections and tumors. For all these conditions TCM prones to be a superior treatment method.
TCM provides more comprehensive care taking into account causative factors pathogenesis of disease , nutriticioncel support and individualized organ pathologies rather than disease states making TCM a preventative strategy as well.
This is why people bring their pets for acupuncture. It is the optimal comprehensive, conscientious choice.
The trained acupuncturist can view the topic of veterinary acupuncture as an extensive Application as expertise they have already acquired. Much like any specialty area such as pediatrics or orthopedics, veterinary acupuncture takes time and commitment to gain the necessary skills to treat effective. It’s also important in this specialty area to work closely with a veterinary medical doctor as their input can be invaluable, especially in the area of evaluating western lab tests such as x-rays, thyroid levels and blood tests.
There are several chemactistics to always take into account when forming your TCM diagnosis.
1. Tending to be yang in character.
This issue has three distinct meanings. Because they sweat though the feet and tongue, a relatively small surface area for evaporation, we see a tending forward:
a. hot type disease
b. wind disease
c. emotional imbalances
2. Animals bodies are very simulion to each other.
Whether working with a 7 pound Chihuahua or a 90 pound lab- They have the same bones, tendons and muscles.
3. Bleed specific disorders.
Due to over bleeding the development of exaggerated features appear, ultimate pointing to the animals weak areas. Treatment of the local area, the kidneys and the eight extra meridians are essential.
4. Weak spleen/stomach.
Poor substandard diets leads to weak spleen/stomach. This has two implications; weak spleen and stomach easily develops into qi deficiency, blood deficiency and damp obstruction secondly. Insufficient post natal qi draws from pre-natal qi support health. Changing and optimizing the diet is a cornerstone of vital health.
5. Iatrogenic conditions.
Not necessary for pets living in a contained environment to be spayed or neutered (hysterectomy and castration if the animals has had these procedure, the tending and possibility is there for the spayed female to become blood and yin deficient and the neutered male to become qi and yang deficient.
Management these deficiencies will provide balance to the individual, through acupuncture, herbs and nutritional supplements.
Vaccinations are another area iatrogenic concern. The tendency toward entrapped pathogen, latent heat and the development of auto-immune disorders are clear.
6. Animal orientations
The nature weight bearing on both pectoral and pelvic girdle makes it unclear as to the origin of the orthopedic lesion. A patient with the appearance of a hip problem may actually have a neck disorder with secondly atrophy of the lower limb.
Knowledge of this pattern, checking both areas and usage of x-rays, help to solve this problem.
This is just a beginning, attempting to take the trained TCM eye and open it wider to include veterinary acupuncture in it’s scape. This work is vital to our continued growth toward a more civilized world.
Today there is widespread recognition of such phenomena that humans are not the only intelligent sensitive beings on earth. Animals not only have physical problems, but social and emotional problems too. Animals have rights, deserve respect and moral concern. It is our obligation to use our knowledge to advance the health and lifespan, and to decrease the suffering of our small furry friends.