Alternative and Complementary Therapy

Nextmune Allergy Testing
The SPOT Platinum+ test examines 92 different environmentalallergens. This includes indoor allergens, such as house-dust mites and molds, and outdoor ones like pollens from trees, grasses and weeds. After performing the SPOT Platinum+ test you will know which allergens your pet is allergic to and treatment can begin. This is a fundamental step because without knowing which allergens are causing the problem, it is impossible to develop a tailored immunotherapy treatment or implement allergen-avoidance measures. It also provides a quick assessment of food hypersensitivity. It is a non-invasive test that can save time and money.

Allergies are a lifelong condition, and for that reason any treatment must be continued for life to keep the disease under control. Hypo-sensitization Therapy is effective and safe for long-term use. The best solution is to avoid contact with allergens, but most of the time this is impossible, especially with allergens like house dust-mites, grass, and tree pollen. However, there are measures that can help to minimize contact. Hypo-sensitization Therapy can be administered subcutaneously or orally. Studies show that around 75% of patients have a positive response to it. The effect is usually seen after 5 months, but can take up to a year. Immunotherapy is effective, safe for long-term use, and can be combined with other medications.

A very small number may not improve much. If this happens with your patient, it is important to work closely with your veterinarian, because it is likely that there are other factors involved, other allergies or new allergies (e.g. to fleas of foods). Regular follow-up appointments are important, especially during the first year of treatment. It may be necessary to change the dosage and interval.

Homeopathy can be used to help treat or prevent a range of health conditions in pets, including allergic reactions, chronic disease, and anxiety. It is sometimes used in conjunction with acupuncture and chiropractic therapy.

Derived from the Greek words homoios, which means like or similar, and pathos, which means suffering (disease), homeopathy is based on the philosophy that “like cures like.” Homeopathy uses very dilute solutions (extremely small quantities) of medication that, in an undiluted form, can actually cause symptoms of the disease or condition.

This therapeutic method was developed more than 200 years ago, when a German scientist ingested the bark of a cinchona tree, which contains quinine (used to treat malaria at the time). He began to experience the same symptoms as malaria. When he stopped taking the tree bark, his symptoms disappeared. The scientist theorized that if a substance could cause symptoms of a disease, minute amounts of that same substance could cure the disease by stimulating the body’s natural defenses.

Homeopathic remedies are prepared from pure, natural substances derived from plants, animals, and minerals. Their preparation may involve diluting the original substance from ten times to millions of times with water or alcohol. Remedies include arsenicum album, belladonna, and chamomilla. Because these remedies are highly diluted, they are generally considered safe and unlikely to cause severe adverse reactions.

Homeopathy is not typically used to replace conventional veterinary treatment. To keep your pet as safe as possible, it is a good idea to have him or her see the same veterinarian for both conventional and alternative treatment.

To discuss the potential use of homeopathy in your pet, please call our clinic to set up an appointment.

Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the philosophy that illness is caused by an imbalance of vital energies in the body. Acupuncture is one aspect of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) that focuses on restoring the energy balance in the body to promote healing. The technique requires the insertion of fine needles into the dog’s body at specified points, called acupuncture points, where nerves and blood vessels converge. TCVM calls these sites meridians, which are believed to be energy channels that transmit energy throughout the dog’s body. The inserted needles guide “chi” or vital energy along the meridians. Placed in these identified points, the needles enhance blood circulation which improves healing ability. Acupuncture also stimulates the nervous system and increases the release of anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving substances to reduce a dog’s discomfort.

Even though dogs may be a little nervous in a new clinical setting, most become very relaxed after needle insertion. Depending on the conditions addressed, the actual session may last 10-30 minutes. The doctor outlines a treatment protocol that may involve one to three sessions per week for several weeks. Often, the number of sessions is tapered off as the dog improves, so visits are scheduled less frequently. The effects of acupuncture treatment are cumulative so there is a benefit to repeated sessions, but the goal is to achieve the greatest degree of improvement and maintain that level with the fewest treatments necessary.