The whole of animal life

COMPLEMENTARY therapies aren’t just for humans - they are used very effectively on animals too. Devon vet WENDY VERE explains why she uses mainly acupuncture and herbal remedies in her treatments

ACUPUNCTURE is an ancient holistic art with a history of use in animals stretching back at least 4000 years, when it was used on cavalry horses.

The treatment is based on the principles of Yin and Yang, or the negative and positive. Every being has a flow of vital energy through their systems - the Qi - and this life force ebbs and flows all the time, much like the tides. When certain Qi is on the rise it can overwhelm other systems and this is called an excess of Qi or Yang energy. When you have a disease then other areas are deprived of energy and they would be Yin or negative.

A simple example of this would be an elderly dog with kidney Yin qi deficiency I am currently treating. He seeks out warm places because he is always cold, drinks a lot more water (and wees more) and is slightly deaf - the kidney is associated with the ear in Chinese medicine. He also likes to lie with his back pressed up against the radiator to keep his kidneys warm, restoring energy to them. The principle of my treatment is to warm his systems with massage, and give him acupuncture and moxa, a chinese herb. I’ve also asked his owners to ensure he doesn’t get wet and cold because this will drain his system even more..

Animals enjoy their acupuncture treatments. The very fine human needles are used only once, so there is no risk of infection. They do not need to be sedated and, in fact, even quite fractious horses relax during their treatment and many even go to sleep!

The needles stay in place for a maximum of 20 minutes and are then removed and disposed of. I usually then give them a massage to help disperse any stagnant Qi, and I can often show the owner some simple acupressure or massage techniques they can use themselves.

A consultation usually lasts about an hour because I discuss the whole treatment of the animal, including nutritional support dietary supplements and exercise regimes. I find that this holistic approach works much better than merely addressing the symptoms of the disease. For example, in the case of our elderly dog, he could be given pain killers, but that would only mask the signs - it would not bring about any healing.

Acupuncture does provide very effective pain relief - in China I saw operations performed under acupuncture anaesthesia - but it also causes modification of all sorts of body systems from the endocrine (hormones) through to pain perception. X-rays show that many bony lesions will remodel under the influence of acupuncture needles, so arthritic joints become smoother and less painful.

Many other complementary therapies can be used very successfully in animals - I also use homeopathy, herbal medicine, aromatherapy and chiropractic. The huge success rate, on a wide range of conditions, does rather lay to rest the myth that "complementary therapies only work because you want them to" - animals don’t have much faith in their vet making them better!

WENDY'S STORY
"I have been interested in complementary treatments in animals since childhood after learning that the herb symphytum ‘boneset’ was used to heal fractures. In 1986 I went to China and studied at the University of Guangzhou, where I completed a course in traditional Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, and have been using these treatments ever since. The remedies can be used alongside orthodox veterinary medicine, but in the main I use only acupuncture and herbal remedies in my treatments."



WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Call Wendy Vere on 01363 877471, or visit her website, www.wendyvere.co.uk, for links to the Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists (of which Wendy is a founder member), who will help you find your local practitioner.