Categories: Pets

Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Dogs

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for dogs can work in conjunction to conventional veterinary medicine – but not as a replacement for it. Dogs with chronic conditions such as arthritis that do not respond to conventional treatments are far more likely to get relief from CAM than dogs with other ailments. Any canine accident or injury should always be treated by a conventional veterinarian. All dogs should have conventional vaccinations for easily preventable canine diseases like distemper.

A good CAM animal practitioner will want to know your dog’s case history and work with your regular vet before wanting to work on your dog. They also will want to know about your dog’s diet and exercise habits. You will have to do a lot of hands-on work, too, in order to help your dog get much needed relief. None of these are short term treatments. Your dog will most likely have to see a CAM practitioner many times.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the ancient Chinese science of healing that’s been around for thousands of years. Hair-thin needles are inserted into certain points to get the dog’s energy flowing properly. Dogs usually fall asleep during treatments. Acupuncture has worked particularly well with arthritis dogs.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy uses incredibly diluted botanical materials in order to help cure minor aliments (and minor aliments like travel sickness or baldness only), although some epileptic dogs respond very well to homeopathy. It is said that homeopathic remedies can help with some canine behavioral problems. The jury is still out on how effective it is for that.

Osteopathy

This is chiropractic therapy for dogs who have suffered from chronic pain such as spinal injuries that haven’t healed right, arthritis and musculo-skeletal problems. Most dogs quite like osteopathic treatments – although some may require a sedative before treatment.

Hydrotherapy

When I was a kid, we called this “swimming.” Dogs suffering from arthritis or are recovering from an injury still need exercise. In a supervised hydrotherapy tank, the dog swims in order to get the needed exercise without causing pain.

Herbalism

Herbal remedies can work well for some minor ailments in dogs such as digestive upset and clearing out a stuffy nose. You do have to know what you are doing with them, though, so if you are not sure, its best not to give them to your dog. Many commercial dog products are made with herbal remedies in small doses. Observe your dog carefully after giving an herbal remedy.

Finding a CAM Vet

In order to find an alternative animal practitioner, ask your vet for references. If you get nowhere there, you can always turn to the website of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. One of the best international web resources to finding a holistic or CAM practitioner is the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

CAM Therapies Not Good For Dogs

There are only certain complimentary or alternative therapies that click for dogs – the others only work for some people. Popular CAM therapies not for your dog include:

Aromatherapy (This tends to annoy the dog more than anything else due to the dog’s sensitive nose)
Candling (A recently developed CAM therapy involving hot wax)
Inversion therapy (No dog likes to hang upside down!)
Hypnosis (Trust me on this one. You won’t be able to hypnotize your dog.)