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IVC Winter 2020/2021
DIAGNOSING CANINE GASTROINTESTINAL AND PANCREATIC DISEASES
By Floris Dröes, DVM (Hon), MRCVS, PGCert VMS A discussion of some of the tests that are currently available (or will be in the near future) for diagnosing gastrointestinal and pancreatic diseases in dogs.
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BOND-CENTERED APPROACH TO ANXIETY IN PETS, USING NONPHARMACEUTICAL METHODS
By Dr. Julie Mayer, DVM, CVA, CVC, CCRP Essential oils, Bach flower remedies, and CBD, used alone or in combination, can be very effective for chronically anxious pets and their owners.
COMBATING CANCER BY SUPPORTING GUT HEALTH AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM By Canine Biologics
EMOTIONS: A POWERFUL TOOL FOR UNDERSTANDING HEALTH AND DISEASE By Marlene Siegel, DVM, CNHP, ALT
Human emotions impact both health and disease. They also impact companion animals. Can emotions in our animal patients provide clues for healing in pets and their owners?
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A NON-INVASIVE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS FOR FELINE GI LYMPHOMA By Henry K. Yoo, DVM, MSc, MBA
OZONE THERAPY: EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR INFECTIONS IN ANIMAL PATIENTS
By Dr. Margo Roman, DVM, CVA, COT, CPT Integrating ozone into treatment plans for animals with viral, bacterial, and fungal infections.
TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY — HELPING NEUTERED AND SPAYED DOGS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET By David Bieber, DVM
PET NUTRITION IN FLUX: WHY WHOLE FOODS STILL MAKE THE MOST SENSE By Tom Cameron, DVM
RECOGNIZING AND TREATING MYOFASCIAL PAIN IN DOGS
By Dr. Michele Broadhurst, DC, CVC, CCSP, CCRP, FIAMA, MTech chiro Skeletal muscle and fascia play roles in pain and dysfunction. Addressing both structural and functional changes can improve outcomes in canine patients.
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PLANT-BASED DIETS FOR DOGS
By Jennifer Adolphe, PhD, and Sarah Dodd, BVSc, MSc, PhD Candidate, ECVCN resident
INNOVATIVE PRACTICE
HOW TO ENSURE FELINE PATIENTS STAY HEALTHY AS THEY AGE By Angie Krause, DVM, CVA, CCRT
Maintaining the health of your feline patients when they reach their golden years involves engaging owners in their cats’ care before they become seniors.
SUCCESSFUL SELF-REGULATION: HOW NASC ELEVATES QUALITY STANDARDS IN DOG AND CAT SUPPLEMENTS By Bill Bookout
THE BENEFITS OF CHELATED AMINO ACID MINERALS (CAAM) FOR ANIMAL HEALING AND WELLNESS By Van Harding, LAc, NCCAOM
RETHINKING THE ROLE OF METRONIDAZOLE IN VETERINARY MEDICINE
By Dawn Kingsbury, DVM, PhD, Dip. ACVIM (SAIM), Ellen Barber, and Holly Ganz, PhD The appropriate and inappropriate uses of metronidazole, current research that contradicts our older assumptions, and how to determine if this drug is an ideal choice.
NUTRITION NOOK
AN INTERESTING CASE OF INAPPROPRIATE SUPPLEMENTATION IN A PUPPY By Sandra Priest, DVM
Almost nothing is written about the effects of inappropriate supplementation. This article presents a suspected case in a German Shepherd puppy.
INNOVATIVE BUSINESS
SIX WAYS VETERINARIANS CAN PUT THEIR WEBSITES TO WORK By Megan Kelly, DVM
Your website is the central hub of your veterinary practice’s marketing efforts. Use these tips to create a website that works hard for your practice.
advisory board Dr. Richard Palmquist, DVM GDipVCHM(CIVT) CVCHM (IVAS), graduated from Colorado State University in 1983. He is chief of integrative health services at Centinela Animal Hospital in Inglewood, California, former president and research chair of the AHVMA, and an international speaker in integrative veterinary medicine. Dr. Palmquist is a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) and a past president of the AHVM Foundation. He has published two books, one for conventional veterinarians and a second for clients discussing how integrative thinking works.
36 COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
6 Editorial 17 From the AAVA 21 Profitable practice
— Theralase®
17 From the AVH 34 Industry innovations 43 From the VMAA 56 From the AVH 61 From the NASC
Michelle J. Rivera, MT, VDT, is an instructor at the University of Wisconsin and The Healing Oasis Wellness Center, a post-graduate educational institution offering state-approved programs. She is co-owner of The Healing Oasis Veterinary Hospital, offering massage, rehabilitation, chiropractic and Chinese and Western Herbology. Michelle completed the Chinese Herbal Medicine program from the China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center, and is certified in Chinese Medicine by the Wisconsin Institute of Chinese Herbology.
Dr. Joyce Harman, DVM, MRCVS, graduated in 1984 from Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Her practice is 100% holistic, using acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine and homeopathy to treat horses to enhance performance and those with a variety of chronic conditions, with an emphasis on Lyme Disease. Her publications include the Pain Free Back and Saddle Fit Books, and numerous articles in lay and professional magazines. She maintains an informative website: www.harmanyequine.com. Dr. Steve Marsden, DVM, ND, MSOM, Lac. Dipl.CH, CVA, AHG lectures for IVAS, the AHVMA, the AVMA, and numerous other organizations. He is co-founder of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies and is a director emeritus of the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland OR. He authored the Manual of Natural Veterinary Medicine (Mosby); and Essential Guide to Chinese Herbal Formulas (CIVT). Dr. Marsden is extensively trained in alternative medicine, including Chinese herbology, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. He has holistic veterinary and naturopathic medical practices in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2010, Dr. Marsden was named Teacher of the Year by the AHVMA; and Small Animal Veterinarian of the year by the CVMA in 2009. Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM, received her veterinary degree in 1964 from the Ontario Veterinary College. In 1986, she moved to Southern California to establish Hemopet, the first non-profit national blood bank program for animals. Dr. Dodds has been a member of many national and international committees on hematology, animal models of human disease, veterinary medicine, and laboratory animal science. She received the Holistic Veterinarian of the Year Award from the AHVMA in 1994.
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Dr. Barbara Fougere, DVM, CVAA graduated in 1986, and was named the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Educator for 2011. Dr. Fougere is the principal and one of the founders of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies. She has continued studying over the last 26 years, and has three Bachelor degrees, two Masters degrees, three post Graduate Diplomas, several Certifications and numerous other courses under her belt.
Dr. Christina Chambreau, DVM, CVH, graduated from the University of Georgia Veterinary College in 1980. She is a founder of the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy, was on the faculty of the National Center for Homeopathy Summer School and has been the holistic modality adjunct faculty liaison for the Maryland Veterinary Technician Program and is the former Associate Editor of IVC Journal. Dr. Chambreau teaches classes in homeopathy for animals, lectures on many topics, speaks on Radio and TV, and is the author of the Healthy Animal’s Journal among other titles. She is now on the faculty of the Holistic Actions Academy, which empowers members to keep their animals healthy with weekly live webinars.
IVC Winter 2020/2021
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A BOND-CENTERED APPROACH TO
CHRONIC ANXIETY
IN PETS, USING NON-PHARMACEUTICAL METHODS
Essential oils, Bach flower remedies, and CBD, used alone or in combination, can be very effective for chronically anxious pets and their owners. BY DR. JULIE MAYER, DVM, CVA, CVC, CCRP
Dogs and cats rely on their human caregivers. They trust us as their leaders and guides, and are very intuitive creatures. Often, however, the resulting human-animal bond is geared toward meeting our own needs, both physical and psychological.1 We also need to consider the human-animal bond from the dog or cat’s perspective, and realize it may even be damaging to pets in some ways, since they tend to live their lives in isolation from others of their kind, and identify instead with humans. Since pets communicate through observation, they are very likely to respond to even our subtlest mood changes, and mirror our mental and emotional states, positive and negative, a phenomenon referred to as “sympathetic resonance”.1 This means that when we are upset, angry, sad, or otherwise emotional, our pets are likely to become concerned, frightened or anxious. Chronically, this may cause health problems such as inappetence, gastrointestinal issues, aggression, depression, fear, destructive behaviors, inappropriate elimination, and much more. This is a two-way street, of course. The reverse is also true when our pets have behavioral issues of their own, and our well-being can be affected both emotionally and physically. Commonly-prescribed medications for behavioral modification can lead to unwanted side effects, both behavioral and physical, and sometimes caregivers end up surrendering their pets altogether.
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We have found that there are many safe, natural ways to help manage these situations. We can use these methods separately or in conjunction to get the desired behavior, and it is often helpful for both owner and pet to be treated. In fact, it is useful to approach the problem with the mindset of supporting and treating the human-animal bond. The top three methods we use for chronically anxious pets and their owners are essential oils, Bach flower remedies, and CBD. We work with the owner and the pet to find an effective combination of these therapies, and have seen much success with this approach.
ESSENTIAL OILS Essential oils are compounds that are extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant’s scent and flavor, or essence. Essential oils are obtained through the process of distillation, or mechanical methods such as cold pressing. Once the aromatic chemicals have been extracted, they are highly concentrated and powerful. This means a little goes a long way. Often, they are combined with a carrier oil to create a product that is ready for topical use. However, essential oils are most used in the practice of aromatherapy in which they are inhaled, often via a diffuser. In my practice, we have essential oil diffusers in every room. This is beneficial to pets, owners, and our staff. We all benefit from breathing them in.
Most people have heard that using essential oils with pets is dangerous and toxic, and this can be true, but not in the way most people think. The oils are very concentrated and need to be treated as such. Also, poor quality oils often contain additives that are harmful and can cause life-threatening reactions. Working with a professional trained in essential oil use ensures that the products and application methods are safe. Here is a list of some popular essential oils we use, and the health claims associated with them: • Anise (Pimpinella anisum): Calming • Bergamot (Citrus bergamia): Reduces depression and anxiety • Chamomile, Roman (Chamaemelum nobile): Improves mood, aids in relaxation, and reduces anxiety • Frankincense (Boswellia carterii): Boosts other oils and reduces depression • Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens): Helps release negative memories and eases nervous tensions • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): Stress-relieving, calming • Lemon (Citrus limon): Reduces anxiety • Melissa (Melissa officinalis): Reduces depression, grief, and anxiety and improves cognitive function • Rose (Rosa damascene): Reduces anxiety, aids in releasing traumatic memories, aids in conflict between other animals • Sandalwood (Santalum album): Grounding, increases acceptance, reduces stress guilt and aggressive behavior • Tangerine (Citrus tangerina): Reduces sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression • Ylang-Ylang (Cananga odorata): Reduces anxiety and depression, balances male and female energies.2 While there are many ways to use these oils, we have found that selecting a combination of three, adding a few drops of each to the diffuser, and running it throughout the day (or at night by the bed) is very effective. The list above is not complete, and many other oils can aid with stress relief in both pets and owners. Finding a combination the owner enjoys and that is effective for the pet is a sure win!
BACH FLOWER ESSENCES Many of the same plants are used in Bach flower remedies as in essential oils, but the former are taken from the plants using a different method. The flowers soak in spring water in the sun for a designated period of time; the flowers are then removed from the water, and the water is combined with an IVC Winter 2020/2021
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