Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) is an ancient form of medicine that has evolved over the past 3,000 years. It encompasses a variety of treatment modalities, including Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Tui-na, and Food Therapy.
In TCVM, disease is seen as an imbalance in the body, diagnosed by identifying underlying patterns of disharmony. Unlike Western medicine, TCVM considers an animal’s temperament, sex, age, activity, and environment alongside disease signs. This practice emphasizes a holistic or “whole patient” approach that views the body as a system of interconnected forces and functions.
The Four Branches of TCVM:
- Acupuncture
- Herbal Medicine
- Food Therapy
- Tui-na.
Acupuncture:
Acupuncture is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and it is the insertion of a needle or injectable substance into specific locations on the body, resulting in a therapeutic effect. There are 14 major energy channels, or meridians, that course through the body, and along these meridians are where the acupoints are located. These points are related to underlying anatomic structures such as nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatics.
Insertion of the needles at acupuncture points leads to a release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters; causing relaxation, pain relief, and produces a powerful physiologic healing response throughout the body.
According to TCM, the body needs to be balanced both internally and externally in order to achieve a state of health. The goal of acupuncture is to aid the body in moving towards a balanced and healthy state.
Acupuncture can be used to treat many different conditions. Most people think of acupuncture when it comes to treating musculoskeletal and neurological diseases like arthritis pain, disc disease and seizures.
Acupuncture is also highly effective in aiding in the treatment of most medical conditions including heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, gastrointestinal disease, disorders of the skin, and cancer. Acupuncture can also be used along with conventional therapies to either mitigate side effects or enhance treatment. As an example, acupuncture can be used to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.
Tui-na:
Tui-na is a form of Chinese medical massage in which different manipulations are applied to acupoints and Meridians to promote the circulation of Qi and correct imbalances within the organ systems. It was first used in the 16th-11th centuries BC and references to this treatment can be found in the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperors Inner Classic, written in 475-221 BC).
It can be used to regulate the Channels, soothe joints and sinews, promote circulation of Qi and blood, strengthen the immune system and promote normal function of the Zang-Fu organs. Tui-na is most commonly used to treat acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions and is also useful as a preventative medicine therapy, because it promotes balance in the body.
It can also be used in conjunction with and to enhance acupuncture and herbal treatments. Dogs and cats respond well to Tui-na, and it can be administered on animals that will not allow the insertion of acupuncture needles. It is safe and effective with no known side effects.
Herbal Medicine:
Herbal Medicine utilizes herbal ingredients listed within the Chinese Herbal Materia Medica in particular combinations or formulas to treat particular disease patterns. Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) therapies date back 4,000 years! Herbs today are prepared with the benefits of modern technology, but are still guided by historical wisdom.
In this modality, herbs are used to correct imbalance underlying a disease pattern and to promote the body’s ability to heal itself. Each herb has a different effect on the body and can fall under a number of classifications such as warming, cooling, sour, or bitter and can affect a variety of organs, including the liver, lungs, or heart. TCVM utilizes herbal formulas that are a combination of single-herb ingredients to treat a specific pattern of disease. Herbal formulas are administered orally and are typically given in tea pill or capsule form to cats and dogs.
CHM is an all-natural treatment option that is generally safe and effective when prescribed correctly. An extensive body of clinical research has shown CHM to be extremely effective in treating chronic veterinary medical issues in the fields of: gastroenterology, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, reproduction, oncology, and behavior. CHM is also commonly used to treat respiratory issues and sports injuries. In addition, CHM increases the quality of life for geriatric patients, especially those diagnosed with terminal cancer, since it assists the body’s ability to reduce tumor size when chemotherapy is not an option. CHM can be combined with acupuncture and/or Western Medicine to enhance clinical results
Food Therapy:
Food Therapy is the science of tailoring diet plans to treat individual pets and prevent imbalance within the body based on unique inborn tendencies, age, species, geographical location, personality, and any current disharmony or disease process. It utilizes knowledge of the energetics of food ingredients, which include both their thermal energetic property (temperature) and their taste.
Developed according to TCVM theory, Chinese food therapy recipes can be classified into one of the following categories:
- Health Promotion and Prevention – to improve health on a regular basis and to prevent seasonal- and climate-related problems.
- Disease Treatment – to directly treat clinical conditions, including skin problems, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiency.
- Adjunct Therapy – to complement primary treatments (acupuncture, herbs, or Western Medicine) of diseases such as otitis, urinary crystals and stones, UTI, IBD, CHF, cancer, renal failure, and liver failure.
When chosen correctly, there are virtually no side effects to food therapy and it is a mode of treatment that can be used safely over the course of an animal’s life.
