Archive for the ‘holistic veterinary medicine’ Category

Should Complementary and Alternative (aka Integrative) Veterinary Medicine be taught in vet schools?

HDO_Admin | February 11th, 2009

The short answer is NO.

The core of today’s veterinary education has, for good reason, been built upon a vast web of interconnected and established science. With this in mind, the belief in the need to teach Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine (CAVM) at veterinary schools immediately brings to the fore a looming dilemma.

Science is a powerful filter and provides a foundation from where medicine has discovered truly effective therapies. It has proven an excellent tool for excising the useful from the useless (i.e.; statistical significance vs. fanciful testimony and tenuous beliefs). To date, science is the only way to assure that medicine stays on the straight and narrow and optimizes its effectiveness. Without it, no matter how well intentioned, the practice of medicine falls prey to a world of delusion and fairy tales.

Medicine develops and refines innumerable modalities and therapies based on accumulating evidence. Though this evidence may vary in robustness and quality it is always grounded in science. In general, you can’t skip over this basic filter and practice any kind of “medicine” that suits your fancy- that usually leads to the realms of metaphysics and belief.

The machinery for seeking and establishing effectiveness in medicine assumes the plausibility of what is being studied. If it is not a plausible modality the best the research can offer is often just garbled noise -equivocal statistical data- that is neither here nor there. This is something novice students are not being taught and herein lays the problem.

Medical education needs to emphasize critical thinking tools and teach aspiring doctors how to navigate within the depth of established science based medicine before tackling fringe areas such as alternative medicine.

If a student sees a CAVM modality as part of the curriculum of veterinary education the assumption is made whether these young minds know it or not- that there must be something to this particular practice. It falls under the rubric of an accepted standard of practice and therefore is a part of general practice. This simply is not the case because if it were there would be no “alternative” in alternative medicine.

When it is implicit to students that academia tolerates alternative medicine as just another way you compromise these students science based education. Dr. Colquhoun points out that “Once any treatment is shown beyond doubt to be effective, it ceases to be alternative and becomes just like any other part of medical knowledge. That means that alternative medicine must consist of unproven treatments. It is not the domain of academia to be teaching unproven treatments to young students.

Introducing unsubstatntiated non science based modalities and therapies that might have some plausible basis (acupuncture), no matter how scientific they might appear, to these aspiring professionals before they are ready to critically evaluate them is a bad idea. It opens the doors to a Pandoras Box as other alternative medical paradigms (i.e.; homeopathy, energy medicine) will inevitably also demand a place in academia.

This is reminiscent of teaching the controversy of evolution that intelligent design advocates support so vehemently. This red herring demonstrates an alarming lack of actual scientific knowledge regarding proper methodology and smacks of dogma and pseudoscience.

Dr. Colquhoun points out an interesting observation with respect to the curious confounding of pseudoscience and science (“quackademics”) in medical schools. He states that All these outfits have two things in common. They all claim to be scientific and evidence- based, and none has produced any real evidence that any of their treatments work.

This is one of the weaknesses to claiming that the CAVM offered in veterinary schools is being scrutinized under the framework of science. If they were, they would be pulled out of the cirriculum or possibly relegated to research. As noted though, you can’t use evidence-based research very well when the underlying science is suspect.

In addition, the fact that CAVM has become a fairly popular practice among some people and practitioners outside academia is not an excuse to teach it in school. This is an appeal to popularity and gets medicine no-where.

It has been noted that veterinarians need to be more non-judgmental and not stigmatize CAVM; implying a rush to judgment and a bias against CAVM. In some cases, the implication goes; this may threaten a client/doctor relationship and could lead to the loss of clients who might move entirely to alternative medicine. Medicine needs to adapt to changes brought about by societal influence and the popularity of CAVM another effective way of doing medicine- needs to be accepted, embraced, and taught in school. This is threading misrepresentation with populism- a dangerous mix.

Fallacious reasoning like this creates false realities and gives little credence to the ability of a skilled practitioner and the influence they can have on client/doctor relationships. The opportunity to communicate and teach science based medicine is taken seriously my many practitioners.

They feel obligated to create a comforting, supportive, and trusting bond that openly and honestly approaches the situation at hand. Practicing the best science and evidence based medicine they can goes hand in glove with this bond and most clients will respect that.1
Though, there may be emotionally charged biases against CAVM at times, the fact remains that -for the most part- it is not science and it is definitely not a substantiated medical modality. Disregarding or not recommending CAVM if it does not fulfill the requirements of science and evidence based medicine is not being biased.

Learning how to communicate and interact empathetically with people is by far one of the most important skills a veterinary student can learn. This is what should be stressed more in university curriculums than teaching pseudo-science. On the other hand, future practitioners need the critical thinking tools and knowledge to clearly and dispassionately discuss why a given CAVM modality may not be the most ideal approach to a given problem. This can be done without creating the impression that CAVM is or should be an accepted part of scientific medicine.

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1. If a client elects to proceed with a CAVM modality then its their decision, and though sometimes difficult, practitioners should strive to continue working with these clients if possible and promote what is in the animals best interests.

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system of therapeutics founded by

HDO_Admin | January 21st, 2009

It is philosophy of like heals like. Alternatively, flax seeds, flax oil, or hemp oil can be used as dietary supplement rather than fish oils. Omega3 fatty acids come in varied forms from salmon oil to capsules of concentrated EPA. These be worth trying for dog that has an autoimmune disorder or arthritis. The substances are diluted to infinitesimal amounts in solutions and vigorously shaken succussed before they are given to the patient.

These materials reduce the platelet function for brief period in dogs, but it seems that dogs compensate for this within about eight weeks. Many plant sources are low in selenium and supplementation be important however, selenium can create toxicity if given at too high level. Many homeopaths also believe that an individuals mental, physical, and emotional constitution also need to be treated. On the other hand, selenium help vitamin to be more effective. Selenium has antioxidant properties similar to vitamin A dilution ratio written as 1x is part substance to parts dilution base.

The potency is based on the dilution ratio and it is believed that the more diluted the dose, the more potent the effect. On the other hand, selenium help vitamin to be more effective. Alternatively, flax seeds, flax oil, or hemp oil can be used as dietary supplement rather than fish oils. In addition, selenium does not cross the bloodbrain barrier like vitamin It is an essential mineral nutrient and very potent poison. The 3series do not cause inflammation and reduce blood flow like the 2series thromboxanes. A chemical element, atomic number 34, atomic weight 78. 96, symbol Se.

system of therapeutics founded by German physician named Samuel Hahnemann 17551843. Vitamin can replace the requirement for selenium in the body, but selenium cannot substitute for vitamin The potency is based on the dilution ratio and it is believed that the more diluted the dose, the more potent the effect. Many homeopaths also believe that an individuals mental, physical, and emotional constitution also need to be treated. Omega3 fatty acids replace the 2series fatty acids over time, and cellular stimulation will instead produce 3series prostaglandins and thromboxanes. A remedy labeled 20c has first been mixed as part substance to parts dilution base.

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Dog Licences – Why?

HDO_Admin | January 2nd, 2009

With animal ownership, it seems like there is a number of things you must do just to keep a animal in your home. When required to license their beloved pooches, many owners ask why. What’s the point in licensing a dog? Although it may seem like a money-making technique, licensing is important for a dog, the owner, and the rest of the community. Here’s a few reasons why licensing is important for your animal.

The history of dog licensing has been traced back to the 1700s, so it’s not a new requirement. Dog licensing was first enacted to protect the livestock of farmers. Many canines roamed free, often getting into trouble with sheep. Farmers needed a way to be reimbursed for their livestock when a dog wreaked havoc on the farm. Eventually, cities started requiring animal owners to register their canines. They had to submit their information, along with information describing their animal, to a local government office. If a farmer had problems with a dog, he could give a description to the office and be reimbursed for his damages.

Now, dog licensing is a way to protect the animal instead of a way to safeguard livestock. Instead of merely describing your dog to an animal control office, you must provide certain paperwork. In return, you receive a dog tag that identifies your animal and you as the owner. Hence, benefit number one: your dog carries your contact information. If he gets lost or picked up by animal control, he is more likely to be returned to you. You may not even have to go to look for him at the shelter if things are handled appropriately! The same is true if your dog is injured. Perhaps he escapes from his pen while you are away at work. If he gets in a fight with another dog or finds his way into the street, you can feel a little better knowing that he can be helped, and you can be notified of the situation, before you return home.

Licensing also protects your dog and other people. Areas with known cases of rabies may require that your animal has his rabies vaccination before he is licensed. If he were to bite someone, then you have proof that your licensed animal is rabies free. It can help keep your pooch alive and keep someone from having to undergo rabies treatment.

Many areas require that a dog is licensed, but some areas still do not. You can wager that cities or highly populated areas will require the licensing. The licensing fees vary according to the area, the breed of dog, and whether or not the dog has been spayed or neutered. Often, the fee is reduced for fixed canines. This is a way for animal agencies to encourage animal control and discourage the number of homeless animals. Certain breeds, normally aggressive breeds, are often charged with higher licensing fees and may have to follow additional rules, such as wearing a muzzle when in public and posting Beware of dog signs on the property. canines are not the only animals that have to be licensed; some areas require cat licensing, too.

If you are in the dark about licensing requirements in your area, then contact a local animal agency or your veterinarian. It’s a good idea to contact them prior to bringing home a animal or shortly after. You normally only have a certain time period to get your dog licensed. After that period, you may incur additional fees. Most areas offer multiple ways to go about licensing, including applying in person, over the Internet, or through standard mail. Before you apply for the license, make sure your animal has had any and all required vaccinations or procedures; it can save you a few dollars and may save you from an application headache!

Licensing a animal may seem a bit over the top, but it is beneficial in many ways. The practice started long ago to protect livestock, and now it protects your animal, you, and the community. To find out if you need to license your animal, contact a local animal agency or your veterinarian. Ask the organization what your animal needs before he can be licensed. Remember, licensing is not free, so also ask about any fees associated with the process. If your pooch ever leaves home, you’ll be glad you got him licensed!

This article was provided by animal-super-store which is an online animal shop featuring patio animal doors and large dog beds.

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