Acupuncture is an ancient healing modality that involves the insertion of very fine needles into the body at specific locations called acupuncture points. It can be an effective treatment for pain and inflammation. Conditions that can be treated with acupuncture may be acute or chronic in nature. In addition acupuncture also has a positive effect on the immune, endocrine, and nervous system, and can improve emotional states and mood. The stimulation of acupuncture points is associated with various physiological responses including the release of neuromodulating chemicals called opioid peptides that reduce pain. Acupuncture also modulates blood flow that can either reduce swelling in acute injuries or increase blood flow to chronic injuries to promote nourishment and healing of the tissues. Acupuncture also stimulates the limbic system in the brain which can positively affect mood and emotions. Dr. Walker has been trained in several acupuncture techniques including Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine which she uses for most patients, especially those who have internal medicine issues or generalized pain. She can also use Dr. Tan’s Balance Method of Acupuncture which can be highly effective for localized pain, as well as Are Thoresen’s middle point therapy for deeper more complex issues. The type of acupuncture employed will be based on your pet’s unique situation. Most patients enjoy their treatment, but if your pet is sensitive to needling then there are other effective ways to stimulate the acupuncture points that are even more gentle. Dry Needling -This is the most common way that is used and involves the insertion of a small needle into an acupuncture point. Electroacupuncture - Gentle microcurrent may be used to augment a basic treatment. Aquapuncture - Vitamin B12 or saline may be injected into certain acupuncture points for a longer acting effect. Laser Acupuncture - Acupuncture points can be stimulated with a laser/LACER Acutonics -Tuning forks can be used to stimulate points. I have found that very sensitive cats enjoy this method of treatment.

Animal Normalization Technique is a combination of osteopathy, craniosacral, fascial release and lymphatic drainage. It is a gentle energetic hands on manual therapy.

Herbal therapy is prescribed to help the body restore it’s natural balance so that it can heal, whereas pharmaceutical therapy is most often prescribed to treat a symptom, but is not actually getting to the root cause of disease. One of the benefits of whole herbal medicine compared to drug therapy is safety. Herbal formulations are designed to mitigate any side effects of any one herb. Combinations of herbs also improve efficacy through synergistic effects of the herbs. Nature is highly intelligent and using whole herbal therapies often provides better results than conventional drug therapy. Herbal therapy is prescribed based on your pet’s energetic balance. Herbal prescriptions may vary from pet to pet even with the same western medical diagnosis. This means that a thorough history and exam are necessary to prescribe the best treatment for your pet. Herbs are very powerful medicine, which is why most pharmaceuticals are based on plant chemistry. I often see much better results when prescribing herbs, supplements, and dietary changes than with drugs and with significantly fewer side effects. Herbal medicines come in a variety of forms. They can be given to animals as tinctures, capsules, salves, or added to food as powders or teas. They can be as simple as a nutritious supplement and powerful enough to induce a profound effect on serious chronic disease. Many of the Chinese herbal formulas have been used for thousands of years with remarkable results.

Nutrition is paramount to health and every initial consultation includes a discussion about diet. Feeding your pet healthy, nutritious food is the best way to prevent disease and is also imperative to restoring health. Proper nutrients are required for energy, detoxification, and repair. Processed food is laden with chemicals and poor quality ingredients, which are hardly ideal for any body. I always recommend a balanced fresh, whole food diet for my patients. Each pet has their own unique needs, so dietary recommendations are tailored on an individual basis. Recommendations may include certain foods based on Chinese medicine energetics. We will discuss what makes the most sense for your pet and lifestyle during the appointment. If your pet has significant dietary challenges then we may need to dedicate more time to this essential aspect of health. Food sensitivity testing, Morphogenic Field Technique, and more advanced diet formulation consultations may be utilized to make recommendations for your pet. This is such an important facet of wellness that it may take some time and attention. Sometimes we see results quickly from dietary changes, but it can take some time to see noticeable changes. Even when changes appear gradually, proper diet can produce long lasting results by supporting immune function, reducing inflammation, and increasing vitality.

Your pet doesn’t need to be ill to set up a consultation. We would love to meet you and your pet when things are going well. We can discuss dietary, lifestyle, behavioral, and other recommendations to keep your pet feeling their best. We recommend yearly examinations for all pets and bi-yearly examinations for senior pets. It is not uncommon to discover dental disease or early signs of imbalance at these appointments, and we love to be proactive in keeping your pet healthy and preventing more serious disease.

If your pet has been eating processed food, has certain health conditions, or if you just want to make sure your pet is getting all of the nutrients necessary for exceptional health, nutritional supplementation will likely be recommended. Unfortunately, in modern times, even fresh whole food does not always offer everything the body needs to stay healthy, especially if your pet has digestive issues that prevent nutrient absorption and assimilation. We offer high quality, whole food supplements that your pet’s body can utilize easily. There are many low quality supplements on the market. Unfortunately there isn’t anybody doing a good job regulating these products. Sometimes the quality is so poor that third party testing shows that a substance on the label isn’t even in the product. If synthetic vitamins are used, they may not be bioavailable, meaning that even though they are in the supplement, the body can’t use them effectively. Synthetic supplements are also often lacking in crucial co-factors that are necessary for them to be effective over time in the body. Contamination is also a risk to consider before purchasing supplements over the counter. If you would like guidance around these issues, please make an appointment today.

In the modern world, detoxification has become necessary for vitality. Reducing exposure to environmental toxins such as chemicals and pesticides, EMF, and pollution can be helpful to improve the health of you and your pet. Unfortunately some of these toxins are unavoidable, and therefore we need to help the body eliminate them. Did you know that in the US there are over 80,000 chemicals registered for use, and 800 million pounds of herbicides used each year? The average adult human tests positive for about 167 industrial chemicals. Nobody is immune to the exposure of these toxins, as the rain water nourishing even the most organically cultivated crops is laden with water-soluble substances such as glyphosate, the active ingredient in the common weed killer Roundup. We don’t have good data for pets, but they are often at higher risk for toxin load due to greater allowances in food (which are not effectively regulated), topical insecticides, frequent vaccinations, direct contact with cleaning agents and pesticides on lawns, and urban toxins that can be absorbed through the pads of the feet. Our pets can also suffer the effects of second-hand cigarette smoke, forest fire smoke, as well as synthetic fragrances. EMF, which are electromagnetic fields from cell towers, power lines, and electronic devices, can also be harmful to the body. Please make sure your pet’s bed is not located in the immediate proximity of your Wi-Fi router and please turn off your router both when you leave the house and at night to reduce both your and your pet’s exposure to these electromagnetic frequencies. If your pet is suffering from a heavy toxin load we can make recommendations to assist their liver, kidneys and lymphatic drainage system in eliminating these toxins. Gemmotherapy, herbs, supplements and other therapies may be utilized in this process. We also recommend supplements that can help protect the gut from glyphosate which is known to damage the gut lining which can result in leaky gut syndrome. Glyphosate also acts as an antibiotic in the gut, killing beneficial bacteria. Almost all disease has its origins in the gut and we often see better outcomes when we address these issues directly. We offer urine testing for Glyphosate and 172 other environmental toxins. Please let us know if you are interested in screening your pet for these substances.

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