New Page 1

It is true that most of the pets that come into our clinic come carrying their fair share of baggage that conventional therapies have helped but not to the caretakers satisfaction or are one of the unlucky ones that conventional care just couldn't help. We do, however, see pets in all stages of life, beginning with new puppies and kittens wanting to start out ahead of the game as well as healthy athletes of all levels needing that "extra" care to meet the demands of their sport.

We evaluate the "pillars of health" of each individual animal, taking into account the home and surrounding environment and stresses, diet, vaccines and which are needed and how frequently, preventative health issues such as heartworms, fleas, ticks along with any associated diseases.

A variety of information is gathered from not only a detailed history, but from a variety of examinations. Of course, a general, conventional exam is performed along with a Chinese Tongue and Pulse as a component of a Traditional Chinese Medicine exam. A careful gate and palpation exam of the musculoskeletal system is performed possibly along with Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation (a non-invasive form of animal chiropractic) (although realize chiropractic is legally the adjustment and manipulation of the human skeletal system) to include musculoskeletal health. And finally, a form of applied kinisiology, or muscle testing, is incorporated to further indicate organ and body health.

The facts gathered through these methods are combined with any convention diagnostic information to get a comprehensive "state of health" and then a path of therapy is chosen for each individual. Any additional diagnostics (conventional or otherwise) may be recommended or scheduled at that time. Our choice of therapies usually include a few basics to start with and a follow-up visit to see how things are progressing and any adjustments are made at that time. While any number (or a large number) of modalities may work with your individual pet, my overall view is to start with a few basics (depending on the severity of your particular pet's problems) to begin to correct imbalances and to give the body time. We then observe each pet's changes closely and evaluate how well its' body can bring about health and healing. As needed, we add other components to enhance the body's ability to bring about health.

Once a good level of health is obtained (or the pathway begun), an overall maintenance plan will begin to be formulated for each individual pet, based on chronicity of disease as well as any more "permanent" damages that may have been acquired to any organs or systems.