Alternative
Medicine
Discover new ways to care for your dog -- without harmful
side-effects
Like doctors who treat humans, most veterinarians in the modern Western
world use conventional medicine, which focuses on treating patients with drugs and surgery.
This kind of medicine has made amazing advances in recent years and it works extraordinarily well for
acute conditions and trauma. But treating symptoms often becomes the goal,
rather than addressing the underlying ailment.
Much of the rest of the world uses some form of what is considered
alternative or holistic medicine. These modalities include acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy,
herbal medicine, Ayurveda, nutrition, supplementation, biofeedback and others. As varied as these practices are,
they all tend to look at the patient in a more holistic way than Western medicine does, treating the entire body,
mind and spirit together. While powerful and effective, they also tend to be gentler, doing less harm to the body
in the process. And these modalities are usually much more effective in treating chronic conditions.
Perhaps the best way to treat our furry friends -- and ourselves -- is with
complementary medicine, which combines conventional medicine with alternative treatments. Chinese
hospitals, for example, often use acupuncture to anesthetize patients during surgery, rather than drugs, utilizing
the best of both modalities.
Since most readers are already familiar with conventional medicine practices,
this section of the site will focus on alternative medicine. But while we believe that alternative medicine is
best for most ailments, we urge our readers to explore all options to make the most informed treatment
decisions.
- Injuries
Discover the best ways to treat your dog's minor injuries.
- Chronic illness
Learn the best options for alternative veterinary care to help alleviate your dog's most frustrating chronic conditions.
- Cancer
Read about the best options for alternative veterinary care to treat your dog's cancer.
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