Dear Dr. Dog: Lately, I keep hearing about Chinese medicine for dogs. Is it readily available, does it really work, and what are the treatments like?
Yes, the Chinese system of medicine that has helped people stay healthy for thousands of years is now available for dogs and other animals. The veterinary hospital at Pets Unlimited in San Francisco offers Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for pets at its new clinic, Winnie’s Center for Holistic Veterinary Medicine, which opened last November. There are plenty of other practitioners in the Bay Area, as well.
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Whether geared to humans or canines, TCM has a “macro” or holistic view of health and disease. It sees the body as a small universe comprised of a set of complete and sophisticated interconnected systems that work in balance to maintain the healthy function of the body.
The central concept of TCM involves “Qi” (pronounced chee and meaning “vital energy”), which flows along specific pathways in the body, called meridians. The body can resist disease and maintain health if Qi is well balanced and flows freely. When the flow of Qi is disrupted, the body manifests illness or pain. Qi disruption can be caused by many things, including injury, bad diet, toxins, and infectious organisms (like viruses or bacteria).
Diagnosis
In TCM, four diagnostic methods are employed in evaluating each patient: inspection, which focuses on the face and particularly the tongue, analyzing things like size, shape, color, and coating; listening for particular sounds and noticing unusual body odor; learning a patient’s history regarding such things as body temperature, appetite, thirst, and elimination habits; and feeling for tender points and detecting “pulses,” the strength and quality of Qi moving along the meridians.
Treatment
Acupuncture is the most common treatment modality used in TCM. Very small, sterile needles are inserted through the skin at points along the various energy meridians to effect physiologic changes, such as increasing blood and lymphatic circulation and stimulating the central nervous system. Essentially, acupuncture adjusts the flow of Qi to help bring the body back into balance.
Frequently, treatment also includes herbal medicines. Chinese herbal formulas may combine plant, mineral, and animal substances to promote and prolong health benefits between acupuncture treatments. Each herbal prescription is a cocktail of several ingredients tailored to the individual patient.
Dogs and Acupuncture
Acupuncture is effective in treating functional problems in dogs, such as those involving paralysis, noninfectious inflammation (such as allergies), and pain. The general veterinary conditions that may be helped by acupuncture include: musculoskeletal problems, such as arthritis or spinal disc pathology; skin problems, such as lick granuloma and hot spots; respiratory problems, such as asthma or chronic bronchitis; gastrointestinal problems, like chronic vomiting or inflammatory bowel disease; cancer, specifically to help boost the immune system and control pain; and inflammatory conditions.
Acupuncture is one of the safest forms of medical treatment for animals, when practiced by a trained and licensed doctor. Side effects are rare. On occasion, a dog’s condition may appear worse for up to 48 hours after a treatment, or he may become sleepy or lethargic for 24 hours after treatment. These short-term effects are generally followed by a marked improvement in the animal’s condition.
Treatment Basics
When your dog receives acupuncture, a few sterile, hair-thin, disposable needles are inserted slightly below the skin. They remain in the body for five to 30 minutes, depending on the condition being treated.
Human acupuncture patients sometimes experience a slight pricking sensation as the needle enters the skin. Other common sensations include heaviness and warmth where the needles are placed. Most animals become deeply relaxed; some fall asleep during treatment.
Each case is unique, therefore the length and frequency of treatment varies. Simple, acute problems may require just a few treatments, while more severe or chronic conditions may require a longer course. To simply maintain good health, a dog generally needs treatments only once each season.
Consider adding TCM to your dog’s health care regime. It is safe, effective, and can have a very beneficial effect on your pet’s overall well-being.
Tom Mason DVM is Director of Veterinary Services at Pets Unlimited, 2343 Fillmore St., San Francisco. To schedule a TCM appointment for your dog, call 415-563-6700. For more information, visit http://www.petsunlimited.org/med/HMC.htm.
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