Although it is somewhat new to the western world, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) has been used in China to treat animals for thousands of years. TCVM is an extension of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has been used to treat people since ancient times. Though the terms Chinese Medicine and acupuncture are often used interchangeably in the West, acupuncture is actually only one modality or “branch” of TCM and TCVM. There are actually several branches of TCVM, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, food therapy, and more.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a treatment that involves the stimulation of points, typically achieved through the insertion of specialized needles into the body. Acupuncture is a centuries-old Eastern Medical technique used for achieving healing and pain relief through the stimulation of specific points along meridians or channels in the body. Our Veterinarians provide acupuncture therapy for conditions including arthritis, disc disease, megacolon and constipation in cats, and pain management for dogs and cats with chronic conditions. With Therapeutic Laser, we provide needle-less acupuncture to your pet through laser stimulation of acupuncture points.

Herbal Medicine

Herbal Medicine utilizes herbal ingredients listed within the Chinese Herbal Materia Medica in particular combinations or formulas to treat particular disease patterns. Herbal formulas are administered orally and are typically given in powder form to horses and other large animals and in tea pill or capsule form to cats and dogs.

Food Therapy

Food Therapy is the use of diet to treat and prevent imbalance within the body. It utilizes knowledge of the energetics of food ingredients to tailor diets for individual animals.

“Integrative” Medicine: TCVM and Western Veterinary Practice

TCVM is often viewed as a form of complementary therapy and is best when used in conjunction with Western Veterinary Medicine (WVM). Both TCVM and WVM have their own strengths and weaknesses. TCVM is a holistic approach that is suited to assessing the well-being of the whole patient, and treatments are generally non-invasive with few side effects.

Cold Laser Therapy

Veterinary cold laser is an emerging therapy for the treatment of acute and chronic soft tissue and orthopedic injury in animals. The therapeutic laser decreases recovery time post-surgically and speeds the healing of sprains, strains, and sport-related injuries. Laser therapy will decrease pain and increase mobility in older arthritic patients. Pond Point Animal Hospital offers cold therapeutic laser therapy to our patients, as well as referrals from Connecticut veterinarians.

Applications

• Pain Management
• Deep Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Anti-inflammatory Applications
• DJD (Degenerate Joint Disease)
• Chondopathies
• Superficial lesions

Therapeutic Laser penetrates tissues through photobiomodulation in order to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and increase microcirculation. This can translate into reduced inflammation and faster healing of skin, ligaments, tendons, and bone after injury or surgery.

Specific responses to therapy may include faster skin healing, increased control of inflammatory conditions, such as chronic external ear infections and interstitial cystitis, quicker return to function after surgery, or increased use of a limb with chronic arthritis. Almost all musculoskeletal conditions respond to laser therapy. Degloving injuries and burns are another group of disorders that respond quickly with the use of cold laser.

Laser Therapy is generally applied in three phases

• Every day or every other day for 3 to 7 days.
• Decreasing frequency of therapy in response to the patient’s improvement.
• Sessions performed weekly, monthly or even less frequently for chronic conditions such as hip dysplasia and chronic otitis.

If you have any questions about our services please contact us today at (203) 878-4646.