From left to right:

herbs,

acupuncture on back,

and food therapy

     The goal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is to promote health and healing.  TCVM as well as Western medicine rely on medical history and physical examination to make a diagnosis.  It is important to remember that TCVM has its own strengths and weaknesses.  Integrating Western and TCVM  helps to take advantage of the strengths of each, while minimizing the weaknesses.  This combination often brings better results than either one approach.   The main issue is what is going to benefit the pet the most, whether TCVM, Western medicine or a combination of both. 

     The Valley Veterinary Hospital uses both conventional and integrative medicine  for your pets' complete health care needs.  Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) is used for almost any condition your pet may have.  This approach looks at the whole patient, including diet, home, heredity, and othe factors to understand the basis of a medical disorder.  TCVM is used for preventing and treating diseases.  TCVM restores the balance in the body.  Many factors contribute to disrupting this balance including injury, poor nutrition, emotional and physical stress, lack of exercise, exposure to toxins or genetic predisposition.   

      Different modalities can be used in TCVM to restore a state of balance and good health.  These include acupuncture, herbal medicine, food therapy and Tui-na.  Appropriate treatment is on an individual basis for each patient. 

Acupuncture has been practiced in animals for over two thousand years in China. Acupuncture is the stimulation of a specific point on the body with a specific method, resulting a a therapeutic homeostatic effect.  Studies indicate that stimulation of acupoints induce release of beta-endorphin, serotonin and other neurotransmitters.   Pain is interpreted as the blockage of Qi flow.  Acupuncture stimulation resolves this blockage, freeing the flow of Qi and enabling the body to heal itself.   Thin needles are inserted into specific points on the body for pain relief.  Acupuncture therapy can be effective in the following conditions: musculoskeletal problems, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and othe chronic conditions ( asthma, renal failure, geriatric weakness, skin problems), performance enhancement and prevention of disease.   More chronic conditions are resolved in 6 to 12 treatment.  Acute conditions require only 1 to two treatments.  Each  session may take 20 to 60 minutes.   

 Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine is used to treat the following conditions: respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, liver, endocrine, kidney, urinary, reproductive, geriatric, dermatology, oncology and immune mediated diseases.  Herbs are frequently used in situations that have not responded to traditonal western veterinary medical practices.  Chinese Herbal Medicine is combined with acupuncture as additional support.   Single herbs or herbal formulas are prescribed and administered in pill, tablet, capsule, granual or raw form.   

Food Therapy  is the practice of healing using natural foods, with or instead of medications. Food therapy is the preperation of using selected food ingredients and herbs.  Food recipes are designed to treat specific health conditions.  Used for health promotion and prevention,disease treatment, and adjunct therapy.

     Tui-na is Chinese manual therapy used for preventing and and treating disease.  Various manipulations are applied to acupuncture points and meridians as well as limb stretching movements to prevent and treat diseases. Tui-na can be used to enhance acupuncture and herbal therapy.   Tui-na overlaps with massage therapy and chiropractic services.   These techniques are used for treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and internal diseases.  Tui-na can be used on a daily basis at home by clients for their pets.   This type of therapy is escpecially good for those pets that do not like acupuncture needling.   

     Below are photographs from Dr. Peter's recent trip to China with the Chi Institute.  Dr. Peter attended school in China while persuing his Master's in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine.  From left to right:  Summer Palace;  Dr. Peter with Dr. Xie, Director of Chi Institute; Temple of Heaven; Great Wall of China, Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmacy, Dr. Peter attempting stairs at Great Wall of China.