Complementary Therapeutic Options for Horses
Ed Boldt, Jr., DVM
July 1, 2008
The two most utilized therapies in equine medicine are veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic.
The two most utilized therapies in equine medicine are veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic.
Not too many years ago, proponents of massage therapy, acupuncture and acupressure, chiropractic, and other complementary or alternative therapies for animals often were dismissed as part of the lunatic fringe. Today, with apologies to Bob Dylan, the
Acupuncture can be effective in treating chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders such as lameness, Heiderich told her listeners. She said it also can be beneficial for eye problems, mild colic, respiratory disorders, anhidrosis (the inability
As the human population turns more to nontraditional modalities such as acupuncture and chiropractic, it’s only natural for the trend to carry over into equine medicine. Ed Boldt, DVM, owner of Performance Horse Complementary Medicine Services i
Complementary medicine is based primarily on preventing the disease, disorder, or other ailment before it happens, with less emphasis treating it after. This is a bit of a contrast to what Westerners think of as traditional medicine.
The use of “complementary” therapies continues to increase in veterinary practice. While there are a myriad of modalities that fall within this broad term, the two most utilized are veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic (sometimes referred to
Veterinarians desire to be the gatekeepers for horse health and welfare, so they need to be educated in therapeutic options to meet expectations of clients. Surveys performed by the AAEP in 1998 and 2002 indicated an increased use of and referral
Currently, much acupuncture practice in horses is based on limited evidence, such as small-scale research, case studies, and clinical experience. High-quality research is essential to the long-term development of “evidence-based practice.” As there
Acupuncture has been shown to be very effective in treating chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders such as lameness. It can also be beneficial for eye problems, colic (although it will not fix a surgical colic), respiratory disorders, anhidrosis
Acupuncture can be used in conjunction with Western medicine prior to breeding to treat anestrus (period of sexual inactivity), excessive behavioral estrus, retained corpus luteum (an ovarian follicle after discharge of the egg that secretes
Today, acupuncture is a widely used modality in equine sports medicine. Whether used as a stand-alone therapy or in conjunction with other treatment options, acupuncture is gaining in popularity as an integral part of the total health care approach
University of Florida (UF) researchers have reported success with using electroacupuncture to alleviate chronic back pain in horses. The study was published in a recent edition of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Veterinarians have heard of “promising” claims of “complementary” or “alternative” veterinary medicine (CAVM) for at least three decades. The only thing that’s not been forthcoming is good evidence of effectiveness.
Not long ago, veterinarians generally considered most forms of alternative medicine to be a “smoke and mirrors” approach to treating horses. Today, many veterinarians are embracing at least two forms of alternative medicine–acupuncture and
Acupuncture has become a popular alternative therapy for chronic illness in horses, especially recurrent airway obstruction (also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or heaves). Unfortunately, there are few objective studies supporting
There are many causes for back pain in horses, and they can range from the dramatic to the benign.
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