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CANINE HEALTH CONFERENCE Edinburgh – Royal Highland Centre 6th & 7th November 2010
Essential Conference for all Dog Owners & Carers CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Homeopathy There’s no doubt that modern veterinary medicine has achieved milestones in pet health both through direct research and through adaptation of human medicine to animal companions. From antibiotics, steroids, non-steroidal pain relievers, and other drugs to diagnostic procedures and understanding of disease processes, human and animal medicine have worked hand in hand. When using conventional medicine, the symptoms may be gone, but it does not always treat the origin of the cause and overall health may be diminished. Homeopathy takes into account the whole body and its environmental context to assist in recovery by stimulating the immune system to respond fully to the illness. Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine originating from ancient Greek tradition and first proposed by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in 1796. It attempts to treat patients with heavily diluted preparations which are claimed to cause effects similar to the symptoms presented. "Let likes cure likes", is the cornerstone of the discipline. Today’s homeopathy represents the second most used medicine in the world and is consistently increasing in popularity. Nutrition More and more people are becoming convinced that if they fed their dog better food, their dog will live a longer and healthier life. The food we feed our pets can also affect their behaviours and many pets are being abandoned, re-homed or put through unnecessary behavioural modification programmes when what they really need is dietary help. There is a huge variety of Dog food available – all with different nutritional claims – should you buy premium or opt for natural/holistic food? Does brand really matter? Should you go raw (i.e. BARF diet)? What about rotating diets? Complementary Therapies All treatment of animals is regulated by the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966, which restricts treatment to vets only. There are exceptions to this general rule, which are covered in the Veterinary Surgery (Exemptions) Order of 1962. As a comparatively new therapy the Bowen technique is not specifically stated in this Order. However, its recent use in equine practice has prompted the RCVS to decry (verbally only) that it is a form of manipulative therapy because it requires a “laying on of hands”. This places the Bowen Technique in the same general group as physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy according to the RCVS. This is an important distinction because it allows the Canine Bowen Technique to be practised by paraprofessionals (non-vets) “provided that the animal has first been seen by a veterinary surgeon who has diagnosed the condition and decided that it should be treated by physiotherapy (sic) under his/her direction.” RCVS GPC 2000 Treatment via other complementary therapies such as acupuncture, aromatherapy and homeopathy “…can only be administered by a veterinary surgeon who should have undergone training in these procedures. At present it is illegal (in accordance with the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966) for them to be given by practitioners who are not veterinary surgeons.” RCVS GPC 2004-05-01 Acupuncture: This therapy involves the stimulation of specific points, to help resolve, control or improve a medical condition. Stimulation can be in the form of small acupuncture needles, injections, electrical stimulation or applied pressure. Acupuncture can relieve side effects of chemotheray and radiation, normalize or stimulate nervous functions in paralysis patients, stimulate appetite in patients with chronic kidney and liver disease, and relieve pain for arthritis patients. Acupuncture may also be useful in some cases of immune mediated and other conditions. Canine Bowen Technique: Adapted by dog trainers and behaviourists Sally and Ron Askew from the successful human therapy originally developed in the 1950’s by an Australian, Tom Bowen, Canine Bowen Technique involves a series of gentle, non-invasive, soft tissue moves on specific points on the animal’s body, interspersed with short intervals which allow the dog’s body to assimilate the information given by the moves. Its aim is to support and boost the natural healing capabilities of the body and bring the body into better balance. Therapy is never forced on the dog – to do so would only serve to make the dog less receptive and would be counter-productive to the outcome. This subtle therapy, can be very beneficial for dogs with a variety of health problems from the acute to the chronic or long-term. It can also be used to good effect with the elderly dog and as a maintenance therapy for active, hard-working dogs and those used in competition. Essential Oil Therapy: Many dog owners are choosing essential oil remedies as a natural way of easing their animal through a physical, emotional or behavioural crisis. Working via the dog’s sense of smell or via ingestion or through the skin, they aim to promote and maintain balance in all systems of the body, fighting disease. Essential Oil remedies are natural essences extracted from all parts of a plant or tree and blended into a base of infused plant oils. They are, however, nature’s own powerful drugs and must be used with knowledge and awareness due to possible contra-indications and to avoid adverse reactions. Properly qualified therapists will also instruct the animal’s owner to allow the animal to make a final choice as to whether and how it wishes to take an oil, and not force the remedy on it.Physiotherapy & Hydrotherapy: Physiotherapy is the prevention and treatment of injuries and conditions affecting movement. Just like people, animals show symptoms related to problems with locomotion. The types of treatment used depend on the conditions treated as well as the individual physiotherapist, but can include any combination of manual therapy techniques, electrotherapy by using electric muscle stimulation, ultrasound and laser
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