Chateau Veterinary Hospital is dedicated to improving your pet’s quality of life. When appropriate, we are happy to be able to offer an integrated approach to veterinary care which includes alternative therapies.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a 3000-year-old Chinese practice utilizing hair-thin needles to stimulate the body’s nerve centers, improving blood circulation and releasing pain-relieving hormones. This virtually painless process relaxes muscle tissue and oxygenates the surrounding area, allowing the body to heal more rapidly. Many disorders can be treated with acupuncture including:
- Neurologic and soft tissue pain
- Arthritis
- Allergies
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Musculoskeletal systemic problems
- Skin conditions
- Respiratory distress
Acupuncture is one of the safest veterinary treatments available. It requires no pharmaceutical assistance, removing the possibility of overdose and adverse reaction and can be used in conjunction with most other traditional and alternative treatments.
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCHM) is based on ancient medicinal practice that relies on herbs and minerals to correct imbalances in the body that lead to disease. This contrasts with most Western medicines which seek to stop the disease or control the symptoms without correcting the underlying cause. As an integrative practice, we do combine this knowledge along with more modern diagnostics such as lab work to better understand your pet’s condition and treat accordingly.
Most often used in conjunction with other therapies such as acupuncture, TCHM can assist in treating the same health issues as acupuncture.
TCHM is tailored to each pet, based on a traditional examination and possibly a tongue and pulse evaluation. Formulas are given orally and typically as a powder, in tea, pill or capsule form. Diet is a large part of healing with TCHM so this will often be discussed as we implement a treatment plan.
Want to know if your pet can benefit from alternative therapies such as acupuncture or TCHM? Please give us a call at 504-467-6431.
