Holistic approaches to Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Helaine Haltrecht, DVM, CVA
Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in the field of holistic medicine as a complement to traditional western veterinary medicine. Many practitioners are studying and using these methods in practice, as a way to increase the effectiveness of treating their patients, and as well as a way to counteract some frustrations that one can have when faced with no treatments available in western medicine for a given illness. The different areas of expertise that are available for study and practice include acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic and osteopathy, alternative nutritional approaches, herbs and botanicals, and others. In this article I will address primarily veterinary acupuncture, as this is my primary training, as well as some of the advantages of addressing illness from a holistic perspective.
I have been a certified veterinary acupuncturist for the past nine years. Over this period I have completely changed my perspective on medicine and therapies, and am deeply gratified to have learnt, and continue to broaden my knowledge, in this very complex field of Chinese medicine. In my practice I am also using herbs, nutraceuticals, homeopathy, massage, and some physiotherapy. My practice is entirely devoted to these therapies, as these treatments have been growing in demand on the part of the public. In my practice, I generally place my patients on the floor on a nice comfortable quilt, to make them as relaxed as possible, and so that they look forward to their next treatment with me. Often my patients (and sometimes owners) are so relaxed that they fall asleep during the treatment. This makes the whole experience enjoyable for owners, patients, and especially for me. Practicing in this way has truly changed enjoyment of my profession!
So what is a holistic diagnosis as opposed to a traditional western approach to illness? Holistic practitioners look at the "whole" patient, as opposed to specific symptoms. This is where the word holistic comes from. One example from my practice to illustrate this: I have a patient who was being treated for an arthritic condition of the left hind hip. I was treating this patient approximately once monthly, and the pain and soreness were well under control without the need for medications. One of the benefits of not needing to use medication, which holistic alternatives may allow, is the advantage of avoiding possible side effects. In certain cases, the side effects of medications may be very toxic. This particular patient had a mishap while I was away, and started limping again very severely. The owner went to his regular veterinarian, who prescribed medication for the ongoing arthritic problem. When I returned, the owner called me to tell me that his dog was still no better. When I finally saw this animal, the first thing I did was use my powers of observation, to watch very closely when the animal walked. As it turned out, the animal was limping on his OTHER leg! This animal was not having a problem from arthritis, but was having a new problem that ended up requiring surgery. I use this example to illustrate what holistic practitioners know. Always look, feel, smell, and touch the WHOLE animal. Holistic practitioners use all the tools in our arsenal of treatments to offer the best possible approach to the individual patient. One patient may require surgery for the same condition that another will need only acupuncture for. Having this tool available allows me to offer more options for treatment to my patients.
When making a holistic diagnosis, a veterinarian will take into consideration all aspects of the patient, including his personality, behavioral traits, the environment that the animal lives in, the time of year and or day that the problem is taking place, and how other problems that the animal is having may be impacting on the presenting complaint. Then, if one is an acupuncturist, a Chinese medical diagnosis will be made, along with a western medical diagnosis. The Chinese medical diagnosis is based on the idea of an imbalance in the body that allows an illness to manifest. The goal of treatment will be to restore balance, so that healing can take place.
Acupuncture is often used to treat chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis, herniated discs and back pain, and soft tissue trauma. It can also be used, along with herbal remedies, to treat many types of chronic illnesses, such as colitis, skin problems, asthma, kidney or liver disease, and can be used as a palliative therapy in cancer cases. Acupuncture has been well recognized as a method to reduce side effects from chemotherapy, and is known to boost the immune system to help fight off tumors. Acupuncture is known to work, through the effects of nerve stimulation, which creates the release of endorphins, which are our body's natural painkillers. Another way that acupuncture is considered to work is through dilating blood vessels, which bring nutrition to the affected area that one is trying to treat.
There is now in Canada an organization formed several years ago to join veterinary parishioners interested in acupuncture. The name of the group is AVAC, which means The Association of Veterinary Acupuncturists of Canada. There is a website that can be consulted to find veterinarians in each province. The website is Avac.ca. AVAC organizes courses to teach veterinarians throughout Canada Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Being a holistic practitioner has changed my outlook on medicine and many other aspects of life. I feel it has improved my western medicine as well, as it has reminded me of the importance of looking at the WHOLE patient, instead of just a combination of symptoms, requiring a "quick fix" solution. As a holistic practitioner one looks for the root or source of illness in order to bring about a long lasting improvement from disease. It has been deeply gratifying to me to have these holistic approaches to add to my arsenal of tools for treating patients.
Dr. Haltrecht has been practicing veterinary acupuncture in the Montreal area for the past nine years. She has been featured in several newspaper articles, on the radio, and on TV. She lectures regularly throughout Canada, and the U.S. and has been teaching veterinarians in Cuba the last few years. She teaches a course on Complementary medicine at the veterinary faculty of the University of Montreal, and has taught at the vet school at Tufts University outside Boston. She is currently practicing at the Dorval Veterinary Hospital, and at the DMV Centre in Montreal, and can be reached through info@naturalanimal.ca.