Nontraditional Therapies Move to the Mainstream

I am easily moved to sympathy for dogs, far more so than for humans, because dogs do not understand. There is no way to explain that you will return, that the vet will make it all better, that they cannot come shooting today because that is not what today is about...Geral Hammond

Alternative medicine is on the rise; 36% of American adults use some form of it and increasingly many pet owners are also asking for complementary and alternative veterinary medicine. Acupuncture, chiropractic and supplements have emerged as the most popular therapies, with animal supplements now a billion dollar industry in the U.S. Dog owners must educate themselves and work with their veterinarian when considering CAVM. Check out http://www.nccam.nih.gov/ . Among the newer therapies:

• Low laser therapy used to heal wounds
• Pulsed-signal therapy, which transmits electromagnetic signals to the body. (Believed to reduce pain and repair cartilage)
• Flower essences, said to help healing and behavior problems.

Two alternative therapies have moved into mainstream veterinary medicine: massage and the use of the supplement, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Their effectiveness in treating arthritis has become well documented--and promoted.

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