Alternative, complimentary and integrative medicine are all terms for a group of treatments or therapeutic systems that lie outside mainstream or conventional medicine. They refer to those practices explicitly used for the purpose of medical intervention, health promotion, or disease prevention which are not routinely taught at U.S. medical or veterinary schools.

I personally prefer the term integrative medicine since it seems to best indicate that these therapies are used with or in addition to conventional therapies and do not take the place of them.

Another term I like to use is holistic because it defines it as any system that diagnoses and treats a disease in the context of the "whole" patient; i.e. in relation to the patient's general state of health, the presence of other diseases and environmental influences, both physical and mental.

The modalities we, at Rossbach Farm Veterinary Services, LLC offer at this point in time are Acupuncture Therapy & Chinese Herbs, Spinal Manipulation Care & Applied Kinesiology.

Read on to find answers to frequently asked questions regarding these therapies.

CHINESE HERBS

Chinese herbs have been used in veterinary medicine in China for thousands of years. By clinical experience it has been shown, that herbs can sometimes be beneficial when standard Western medicine is ineffective, or with patients allergic to Western medication. Additionally, many animals seen in veterinary practice seem to have vague clinical signs not amenable to standard Western treatment. Many of these syndromes have patterns of imbalance described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Herbs can be used to treat these disorders.

Chinese herbs can be used as the primary treatment of a disorder, in conjunction with acupuncture protocols, and with standard Western medicine. Herbs can be prescribed according to Western diagnosis, as more preformulated formulas are being produced with Western indications. Herbs can be used with more versatility if the diagnosis is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

I have a number of formulas in stock to treat musculoskeletal pain, nervousness, asthma, arthritis, poor performance in horses, laminitis and more. I can receive other formulas and customized formulas based on my diagnosis within a few days. My sources for Chinese Herbs are:
The Jing-Tang Herbal Company in Gainesville, FL and the
Herbsmith in Oconomowoc, WI.

ACUPUNCTURE

Q. What is Acupuncture

Most simply stated, acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points on the body most often by a thin, flexible needle. This technique has been used in China for thousands of years, and it is still the treatment of choice for over one-fourth of the world's population.

In this country, acupuncture is understood primarily as a method of relieving pain, and in this capacity it works very well. However, its value extends far beyond pain relief. The list of illnesses and problems which respond to acupuncture is a long one, but in general, it is safe to say that if an animals organ system (digestive, respiratory, endocrine, etc.) does not function properly, it can be helped with acupuncture.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), disease begins on the energetic level long before it degenerates into a more physical form at which time it can be given a name (or diagnosis in Western Medicine). So, when x-rays are negative, and blood tests are normal and the animals recurring pain or discomfort has no discernible cause by the doctor, it is time to try acupuncture and hopefully prevent a "disease" from developing later. Animals receiving treatments will often improve faster and more comfortably with the addition of complementary treatments such as acupuncture.

Q. For What Conditions Is Acupuncture Indicated?

Acupuncture can be the treatment of choice or perhaps the only treatment for some conditions. It may be combined with other treatment modalities such as spinal manipulation, herbal, nutritional, homeopathic and more conventional Western Medicine for maximum effect. Some common examples of use include:

For Horses:
Musculoskeletal problems - navicular, founder, sore backs, tendinitis, arthritis, joint pain, bursitis
Respiratory problems - heaves, bleeders, pneumonia
Gastrointestinal problems - nonsurgical colic, diarrhea
Nervous system problems - EPM, fascial nerve paralysis, wobblers
Skin problems - allergic dermatitis, hives, fungal infections, wounds
Endocrine and reproductive problems - Cushings disease, infertility, ovarian cysts, hypothyroid
Maintaining the well-being of a highly stressed performance horse
Cancer patients and autoimmune diseases

For Small Animals:
Musculoskeletal problems - Hip -dysplasia, arthritis, neck and back injuries, tendinitis, bursitis
Skin problems - ear infections, lick granulomas, allergic dermatitis
Respiratory problems - feline asthma, sinusitis, chronic coughs, pneumonia
Nervous system problems - vestibular syndrome, seizures, stroke and paralysis
Urogenital problems - bladder infections, prostate problems, urinary incontinence
Reproductive and endocrine problems - Cushings disease, hyper and hypothyroid, ovarian cysts
Cancer patients and autoimmune diseases

Regular acupuncture treatments can treat sports injuries as they occur and keep muscles and tendons resistant to injury. Acupuncture is excellent for preventative health care.

Q. How Does Acupuncture Work?

Acupuncture points are usually located in superficial muscles or skin and are located both by palpation (sometimes warm, cold or tender spots) and by a thorough knowledge of precise anatomical landmarks. How it works can be described in two ways.

The ancient theories of Chinese medicine describe the body as a network of channels called meridians. These meridians conduct the flow of a life-sustaining energy called "Qi" (pronounced "Chee"). This energy force regulates bodily functions as it flows through all parts of the body. Whenever Qi flows smoothly, there is health. Whenever there is an interruption or imbalance in the flow of Qi, there is injury, illness or disease. Acupuncture therapy is based upon balancing and correcting the flow of energy, thereby allowing the body to heal itself.

In Western medical terms, acupuncture has been shown to assist the body in healing by affecting certain physiological changes. For example, acupuncture can stimulate nerves, increase blood and oxygen supply, relieve muscle spasms, cause the release of hormones such as endorphins (internally produced pain killers) and cortisol ( a natural steroid and potent anti-inflammatory) and increase immunity by increasing white blood cell count and antibody production.

Q. Is Acupuncture Painful?

Sometimes an animal will experience a brief moment of sensitivity as the needle is passed through the skin. Once the needles are in place, pain rarely occurs and there is perhaps a feeling of numbness, warmth, or tingles.

Q. Is It Safe?

Acupuncture is one of the safest forms of medical treatment available when administered by a properly trained veterinarian. Because acupuncture balances the body's own system of healing and no chemicals are administered, it is rare for complications to develop. Sometimes, an animals condition may seem worse or drowsiness or lethargy or perhaps hyperactivity may occur for up to 72 hours after treatment. These effects are an indication that physiological changes are developing and are most often followed by improvement. To help guide further treatments, the owner should make note of any changes in the animals attitude, gait, alertness, appetite, bowel and urinary habits.

Q. How Long Are Treatments And How Often Are They Given?

Treatments may last as little as 10 seconds or up to 30 minutes or more depending on the condition of the patient and the method of stimulation used. A simple acute problem such as a sprain, may require only one treatment, whereas more severe or chronic ailments such as arthritis may need several weeks to months of treatment.

There may be a limit to how much acupuncture will help as with any mode of treatment. Sometimes the disease or trauma may have progressed beyond the point where acupuncture can stop or reverse the damages and at this time can only grant supportive or symptomatic relief. Nevertheless, it is one of the few methods of treatment, when done properly, that can only help and not hurt.

SPINAL MANIPULATION CARE

Q. What is spinal manipulation?

Spinal manipulation care is a drugless, noninvasive method of health care. Most people associate spinal manipulation care only with back problems. This is a misconception. spinal manipulation deals with the nervous system that is housed inside the spinal column. The spinal cord carries all the nerves that go to all the organs in the body. These nerves exit the spinal column through areas between vertebra, which are the individual spinal bones. Spinal manipulation maintains that adequate nerve supply is vital to the proper functioning of the entire body. When the vertebral bones are misaligned, even very slightly, they affect the nerves and the flow of nervous energy. Chiropractors call these small misalignments "subluxations". A spinal manipulation adjustment (or spinal manipulation ö the term used by most veterinarians) is aimed at correcting the subluxation and restoring the proper functioning of the nervous system.

Spinal manipulation thus works to eliminate the cause of the problem and not just simply treat the symptoms.

Q. What causes subluxation?

A subluxation is caused by injury or trauma, stressful situations, conformation faults, confinement, athletic performances, general anesthesia, improperly fitting tack, accumulation over the years of minor injuries, poor trimming or shoeing, riders with subluxations, and more.

Q. How do subluxations manifest themselves?

Symptoms of subluxation can be many, but the most common effect is pain. Animals with pain will compensate in gait and posture and often resist or refuse to perform.

Below is a list of some of the things you may observe:

In the Horse:
Asymmetry of stride
Asymmetry of musculature
Inability to bend
Inability to flex at the poll
Reluctance to jump
Inability to keep leg elevated for farrier work
Intolerance to brushing
Reluctance to be saddled
Head tossing
Ear shyness
Behavior and attitude changes
Irritability
Chronic low grade colic
Abnormally worn teeth
Hollowing back when ridden
Difficulty with lateral movements
Inability to engage in rear quarter
Decreased stride length

In the Small Animal:
Discomfort when placing collar or harness
Sensitivity to touch
Wringing/tucking tail
Facial expression of apprehension/pain
Change in behavior
Fear biting
Shifting lameness
Partial weakness or paralysis
Stiffness in neck or body
Lick sores on paws
Roached back
Toe drag

Q. How Does Spinal Manipulation Work?

Animals should first be given a physical examination to establish the state of their health and to determine the various health problems that they may have. If problems are found that require medical or surgical attention they will be treated with traditional veterinary care.

Subluxations are identified by a sequential evaluation of the spine via static palpation, motioning of intervertebral units as well as other techniques, gait analysis of the animal and evaluation of use and history. Corrections are made by very precise and extremely fast thrusts along the plane of the joint to reestablish proper alignment of the vertebrae. This in turn allows for the restoration of normal function and relief from pain.

Q. How long will this take?

Spinal manipulation care takes time, since we are allowing the body to heal itself after the proper nerve functioning has been restored. Animals recover very rapidly as a rule, but older animals and more serious problems take more time. Some problems are so serious or chronic that spinal manipulation care will not completely solve the problem but it usually can greatly increase the comfort and quality of life. If the animal is removed from care too soon, the best possible results may not be achieved.

Regular maintenance

Just as it is important to maintain vaccination and deworming schedules, it is important to make sure that the spine is kept in optimum condition. spinal manipulation care is directed towards preventing disease in the body. Most animals should have yearly examinations and adjustments. Older animals may need to be seen more frequently. Even an animal without obvious problems can usually benefit from spinal manipulation care and you will see changes in attitude and performance.

Q. How should I choose a chiropractor for my animals

Veterinary spinal manipulation is a specialty of veterinary medicine. In Wisconsin, doctors of veterinary medicine and doctors of spinal manipulation are allowed to perform to perform spinal manipulation adjustments. However, DCs must work under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.

Spinal manipulation care does not replace traditional veterinary medicine and surgery but provides an alternative method that often complements traditional care.