East Meets West A Complementary Approach to Veterinary Medicine
by Dr. Barbara Royal, DVM | May 01, 2009
A Guide to: Nutrition, Vaccines, Weight Loss, Geriatric & Chronic Care, Acupuncture, & Underwater Treadmills
The success of alternative modalities, herbal medicine, acupuncture or the latest supplements continues to gain traction, although mainstream medicine often scoffs at the results. What is it about this type of medicine that makes it both so compelling and so reviled? With all the information out there, owners and their pets are expecting the best, but are having trouble determining how to get it. They don’t really want to choose sides, they just want someone on their side.
West: We are a society that is on a constant search for a single cure. “This medication will do it…surgery is the answer…feed raw food…add fish oil… bathe in oatmeal…use Windex…”. Anything that shows promise is quickly dissected to find the single ingredient that is the magic factor. We would rather take a pill, have a surgery, and do no more. But there is evidence, in many cases, that this is not the best way.
East: People talk about “holistic” or “alternative” medicine. Unfortunately, these terms remain separate and distinct from “regular” medicine. Holistic/alternative medicine has come to mean practices that are used instead of standard treatments. They are usually not recognized by the medical community as a serious method for treating disease. But there is a danger in trivializing holistic/alternative medicine. Alternative practices must be prescribed with the same concerns for possible contraindications and side effects that veterinarians do with pharmaceuticals and surgeries. It is important that the veterinarians involved be fully informed about all treatments.
What really makes sense is a combined approach. After a knee surgery, the best recoveries happen with the help of some physical rehabilitation. Medication may work to stop arthritic pain in the short term, but appropriate nutrition, weight loss, acupuncture and exercise may decrease the need for any medication at all. Even as mainstream veterinary medicine continues to follow human medicine – focusing on state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, new pharmaceuticals, and cutting edge surgical techniques – there is growing interest in trying to find a way to bridge the gaps between standard and holistic/ alternative medicine. It is reasonable to choose the best from any discipline that will work to complement a more traditional medical approach.
Indeed, a better medical model for true healing is “complementary medicine.” In complementary medicine, we incorporate holistic/alternative practices that enhance or complement conventional treatments. A combination of mainstream and alternative therapies is a sound approach. This complementary approach to medicine should not be considered the polar opposite of mainstream medicine – it may be, in fact, just where veterinary medicine should be heading – toward the same goal: healing.
Nutrition for Dogs & Cats
There are many basic things that we can do to help our pets live longer, happier lives. While it seems like we have gone over the top in nutrition and options for pets, what we have really done is follow our own bad habits of putting chemicals and inappropriate calories into their foods. Just because it’s “human grade” food, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate.
No Corn, No Wheat, No Peanut Butter, No Soy Meat by-products are less problematic for pets than corn or wheat. Even good quality, organic corn or wheat is still not an appropriate food for a dog or a cat. When these become the mainstay of their diet, with too many carbohydrates and too little protein, many medical conditions result including dog and cat obesity/ weight problems, diabetes, arthritis, allergies, chronic skin/ear infections, dental disease, thyroidal problems, seizures and inflammation.
Protein should be greater than 30 percent of the diet This country provides a shockingly low amount of protein in dog and cat diets. Comparatively, in other countries, animals do not have many of the health problems we see in our pets because they are not feeding their carnivores foods with such low protein levels.
Minimal chemical preservatives: No BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin These are toxins that the liver has to remove from the system, but they are also often carcinogens. BHA/BHT and Ethoxyquin are implicated in problems with bladder cancers and other diseases.
Foods to Avoid
No onions, grapes or raisins – they are toxic for pets Avoid larger quantities of alfalfa, white potato (sweet potato is OK), garlic (a strong and potentially toxic medicinal herb). Watch for maize (corn), spelt (a wheat). Avoid pea protein, potato protein, or soy protein (they are not a meat protein, and thus not carnivore-appropriate).
Food products made in China
Wet Food over Dry Carnivore teeth are made for soft foods, ripping and tearing and grinding bones. They lick soft food off the surfaces of their teeth with no problem. Kibble is not a naturally occurring texture in nature. Dry food does not “chip off” tartar or keep teeth healthy by virtue of chewing and often it may be worse for teeth as it sticks more than wet foods. In order to make each kibble stick together pet food producers often use glutens and sticky carbohydrates, which also hold on to the teeth and build tartar. Canned food is easily licked off teeth. Additionally, the body has to pull a great deal of water into the stomach to digest the large amount of dry cement-like food, which can lead to dehydration. Although your pet may only be dehydrated for a short time, if this occurs once or twice a day every day of his or her life, it could place unneeded stress on the kidneys and body in general.
Raw Diet Many animals with chronic allergies, arthritis or gastrointestinal problems can improve immensely on a pre-prepared commercial raw food. But raw food does not mean simply raw meat. It must be a completely balanced food, prepared with all the minerals and vitamins needed for the animal. This includes a proper calcium to phosphorus ratio, which is very important. Raw meat alone does not have a proper ratio. Pre-prepared commercial raw foods are carefully processed to avoid contamination; they know that you are going to feed it raw. This is not always the case when you buy raw meat from a grocer, as they expect you to cook it.
Home Cooked Diets Some people prefer to cook for their pets. If you have the time and can commit to doing this correctly, it can work well. Diets and options for ingredients can be found in a number of books and online.
Dogs and cats do not need less protein as they get older Dogs and cats are carnivores and need protein their whole lives. Protein is important to keep their muscle mass strong and their minds aware. We feed too little protein to our pets in the U.S. because corn and wheat are so popular, so cheap, and considered “Human Grade.”
Changing Diet If you are going to change diet, make sure to do it slowly, over about 10-14 days, adding a little more new food each day as you slowly decrease the old food.
Give some unsweetened, canned pumpkin daily (about one tablespoon per 30 pound dog, or 1 teaspoon for a 10 pound cat) and also some white rice (not minute rice) in the same amounts. These can help regulate the stools and absorb toxins as the body resets for the new and better food.
Vaccines
For your pet, minimize vaccines when possible. Vaccines used judiciously are effective in controlling diseases in populations. Pets should not be over vaccinated, as vaccines have the potential to cause adverse effects and reactions as they work by stimulating and stressing the immune system.
Over-vaccination may contribute to immune system problems and other chronic systemic conditions. This is why veterinarians will not vaccinate animals that are too young or too old and will never vaccinate an animal that is ill.
Tips
- Separate vaccines – give one injection at a time, and wait 10 -14 days before the next vaccine. (For example, give a Rabies 3-year vaccine then give Distemper combo in two weeks.)
- The only vaccine required by law for an adult dog in Illinois is a 3-year Rabies vaccine. The 3-year and the 1-year vaccines are poured out of the same vat, but are just labeled differently. There has to be a vaccine labeled “1-Year” to make sure that boostering takes place in a puppy or for the first time a pet gets the rabies vaccine. After that, the vaccine lasts three years. There is even research being done to prove that the 3-year vaccine lasts five to seven years.
- Other vaccines are given based on the age and condition of the animal and the possible risk of exposure.
Distemper combination vaccines are given as puppy series and a booster a year later. After that it does not need to be given every year. A simple blood test (called a vaccine titer) can determine if there is still immunity, rather than continually giving the vaccine when it is not needed. The distemper combination vaccine is now considered at least a 3-year vaccine and may last longer than that. Often, if a distemper vaccine is required for a kennel or dog park, the facility will accept a blood test to prove that the animal still has immunity to the disease.
Annual Bordatella (nasal drops are best) is required for most boarding facilities and dog parks.
Leptosporosis Vaccine often results in adverse reactions so try to avoid the vaccine if possible. The vaccine may be needed in very congested urban areas with exposure to rats and rat urine, or if an animal swims where there may be diluted rat urine. Ask your veterinarian to assess your animal’s risk of exposure to this disease. To really work, it is recommended that this vaccine be given every nine months. Take into consideration the frequency required, the fact that it is not completely protective against all strains of Lepto that are out there, and that there are common vaccine reactions when deciding whether to administer.
Lyme Vaccine can cause signs of the disease (chronic joint pain, etc) that are not treatable by antibiotics. Lyme disease, while dangerous, is treatable with antibiotics. There is no vaccine for this disease in humans due to these types of health and safety issues. Many veterinarians choose not to recommend this vaccine.
Weight Loss for Dogs
Use the “Atkins Diet” and less food, rather than “diet” foods
Dogs (not cats) have the unique ability to lose weight FAST without any chemical imbalance, change in their organ function, etc. As scavengers, they are meant to “eat their fat” when there isn’t enough to eat. There is evidence that being hungry some of the time (dogs only) also makes them produce a hormone that may improve their stamina and mental acuity.
So if your dog is overweight, feed less food. If he gives you those sad eyes when there’s less food in the bowl, don’t despair. Fill his stomach with low sodium canned green beans, other veggies (no onions), or rice cakes (carbohydrates, but not digested much and can be used as stomach filler). Mix them liberally with the food. Remember, it is okay if they don’t eat it. We’re not trying to convince them to eat. The goal is to lose weight!
Geriatric and Chronic Care Assistance
Old age is not a disease, but there are many special considerations in maintaining a geriatric pet or a pet with a chronic disease. Addressing the special needs and logistics of managing these pets at home involves a comprehensive plan – nutritional needs, special clothing, harnesses, supports, foot protection, room lighting, temperature control, therapy plan, home exercises, prescription medications and herbs, and many more details that individual pets require.
Chronic care balances the capability and special needs of the pet with the abilities and resources of the owner. This is usually a work-in-progress type of relationship that rewards diligence and attention to detail.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical technique used for more than 3,000 years in China, Japan and Korea. Needles are placed in designated points to effect various changes in the body to decrease pain, help heal injuries or disease conditions, stimulate or regulate immune responses, and/or decrease anxiety or behavioral issues.
Acupuncture has been shown to increase blood and lymphatic flow to tissues, stimulate nerve function, increase the release of neurotransmitters and pain modulators, influence inflammatory responses and help the release of hormones. It can be used in a variety of conditions, including:
Musculoskeletal conditions (arthritis, spinal disease, trauma, muscle atrophy problems)
Immune system disorders (allergic dermatitis, chronic allergic dis- eases, immune diseases, lick granulomas, chronic skin conditions)
Neurologic problems (nerve injury, paresis, paralysis, degenerative neurologic conditions)
Systemic diseases/urologic diseases (chronic kidney disease, liver disease, incontinence, bladder problems)
Underwater Treadmill
The underwater treadmill successfully treats many musculoskeletal conditions. It provides safe, controlled environment for gait analysis, exercise, stretching, muscle building and neuromuscular stimulation. The chamber is dry as the animal walks into it with assistance. Warm water is then filled to the desired height to provide buoyancy, decrease weight-bearing pain, and provide gentle support for ambulation. Then the treadmill is slowly started, and the animal walks naturally in a warm water environment. Owners stand at the front with treats and encouragement, and the animals quickly learn to love the pool.
The buoyancy and lift decreases the concussive forces of gravity on painful joints allowing them to function more naturally, with more flexibility and mobility. As muscles and tendons relax into the water, they allow the mobility of the animal to improve. Muscle mass increases with use, and with increased movement, joints become properly bathed in the healing and nutritive joint fluid. Arthritic joints can even begin to remodel and allow for less restricted movement. Animals using the treadmill for a variety of conditions begin to ambulate better, increase their strength, endurance and flexibility.
Even animals that generally don’t like water do very well in the underwater treadmill.
The underwater treadmill is most commonly used:
- as an adjunct to post-operative rehabilitation
- to maintain healthy joint function in animals with joint disease
- to encourage increasing weight-bearing in recovering animals
- to help maintain normal muscle/joint function if the animal isn’t using a normal gait on land
- to improve function of limbs with nerve or neuro-muscular problems
- to improve muscle strength and endurance for healthy animals, working animals or show animals
- for weight loss