Q: A:
How can acupuncture and holistic medicine help a dog with cancer?
While chemotherapy is a very effective form of cancer treatment, it is not the only treatment. Research all treatment options, and discuss them with your veterinarian before committing to a plan. Dogs generally receive much lower doses of chemotherapy drugs, so they tolerate it much better and have fewer side effects than humans. While this is true, it also implies that low-dosage chemotherapy helps improve the patient’s quality of life, but does not necessarily provide a complete cure. In addition, some dogs will exhibit side effects during treatment (such as general weakness, fatigue, apathy, poor appetite, weight loss, and diarrhea). Before starting chemotherapy, you should ask a doctor about these side effects and how successful and complete your dog’s recovery will be. If a complete cure is unattainable, and you instead wish to focus on the quality of life for your pet, I strongly believe acupuncture and holistic medicine is the solution. It is an affordable, less-invasive treatment with much fewer side effects compared with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. In addition, your dog will be able to maintain his or her same activity level throughout the treatment. The goal of holistic medicine is to diagnose imbalances in the life force (Qi), determine their causes (etiology of the disease), and subsequently remove those causes from the patient’s envi-
ronment (treatment). Holistic medicine views cancer as a long time untreated imbalance and stagnation in each organ or points between two polarities of Qi, yin (-) and yang (+). Acupuncture is used to “communicate” with body organs and tissues through special channels or meridians. Health and healing is the integration and restoration of balance or harmony of Qi. Special herbs also greatly help speed the process of healing. Acupuncture and holistic medicine are often used as supplemental treatment options to boost the immune system and for general support of post-chemo or radiation therapy. Chemo or radiation patients pre-treated with acupuncture and special herbal formulas typically have improved quality of lives and longer survival rates compared to regular chemo-patients. Acupuncture and holistic medicine can help prevent most side effects of chemo and radiation, a view recently validated by several journals and scientific data. Remember that people have used acupuncture and holistic medicine for themselves and their animals for thousands of years—long before chemo and radiation were invented. We should use a mixture of modern science and ancient wisdom together to provide treatment options for our four-legged friends suffering from cancer. Dr. Yong Chun is a certified veterinary acupuncture specialist at the Pet Lovers Animal Hospital in Fairfax, VA. You can reach Dr. Chun and find more special techniques used in treating dogs with cancer at www.petloversvet.com.
Make a Difference! FETCH a Cure is a non-profit organization in Richmond, VA, dedicated to improving the quality of life for pets.
Founded by those who have faced canine cancer, FETCH a Cure focuses on aging and cancer, and provides owners with resources for early detection. The Companions in Crisis program helps provide financial aid to those unable to bear the high costs of cancer treatment. Looking ahead, FETCH a Cure plans to establish a local canine aging and cancer center where holistic treatment, care, and resources are easily accessible to the pet community. To donate, or for more information on aging pets or pets with cancer visit www.fetchacure.com.
www.bevhollisphoto.com www.bevhollisphoto.com/blog Specializing in stylistic, timeless pet por traits.
For detailed information call or email us at: 615.414.2903 bev@bevhollisphoto.com Serving Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
24 Northern Virginia Dog
| Summer 2010