Integrating alternative procedures for surgery and therapy in veterinary medicine
2006
Acorda, J.A.,Philippines Univ. Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines). Dept. of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Complimentary and alternative medicine (CAVM) is a broad range of nonconventional therapies including acupuncture, chiropractic, reflexology, homeopathy, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, hot and cold therapy, hydrotherapy, oxygen therapy, sound therapy, light therapy, magnetic field therapy, therapeutic electricity, therapeutic ultrasound and iridology. These therapeutic modalities have great potential in the treatment of diseases and disorders of animals in which conventional therapies have limited success. Currently, CAVM is used by a substantial percentage of both human medical and veterinary practitioners throughout the world. Animal owners are beginning to demand the use of CAVM for their animals. However, several problems confront the veterinary practitioner in contemplating the use of CAVM in his practice. These include: unscientific basis, no standard treatment protocols, scarcity of hard evidence and regulatory dilemmas. Adherents of CAVM, on the other hand, claim that those modalities have ample scientific basis and are supported by research studies and clinical trials. For CAVM to be fully integrated into veterinary medicine, it is recommended that regulatory controls be put in place, the help of veterinary societies and organizations be enlisted, university training and research on CAVM be conducted and government and company support be encouraged. Veterinary medicine is developing and expanding. The integration of CAVM with conventional medicine is inevitable.
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