A Perfect Marriage: Traditional and Holistic Medicine
Who says you can’t have it all? More and more we are finding ways to incorporate alternative medicine techniques and wisdom into our Western veterinary medicine practice. The results can be quite impressive! Our complementary and alternative health offerings include veterinary acupuncture, botanical and herbal therapies, nutraceuticals, and nutritional therapy. So why is complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such a powerful tool?
- It gives us another option when all those within Western medicine have been exhausted, such as when surgery is needed but not an option for a variety of reasons.
- CAM allows us to have another choice when Western techniques are having undesirable side effects or not working well.
- Oftentimes its effects are synergistic with more Western medicine, making traditional treatments more effective.
- This is underscored by the numerous studies beginning to emerge that show that CAM can have positive effects in cancer-related disease processes. Not only can it strengthen the body and immune system, but it can increase the efficacy of chemotherapy and reduce side effects of treatment.
- Alternative therapies can decrease patient stress and anxiety during hospitalization and illness and can improve quality of life for many patients.
While most veterinarians will encourage the use of Western medicine due to its well-studied and evidence-based effects, complementary and alternative medicine can be a powerful weapon and can be included in your pet’s treatment. CAM can be used to manage and treat a wide variety of conditions.
If you would like more information regarding any of the modalities offered and how your pet might benefit from them, please feel free to contact Oakland Veterinary Referral Services at any time. By incorporating a thoughtful, whole-body approach into your pet’s health care, we hope to provide an effective, holistic experience for all of our patients.
