Integrative VETERINARY CARE VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2
CLOSE-UP ON COLOSTRUM
THIS “HIGH OCTANE” MILK OFFERS MORE THAN PASSIVE IMMUNITY WHEN USED AS A SUPPLEMENT FOR COMPANION ANIMALS. PAGE 20
WESTERN HERBS TO ALLEVIATE ALLERGIES
ESSENTIAL OILS AND CHINESE MEDICINE
USING REIKI IN A SHELTER ENVIRONMENT
HEAVY METALS AND EQUINE RENAL FAILURE
How this modality helps calm stress in shelter animals and makes them more adoptable.
Explore the link between lead toxicity and the development of kidney failure in horses.
CHINESE HERBAL THERAPY FOR HORSES
WHAT’ S NEW
How adaptogens, alteratives and dermatologic herbs work together to combat this common health issue.
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SPRING ISSUE 2015
Case reports and clinical trials may begin to provide a foundation for evaluating the use of Chinese herbs in Western practice.
Integrating the effects of these healing oils into a Chinese medicine approach gives you a powerful modality.
• 3D prosthetics change a dog’s life • Grant program for integrative medicine • Researching mitral valve disease • Developing regenerative medicine therapies
contents FEATURES
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WESTERN HERBS FOR ALLERGIES
A combination of adaptogens, alteratives and dermatologic herbs tailored to individual animals can help patients feel more comfortable.
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Nutrition Nook COLOSTRUM: MORE THAN PASSIVE IMMUNITY
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A look at the current theory, data and practice related to supplemental post day-one use of bovine colostrum in companion animals.
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HEAVY METAL TOXICITY AND RENAL FAILURE IN HORSES
Heavy metals like lead are predominantly cleared from the body through the kidneys, causing a subclinical tubulointerstitial nephritis that may progress to chronic renal failure.
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Learn how this modality can help animals regain their trust in people, make them more adoptable, and assist them through transitions.
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CHINESE HERBAL THERAPY FOR EQUINES
Chinese herbal medicine is becoming increasingly popular and requested both by Western-trained equine veterinarians as well as the clients they serve.
While essential oils have long been popular for healing, integrating their effects into a Chinese medicine approach gives you an even more powerful modality to explore.
Surgery isn’t the only option when it comes to dealing with these common fatty growths. TCVM, nutritional therapy, and other alternative treatments can also help.
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4 WAYS REIKI CAN HELP SHELTER ANIMALS
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From case-taking to liaising with clients to offering additional therapies, there are many things you can do to make yourself indispensable to your clinic.
USING ESSENTIAL OILS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHINESE MEDICINE
TREATING CANINE LIPOMAS
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Tech Talk WHAT AN EDUCATED ASSISTANT BRINGS TO AN INTEGRATIVE PRACTICE
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advisory board Dr. Richard Palmquist, DVM, graduated from Colorado State University in 1983. He is chief of integrative health services at Centinela Animal Hospital in Inglewood, California, 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 co-director of the AHVMA Foundation. He has published two books, one for conventional veterinarians and a second for clients discussing how integrative thinking works.
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
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.
5 Advisory board 8 Editorial 11 What’ s new
Dr. Joyce Harman, DVM, MRCVS, graduated in 1984 from Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She is certified in veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic and has completed advanced training in homeopathy and herbal medicine. Her practice in Virginia uses holistic medicine to treat horses. Her publications include The Horse’s Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book – the most complete source of information about English saddles.
30 From the AATCVM 36 Industry innovations 48 From the AVH 50 Veterinary resource guide
Dr. Steve Marsden, DVM, ND, lectures for the IVAS, the AHVMA and the AVMA, and is co-founder of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies. He is a director of the National College of Natural Medicine, and authored the Manual of Natural Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Marsden is extensively trai ned in alternative medicine, including Chinese herbology, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. He has a veterinary and naturopathic practice in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2010, Dr. Marsden was named Teacher of the Year by the AHVMA.
56 Social media 63 From the AHVMF 64 From the VBMA 65 Marketplace 66 Events
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.
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. Dr. Chambreau teaches classes in homeopathy for animals, and lectures on many topics. She is the author of the Healthy Animal’s Journal and the co-author of the Homeopathic Repertory: A Tutorial.
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Western
herbal
treatments for allergies By Laurie Dohmen, VMD, MS
Spring is here, and with it the reemergence of life and growth. With this positive rebirth, there is a downside – allergies.
inflammatory response”.1 I think everyone realizes that chronic inflammation is bad for the body.
Allergies can be triggered by either environmental pathogens or foods. Food allergies are (in my opinion) both easier and harder to treat – easier because a diet of exclusion (and in many cases a diet of fresh whole foods) removes the allergen; harder because client/patient compliance is low.
Research is expanding on non-allopathic treatments for chronic inflammation. The majority of our immune system tissue is in the gastrointestinal tract, so keeping the digestion working optimally supports the immune system. Whole instead of processed foods support the digestive tract, immune system and most other bodily systems. Using whole foods, it is easy to incorporate nutraceuticals and other supplements into the diet. Some foods are naturally prebiotics, but adding a probiotic supplement is a good idea. Probiotics help the gut by making sure it is colonized with appropriate bacteria; they also reduce permeability, lower the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and synthesize vitamins. Another good supplement to add is Omega fatty acids. They work to prevent allergic reactions.1
In this article, I will focus on environmental allergens since it is almost impossible to remove them. They include trees, plants, grasses, other animals, molds and mites (storage and dust). Allergies are hard on the immune system; because they are a chronic disease, the immune system never gets a break. The immune system is comprised of two parts: the innate (ancestral) system and the adaptive (specific) system. The adaptive part is the one that causes allergies: it clears all environmental pathogens. “An unchecked and unbalanced immune system hampers good health and quality of life.”1 We all know this to be true for allergy sufferers. Allergies are an over-activated immune system1 and an allergic response is an overreaction to a substance – “… an over-activated…immune response can cause chronic infection because of inefficient clearing of the pathogen or chronic inflammation due to inefficient resolution of the
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All this being said, I am primarily an herbalist, so I use Western herbs to support the immune system and prevent allergies. “Herbal medicines reportedly affect cytokine secretion, histamine release, immunoglobulin secretion and class switching, cellular co-receptor expression, lymphocyte proliferation, and cytotoxic activity,” writes NIH AIDS researcher Susan Plaeger in a “Guest Commentary” for Immunology and Herbs. “Herbal treatments decreased antigenspecific immunoglobin E, as well as interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL5, and IL 13 secretion from spleen cells, but did not suppress immunoglobulin G2a and gamma interferon synthesis.”2
ADAPTOGENS One of my favorite classes of herbs for immune support is adaptogens. In 1969, Russian doctor Israel Brekhman defined “adaptogen” as follows: “ a An adaptogen should be innocuous and cause minimal disorders in the physiologic functions of an organism; b The action of an adaptogen should be nonspecific, i.e. it should
increase resistance to adverse influences of a wide range of factors of physical, chemical, and biological nature; c An adaptogen may possess normalizing action irrespective of the direction of the foregoing pathologic changes.”3
Part “a” demands that adaptogens are safe for long term use, part “b” clearly includes allergens, and part “c” means that adaptogens work whether there is immunocompromise or overstimulation, as with allergies. Some of my favorite adaptogens include eleuthero (Eleuterococcus senticosus), ashwaganda (Withania somnifera) and astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous). • Eleuthero, also known as Siberian ginseng due to its similarity to true ginseng, is known for its ability to increase resistance to all stressors. One of the many ways it does this is by supporting and enhancing the immune system. In fact, there are many studies in which eleuthero prevented people from getting common diseases.2 It is known as a preventive rather than a curative herb. It helps prevent the symptoms and secondary infections often associated with allergies. True ginseng (Panax ginseng/quinquefolius) is wonderful, but not effective until the plant has been growing for at least six years. Roots that old are almost impossible to find in the US, and they are prohibitively expensive worldwide. • Ashwaganda is another good adaptogen. It is immunemodulating, restorative for chronic illnesses (such as allergies) and a tonic for the adrenals. It is especially indicated for the geriatric population, who have a harder time mounting an immune response under the best of circumstances. • Astragalus is similar to ashwaganda, but for the young instead of the old. It increases energy and resistance to disease, and strengthens and stimulates the immune system. Unlike eleuthero, which is more preventive, astragalus can both prevent and treat infections, so it is a great adaptogen for animals whose allergies have progressed to dermatitis or otitis. According to David Hoffmann, “Astragalus appears to strengthen both nonspecific [innate] and specific [adaptive] immunity…it strengthens many functions of the immune system.”4 Continued on page 16.
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