Holistic Primary Care

Cat Receiving Acupuncture on its Forehead

Primary Care and Wellness Examinations

We provide proactive preventative health care for dogs and cats with a combination of conventional veterinary medicine (recently termed 'biomedicine') and classical Chinese medicine (a metaphoric approach).

Each patient receives a complete physical examination assessing the health of the teeth and gums, eyes, ears, lymph nodes, skin and coat, muscles, ligaments and joints, heart and lungs, and abdominal organs. If appropriate, additional testing may be proposed, discussed, and performed if thought necessary. Additional testing may include:

Blood work in our in-clinic laboratory
Sampling (aspiration) of any external masses
Cytology, radiography, or ultrasonography of the internal organs

Dr. Nate Performing a Chinese Medical Examination

Holistic Care

In addition, a Chinese medical examination is performed. The pulse quality of the femoral artery is assessed to determine the circulatory flow dynamic in the patient. The patient is palpated for tender or warm areas, which indicate a blockage of circulation (stagnation of circulation results in pain or warmth). Inflammation and mass formation(s) are noted, as these also signal an alteration in the circulatory dynamic.

Inflammation (or Heat) may result from excess circulation at the surface, while masses form from circulatory congestion. The patient is then treated with manual techniques, including chiropractic and acupuncture, to improve how blood flows through the body.

When a healthy 'moderate' pulse has been achieved, the significance of the body areas (acupoints) used to improve this change are assessed in terms of the metaphor of Chinese medicine.

From this metaphorical diagnosis, massage, acupressure, nutrition, herbal medicine, and lifestyle changes are discussed and demonstrated. These modalities support the action of the in-clinic treatment and the resolution of the unhealthy pattern (if one exists). Because this style of medicine is uncommon, an example will be provided.

Henry, a 4-year-old male neutered English bulldog presents to the clinic with the chief concerns of being overweight, having skin fold dermatitis (facial, forelimb, and tail head), persistent conjunctivitis, and intermittent diarrhea. Furthermore, there is pain and soreness in the lower back.

His history is taken. The problem began in his second year, in the springtime. For the first two years of the problem, the condition was seasonal, limited to the spring and summer. Now, in autumn, the problem persists in the dog's fourth year, whereas the cooler weather would alleviate the signs earlier. Henry has eaten starch-based kibble since he was a puppy.

After the examination, it's determined several of the most inflamed areas involve areas along the Lung channel, including the crease of the elbow, the Large Intestine and Stomach channels along the lips, muzzle, and folds on the side of the face in front of the ears.

Henry's pulse has a rapid, "slippery" feel, indicating excess circulation in the peripheral tissues, including the epithelial tissues, the skin, and the gastrointestinal tissues. There's considerable warmth noted at the crook of the elbow, and in the lower back, along the spine at the 5th lumbar vertebra. Needles are inserted at Lung 5 in an area of moisture dermatitis and at Bladder 25, overlying the 5th lumbar vertebra. Once rapid, slippery pulse slows down and develops more tone (i.e. it moderates). Both Lung 5 and Bladder 25 are known to clear Dampness and Heat from the body, a pathogenic accumulation which causes moisture dermatitis in the skin, colitis of the large intestine leading to diarrhea, and, over time, spasm and tenderness in the muscles of the lower back due to tissue edema (swelling) around the spinal nerves in this area.

In response to the positive changes, we recommended the following for the circulatory dynamic (i.e., a rapid slippery pulse moderating to a slower pulse with more tone).

Nutrition: A home-cooked or commercially prepared whole food diet was recommended composed of meat, organ meat, bone (or bone meal), vegetables (starchy and non-starchy), and a small amount of fruit. This diet has a lower glycemic index with a slow absorption rate, reducing acute epithelial inflammation in the skin and GI tract.
Exercise: Two thirty-minute daily walks were prescribed to keep Henry's joints moving well; dispersing his energy is a positive outlet.
Herbal: A Chinese herbal formula was prescribed to "drain Damp," and "clear Heat," to resolve skin and gastrointestinal inflammation, as well as "expel Wind Dampness" from the lower back to decrease edema and swelling from the muscles and connective tissues around the nerves here.

Wellness Visit Recommendations

Biomedical and Chinese medical diagnoses are provided for the patient when possible. Because it is rare for a patient not to have any early manifestations of imbalance (disease), we recommend more frequent examinations than most veterinary hospitals. When a patient is young, we may recommend biannual examinations (every six months). As a patient ages this frequency of treatment may increase to tri-annual examinations or even seasonal examinations (4-5 annually). If a health problem arises, we may recommend more frequent examinations and treatments than this (e.g., weekly treatments for acute conditions or monthly treatments for chronic conditions).

A Holistic Approach to Pet Healthcare

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