Complementary avenues for healing

Over the last decade, the U.S. medical community has slowly begun to recognize the importance of alternative and complementary therapies, and now the same process is under way in veterinary healthcare, explains Allen Schoen, DVM, a pioneer in integrative veterinary medicine and author of Kindred Spirits: How the Remarkable Bond Between Humans and Animals Can Change the Way We Live (Broadway, 2002). Indeed, veterinary medicine looks a whole lot different than it did in 1982 when Carvel Tiekert, DVM, founded the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA). More vets than ever are answering public demand for alternative care for all types of pets, including birds and exotic animals. “Membership in AHVMA has increased 50 percent in the last 10 years,�?says Tiekert, now the organization’s executive director. And, he adds, AHVMA has spawned a number of medical specialty groups, such as the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy, the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association.

So, what’s driving the increased acceptance of complementary approaches to pet care? As is true for people, sometimes no conventional treatments exist for an animal’s condition. For example, explains Messonnier, leaky gut syndrome, which is very common but not often diagnosed by conventional veterinarians, responds well to probiotics and the amino acid glutamine—just as it does for humans.

Many consumers also believe that natural therapies are safer for their animal companions than conventional ones. Consider the first-line conventional treatments for osteo-arthritis, a condition that usually affects older animals and often manifests as stiffness, limping or difficulty rising or lying down. Vets often prescribe corticosteroids and anti-inflammatories, but Messonnier cautions that both have potentially nasty side effects, such as diabetes, Cushing’s disease, liver and kidney disease and gastrointestinal ulcers. On the other hand, he notes, glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate are research-supported, effective and safe natural alternatives for pets as well as people.

But in opting for alternatives, don’t throw the puppy out with the bathwater. If an animal has been hit by a car or faces some other emergency, conventional medicine is still your best bet, says integrative veterinarian Robert Silver, DVM, founder and medical director of Boulder’s Natural Animal in Boulder, Colo. “You determine the most important thing to do first but then reassess as you go along. Often that means using conventional treatment to get through the emergency and then including natural therapies for long-term support and recovery.�?For example, surgery may be required to repair a fracture or a large laceration, but once the immediate crisis is over, alternative treatments such as acupuncture for pain management or herbs to reduce inflammation can be very effective.

A cockatoo named Jaffa

Birds and other more exotic pets can benefit from natural therapies, too. In 1995 when Cynthia Lankenau, DVM, first met Jaffa, a sulfur-crested cockatoo in her mid-20s, the doctor was deeply saddened by the large parrot’s condition. Jaffa’s grief over the death of her first human companion had led to serious feather picking and self-mutilation. “Birds are very sensitive and emotional, so it’s not surprising that up to 80 percent of the health conditions I see are behaviorally or emotionally based,�?explains Lankenau from her clinic in Colden, N.Y.

In Jaffa’s case, too many hours left alone, too many emotional upheavals and an undetected food allergy had caused the bird to pick many of her own feathers and tear at her own flesh, resulting in a crusty sore that covered her entire chest. Her new caretaker did her best to help, using many conventional treatments such as antibiotics and a cone over Jaffa’s head, but all had dismal results.

Lankenau first treated Jaffa with acupuncture (birds respond especially well to acupuncture, she says) and homeopathic remedies such as Pulsatilla and Natrum muriaticum. Just a few months later, Jaffa had allowed her feathers to fill in, and her chest ulcer had shrunk to the size of a nickel. Unfortunately, Lankenau didn’t see Jaffa again for nine years. This time she was in even worse shape and was scheduled to be put down. Her whole chest was once again an open sore, and she had plucked out all of her vent and flight feathers. “Her owner had many emotional traumas in her life and very little time to devote to Jaffa,�?Lankenau explains, “so we decided Jaffa should come live with me.�?

Now, after more homeopathy, nutritional supplements and dietary changes to address her allergy, Jaffa is a brand-new bird, contentedly spending her days either riding around on Lankenau’s shoulder during veterinary client visits or chatting with office staff. “It’s a big commitment to care for one of these birds,�?Lankenau says. “These creatures are worth the effort though,�?she adds. “Even when things were the worst, Jaffa was always very kind and loving. She gives great bird hugs.�?

Two paws up for holistic therapies

Many pet lovers can be classified as either dog people or cat people. Ann Huey definitely falls in the cat-loving category and feels she owes a great deal to holistic vet care. Huey’s gentle 3-year-old tortoise-shell-and-tabby cat, Deluxie, is a running, jumping tribute to the value of integrative medicine. But she wasn’t always this healthy and active. Diagnosed in September 2003 with polyarthritis (arthritis occurring in multiple joints), Deluxie nearly died in February 2004 from her high daily dose of prednisolone, a steroid prescribed by her veterinarian. Intended to address the pain and inflammation associated with her condition, initially the drug gave Deluxie a much-needed reprieve, Huey says. Yet, after a few short months, low dosages were no longer helping, and the increasing dosages took their toll.

In horror, Huey watched as Deluxie found it harder and harder to move. And her previously alert ears started collapsing, a sign that the steroid was causing the cat’s tissues todegenerate. When a veterinary technician picked Deluxie up to do a routine blood draw, her skin literally ripped. Huey knew something had to change, and fast.

They tried taking Deluxie completely off the prednisolone on numerous occasions, but her condition immediately deteriorated each time. What they ended up with, Huey explains, is a plan that combines a greatly reduced dose of prednisolone with natural therapies such as a more wholesome diet, an antioxidant supplement and various homeopathic remedies directed at treating Deluxie’s arthritis and supporting her immune system.

Did the holistic plan work? If you could catch Deluxie she’d say “yes,�?but right now she’s way too busy: “It only took a few weeks, and we got to watch Deluxie run again,�?Huey says. “Now she’s climbing trees and is even up on the roof of our storage shed.�?

Veterinary Alternatives for Common Conditions

“Some of the most common life-threatening ailments for dogs and cats include kidney disease, heart disease and cancer,�?explains holistic veterinarian Shawn Messonnier, DVM. And like their human-physician counterparts, holistic vets are finding that natural modalities are important tools for treating these conditions. Consider the following comparisons.

Cancer

Conventional medicine. Depending on the type of cancer and its location, surgery may or may not be used to remove the tumor(s). Radiation, chemotherapy or both may also be included.

Holistic medicine. The best defense against most types of cancer is a strong immune system. However, depending on the type and location of the cancer, as well as the animal’s general condition, surgery, radiation or chemotherapy may or may not be used initially to remove or kill cancerous cells. Regardless, nutritional changes offer additional support. For example, decreasing carbohydrates can “starve�?cancer cells (glucose is a cancer cell’s favorite fuel) and increasing omega-3 fatty acids can inhibit the formation and spread of cancers and guard against wasting. Antioxidant supplements and immune system-enhancing herbs such as the antimicrobials garlic (Allium sativum) and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) are other options for ongoing treatment and to protect animals against the toxic effects of conventional treatments.

Kidney disease

Conventional medicine. Treatment generally consists of dietary changes such as reducing protein, phosphorus and sodium while increasing B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. Additional options include increasing subcutaneous or intravenous fluids, as well as pharmaceuticals to relieve vomiting from uremic toxin overload.

Holistic medicine. Dietary changes and additional fluids form the treatment base, but many alternative therapies also may help, such as the herbs astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) to improve kidney circulation, dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinale) for anti-inflammatory activity and waste elimination, echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) for its immune-stimulating and antimicrobial effects, and garlic (Allium sativum) to increase detoxification enzymes and for its antimicrobial activity. Homeopathic remedies, such as Silicea to boost stamina or Thuja occidentalis for urinary tract infections, may offer additional support.

Heart disease

Conventional medicine. Besides dietary recommendations and exercise, there’s virtually nothing in conventional veterinary medicine to address heart disease. It’s not until the condition progresses to heart failure that conventional drugs such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, diuretics and calcium channel blockers become somewhat helpful.

Holistic medicine. In contrast, earlier is better for treating heart disease with alternative therapies such as the herb hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha), which both strengthens the heart and stabilizes it against arrhythmias. You can also use homeopathic remedies such as Adonis vernalis to strengthen heart contractions and Strophanthus hispidus to tone heart muscle (both remedies help remove excess fluid as well). Carnitine and taurine amino acid supplements may also be beneficial since deficiencies of both have been linked to dilated cardiomyopathy (congestive heart failure).

Good health for your pets

DOGS AND CATS

The Honest Kitchen: Verve, Force and Embark dog foods. (www.thehonestkitchen.com; 858.483.5995)

PetGuard: Organic Adult Dry Dog Food and Organic Chicken and Vegetable Entrée for Cats. (www.petguard.com ; 866.364.3362)

Rx Vitamins: MegaFlex for arthritis and Formula CV for heart disease. (www.rxvitamins.com/pets; 800.792.2222)

Animal Health Options: Proanthozone, an antioxidant for cancer. (www.animalhealthoptions.com; 800.845.8849)

Nutri-West: Cardioplex for heart disease and Whole System Kidney for kidney disease. (www.nutriwest.com; 800.443.3333)

BIRDS

EntirelyPets: Missing Link Avian Formula. (www.entirelypets.com/mislinavfor3.html; 800.889.8967)

Herbs ’n Birds: Herb Salad for Birds. (www.herbsnbirds.com)

Nature’s Pet: Dr. Harvey’s Parrot and Pet Bird Foods. (www.naturespet.com/birds.html; 210.796.0627)