For many pet owners, the mention of holistic medicine conjures up images of incense-filled rooms with baskets of herbs and a multitude of candles.  But, increasing numbers of pet owners actually seek out veterinarians who incorporate alternative or complementary therapies in their practice.  Is there science to support their beliefs?

In our westernized society, alternative forms of therapy and medicine are often viewed with suspicion and occasionally, outright disbelief.  Practices like acupuncture, acupressure or even homeopathy have many critics.  Still, when it comes to resolving their pets’ ills, some pet owners are willing to take a chance on a non-traditional treatment.

Holistic medicine is generally defined as medical care of the whole pet, including environment, social and personal factors as opposed to the focus of treating just the disease.  Integrative medicine embraces both conventional Western styles with holistic practices.  Many people refer to non-traditional medicine as alternative or even complementary medicine. 

These non-conventional approaches include therapies as diverse as acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic care, and traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM).  Some veterinarians, like Dr. Aleda Cheng, a TCVM practitioner and certified veterinary acupuncturist, go as far as including “high-tech” procedures such as stem cell therapy and cold laser pain relief under the alternative umbrella.  As Dr. Cheng says, “all of these treatments help the body heal itself”.

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Hidden from view, the intestinal parasites of our pets don’t share the spotlight given to fleas or even mosquitoes. In fact, many pet owners would just as soon forget that their pets could be carrying these “worms”. But, failing to account for these nasty creatures could pose a danger to your pets…and the rest of your family! These are year round threats but with spring here, they become a bigger threat.

Pets now share our homes, our kitchens, and, in some cases, even our beds. Unfortunately, they might also be sharing some unwanted guests – WORMS! Unlike fleas and mosquitoes who sometimes give us a break during colder weather, these parasites can cause problems all year long!

Almost all puppies and kittens are born with roundworms, hookworms or even both. In the vast majority of cases, these worms are passed from mom to the babies either during pregnancy or during nursing after birth. Left unchecked, these tiny monsters can cause poor growth, diarrhea, vomiting, or even death in young animals.

Adult pets aren’t immune to these parasites either. Pets who consume other animals’ feces, eat grass, or even those who catch and eat infected rodents might end up with bloody, runny stool or vomiting caused by the worms.

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From thunderstorm phobia to outright aggression, our pets can suffer from a variety of behavioral maladies. There is not a day in practice that we do not discuss a behavioral issue. Thankfully, modern science has given us new therapeutic tools, like anti-depressants, that appear to help our pets cope with these issues. But, have we gone too far in pushing these pills on our pets?

According to a recent marketing survey, about 17% of all dogs exhibit signs consistent with a condition known as separation anxiety. Video footage of pets left alone can show excessive pacing, extreme vocalization and, in some cases, a rampage of destruction. Doors are chewed, furniture destroyed and other pets go as far as injuring themselves on their cage or other objects. Sadly, some owners won’t or can’t tolerate this sort of behavior and the pet ends up being relinquished to a local shelter and often euthanized.

Beyond separation anxiety, other pets suffer from an obsessive compulsive type of behavior known in veterinary circles as abnormal repetitive behavior. Dogs that endlessly chase their tails, big cats in zoos and even stalled horses who pace tirelessly are all examples of this compulsive disorder. Our pets can also suffer phobias due to thunderstorms and even fireworks.

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It is not uncommon to be at the grocery store, in church or at a friend’s house and be told stories about their pets.  Recently, I listened to story about a new puppy a friend had acquired at Christmas.  The joy of raising a new puppy or kitten to be your constant companion is one of life’s greatest experiences.  In a crazy economy, mixed up politics and stressful family lives, pets can actually bring a cohesive and loving touch.  So if you want to add a little unconditional love and lots of fun at home, a new pet may just be what the doctor ordered. 

There is no doubt that we find the little round heads and big eyes of young puppies and kittens irresistible.  Millions of new pets find their ways into our hearts and homes each year.  Studies show pets are a very positive addition to families or singles and even empty nesters!  Pets relieve stress, add joy and give us love unconditionally. 

So a new pup or kitten may be just what you need.  Whether you picked out your new friend at a breeder or you’ve rescued a pet in need of a great home, all puppies and kittens have requirements that you must know before bringing them home. 

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Yesterday, news channels aired the story concerning the unfortunate and tragic event at Sea World in Orlando, FL.  A 40 year old, female trainer was killed by a bull killer whale during a performance.  She was apparently taken off her platform by the whale and shaken to death.  This particular whale has been linked to other deaths according to reports.  There was a student who slipped and fell in the pool with the whale and there was a gatecrasher who tried to swim with the whale, both resulting in death.

In the hours after the trainer’s death, animal rights groups are already blaming organizations like SeaWorld for keeping animals in pools and requiring them to perform.  These killer whales are obviously huge animals, and cannot be forced to perform.  They perform because of the reinforcement they receive for doing so.  Although animal rights groups disapprove of shows like the ones at SeaWorld, there is no doubt that these magnificent animals have helped educate millions of people.  They have even helped to promote a greater concern for their wild cousins.

Dr. Scott Weber at UC Davis shared the following information about killer whales.  The whales are the largest members of the dolphin animals with adult males nearly 6-10 meters in length and weighing up to 10 tons.  The females are slightly smaller averaging 5-7 meters and can weigh over 7 tons.  Their life spans can be similar to humans in the wild.  They are toothed whales which have a wide variety of prey items that may include fish (schooling species, sharks, and rays), invertebrates, sea birds, and other marine mammals including other whales, walrus, sea lions, seals, and sea otters, making them one of the most formidable predators of the sea next to humans.

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This week marks the final week of Dental Month.  In veterinary medicine, dental disease is seen in almost every animal.  But, in our busy lives it’s hard to find the time to do regular preventive care.   Adding to the problem, dental cleanings under general anesthesia seems risky to many.  Recently, anesthesia-free pet dentistry has become a fad.  However, is this option good care and safe long term?

With more than 85% of pets over age three suffering from some sort of dental disease, veterinarians are constantly reminding clients to provide at home dental care for their pets.  In addition, most veterinarians encourage annual dental exams and cleanings for their patients followed by care at home.  Still, pet owners are reluctant to follow these recommendations.

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The conference is officially over and I will be catching a 11:00 pm flight tonight.

I chose pet behavior as my lecture course today.  Dr. Jacquelin Neilsen was the speaker and an alumni of the University of Florida.  GO GATORS!!  She covered the following topics throughout the lecture series:  Inappropriate urination including spraying, aggression (dominance and fear), compulsive disorders, separation anxiety, storm phobias, and anxiety.  Each behavior was covered with case examples that she has seen in her Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon.  The most important discussion for me was when to use drug therapy and what are the drugs currently being recommended.  She was an effective and entertaining lecturer.

While I was sitting and waiting for the next lecture to begin, a veterinarian sitting next to me asked if I was Brian Hurley.  The veterinarian introduced himself and explained he was in Dr. Jim Humphries lecture the night before.  He remembered Dr. Jim mentioning my name and showing our website as part of the discussion.  We had a brief conversation about our website and facebook pages.  Who would of thought I would be recognized sitting in a lecture.

It is now 6:35 pm and I have to finishing packing.  I plan on leaving in a couple of hours for the airport.  I will be back home tomorrow morning and will return to work on my normal schedule on Tuesday.  Look forward to seeing everyone back home.  I have missed my family!!!!

Well, my body is finally getting use to being in Las Vegas, and now it is almost time to go home.  I had an incredible day at the conference. 

This morning, I sat in on lectures for the gastrointestinal system (stomach and intestines) and the urinary systems (kidneys and bladder).  The best part of coming to a conference is learning information that you can take back home and immediately put into use helping our four legged friends.  This week, including today, I have been reflecting on each day and can think of cases I will be reviewing and utilizing things I have learned.

I met with Dr. Jim Humphries before lunch.  Dr. Humphries is the founder of the Veterinary News Network, PetDocsOnCall.com and the American Society of Veterinary Journalism.  As many of you know, I am an active member in each of these groups.  We were able to sit down and catch up.  The last time I saw Dr. Humphries was during this conference last year.  Tonight, he lectured on Web 2.0 and how this can be utilized by our industry.  Web 2.0 includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogging, etc.  Dr. Humphries and I spoke at length about my social networking.  I was honored to be asked to come and speak tonight during his lecture.  Our late morning chat turned into lunch.

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Good Evening.  It is currently 5:08 pm in Las Vegas.  At home, it is now 8:08 pm.  I hear we received some snow today but once again it was not as much as initially anticipated.  I am glad because I am not home to clear the driveway.  Our neighbors typically help Dawn when I am away.

Today, I participated in a Vet-Stem “Boot Camp”  laboratory.  It was extremely useful as I continue my education on the use of adult stem cells for arthritis in our canine patients.  The instructional lab showed us injection techniques, confirmation using radiographs and ultrasound, and rehabilitation therapy techniques.  This lab went a long way in preparing me for implementing our Stem Cell Program at the Gardner Animal Care Center.  The most interesting topic covered was rehabilitation therapy.  We were exposed to a variety of tools that are available for physical therapy in our pets.  I was intrigued by the majority of the products that were demonstrated.  Upon my return home, I will be reviewing the vast amount of information, and developing a program at our hospital.  As a reminder, a future blog will discuss what stem cells are and how they are utilized in disease processes.

The afternoon was spent going through the exhibit hall.  I made sure to visit all our veterinary partners that supply us with useful products in our hospital.  I made sure to stop by the vendors that carry rehabilitation equipment.  I was most interested in looking at two pieces of equipment:  cold therapy and laser therapy delivery systems.  These will by added to my wish list.  I also made sure to look at treadmills  and a gait analysis system.  As always, it is fun getting a variety of pads, pens, stress balls, mints, samples, and books.  I even took the time to get my cholesterol checked.  Time to improve my eating habits based on the results.  Probably didn’t help I hate an hour before the test.

Tonight, Bayer is providing the entertainment.  At 8:30 pm, I will be seeing Foreigner.  This should be a good show.  Until tomorrow…….Good Night!!

It is currently 10 minutes to 8 pm in Las Vegas.  Tonight, I am heading to the Mirage to see the show “Beatle’s Love.”  My day started at 6:45 am.  I went down to McDonald’s to get my morning coffee for the walk over to Mandalay Bay. 

I began the day participating in a survey conducted by Idexx Labratories.  The purpose of the research survey primarily covered the Lab Request module in Infinity and it’s use with our outside lab, Antech.  Infinity allows our practice management software to create lab request forms, labels for the blood tubes, and automatic importing the test results into the patient’s medical records.  It was a good discussion including another doctor from Indianapolis, IN.

Following the research survey, I spent the remainder of the morning listening to the latest on Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD).  This is a common urinary tract syndrome we diagnosis in our practice.  The first lecture centered around struvites (type of crystal and stone) in the urinary bladder and the current recommendations for the medical management of Struvite Disease.  Behavior management of idiopathic cystitis was next.  Idiopathic cystitis is an inflammatory condition of the bladder of unknown cause.  Stress should be considered as a factor in idiopathic cystitis and behavior modifications may improve clinical symptoms.  Each case will be different and treatment for our feline friends will not only include possible medications but also potential changes in their environment.  The morning lectures concluded with a lecture on picking the right food in FLUTD.  As your veterinarian, we will need to discuss the underlying cause of the disease, nutritional requirements necessary in your situation, effectiveness of the diet being considered and any factors pertinent to your cat and families individual situation.

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