Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) is an eastern form of medicine that has been around for thousands of years. The approach used tends to look at the inter-connectedness of separate organ systems. It is also focused on processes that are considered cold or hot (or ‘yin’ and ‘yang’).
In Chinese Medicine theory, disease is understood as an imbalance in the body, and diagnosis proceeds through identifying the underlying “pattern” of disharmony. Pattern diagnosis differs from conventional Western medical diagnosis in that it takes into account not only disease signs but how these signs relate to the individual patient.
TCVM practitioners will consider the temperament, sex, age, activity, and environment of an animal along with the animal’s particular disease signs. This approach stems from the belief that the body is an interconnected system of forces and functions so that disease and disharmony must be examined with respect to the whole patient. For this reason, Chinese Medicine is often regarded as more holistic than conventional Western Medicine. (Chi University)
TCVM is comprised of five “branches”: acupuncture, herbal medicine, food therapy, exercise and tui-na (manual therapies such as massage). Dr. Brenna Sakatch offers traditional Chinese veterinary medicine as part of a comprehensive home visit.