Dogs
Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre

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Dogs of all Breeds and Types

If you wish, go straight to the DISEASES list

A man’s best friend is his dog, so we are told, and who would like to argue? Dogs are a great lesson to us, in how to live. Each hour of each day is lived for its own sake, rather than spoiling it with the anxieties or disappointments of past and future. Each morning they greet us as if they hadn’t seen us for a year, showing us totally unselfish love and companionship.

kitten & dog in bed

kitten and dog - firm friends

Dogs have pulled sleds, carried weapons, guarded sheep, herded livestock, protected property and homes, found and rescued missing persons, listened for the deaf, looked out for the blind, sniffed out drugs or explosives, located food, aided hunting, controlled vermin, enforced laws, performed therapy, entertained us and been loyal companions for mankind, for millennia. Dogs even took Amundsen to the South Pole in 1911, ahead of Scott. Dogs have, since domestication, served a useful and health-protecting scavenging role, around human habitation. Their relatives, wolves, have even been credited with being nursemaid to human young.

The dog is an omnivorous species, with a great ability to deal with meat, bone and carrion (carnivorous adaptation). Failure to offer a natural diet can result in a great health penalty.

Because they live with us, however, they also suffer many of our diseases. They suffer heart disease and cancer, skin disease and arthritis, epilepsy and chronic bowel disorders. In our modern culture, we come to accept these as part of normal life for our dogs, just as we do for ourselves; we seem to believe that older dogs should expect illness. This is wrong. Old age is not a disease, nor is disease an inevitable part of life. Our dogs should be able to live to a healthy old age, dying with dignity when the time is right for them. Dogs who are reared on a natural diet and not over-vaccinated appear to be able to do this very satisfactorily.

We treat dogs with homeopathy, acupuncture, herbs (herbal medicine), chiropractic manipulation and nutritional therapy as the main therapies offered. Other therapies may be used, according to need. The most common canine conditions we are asked to treat are arthritis, skin problems (atopy, allergy, allergic dermatitis, pyoderma, eczema, hot spots, pruritus, urticaria, dermatitis, itchy dog), ear problems (otitis externa, otitis media), cruciate injury, lameness, interdigital cysts, CDRM, eye problems, autoimmune problems (auto-immune) and cancer but we take on any problem in a positive manner. [In the case of eye problems (corneal ulceration in particular), we have been surprised over the last 35 years by the eye's tremendous healing capability. We have never needed to resort to surgery, in that time, for corneal ulcers and for the chronic sequelae of corneal ulceration. We have used homeopathy, sometimes supported by acupuncture.]

We usually see dogs at the AVMC premises but house visits can also be arranged, more or less UK-wide.

Whether we see dogs at the AVMC or at their homes, we look closely at previous veterinary history and results of any tests or investigations. We take an extensive history, enquire into diet and lifestyle, ask about management of the home, garden and other environments, examine the dog closely and select appropriate therapy, whether homeopathic, herbal, acupuncture, chiropractic or other therapy. It may even be an integrated combination of these. We also advise on future management for health, to boost our chances of a successful outcome.

The reason for this strategy is to optimise/maximise healing ability, so that the best use is made of the extraordinary capacity of natural medicine to stimulate the regenerative and healing mechanisms innate in the body.

The use of homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine (herbs) and other alternative therapies does not rule out the need for a proper examination and assessment of each patient, necessary diagnostic tests, appropriate measures to repair injury and a study of natural lifestyle and diet, in order to be able to speed recovery. We have enjoyed a good measure of success through this methodology, seeing, as in other species, recoveries from diseases usually associated with a poor prognosis in conventional terms and wisdom.

  • Have you ever been told that your dog is now untreatable?

  • Have you ever been told that your dog must stay on drugs for his lifetime, accepting the risk of side-effects?

  • Is your dog ageing before his time?

  • Do you know what is in the foods or supplements you are using?

  • Are you confused by manufacturers' claims?

If so, there may be another way .....

 

The AVMC is conducting objective analysis of clinical outcomes from cases seen. These results are being updated on an ongoing basis. To view them, click here.

See also:

First-Aid
Dog Topics
Case Histories
Dog Diseases
Nutrition
Preventive Medicine
Notifiable Diseases
Zoonoses
Law affecting Dog Owners
Articles about Dogs

DISEASES

To give examples, these conditions contribute to the workload of the AVMC:

Addisons Disease Allergy - Allergies Alopecia Arthritis Atopy
Auto-immune Autoimmune Back & Neck Problems Behavioural Problems Borreliosis
Campylobacter Cancer Canine Stroke - Stroke Carcinoma Cardiomyopathy
Cataract CDRM Chronic Diarrhoea Colitis, IBD, IBS Coprophagy
  Corneal Lipidosis   Corneal Ulceration  
Cough Cruciate Ligament Cushing's Disease Cushings Disease Cutaneous Vasculitis
Cutaneous Vasculopathy Cystitis Demodectic Mange Dermatitis Diabetes Insipidus
Diabetes Mellitus Diarrhoea Disc Disease - PID - IVD Distemper DJD
Dry Eye Ear Problems Eczema Encephalitis Epilepsy
    Epistaxis    
Epulis - Epulid Eye Problems Fading Puppy Syndrome False Lactation False Pregnancy
Fears Fibrosarcoma Fibrous Dysplasia Fleas Food Poisoning
Foreign Body Gastro-Enteritis Glaucoma Grass Seed Gums - Gingivitis
Haematoma Head Gland Disease Heart Disease Heat Stress Heat Stroke
Hepatitis Hepatopathy Herpes Virus Hip Dysplasia Histiocytoma
Hormonal Alopecia   Hormonal Skin Problems   Hyperthyroid
  Hypothyroid Incontinence Infertility & Hormones  
Interdigital cysts Kennel Cough Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Kidney Problems Laryngeal Paralysis
Leishmaniasis Leishmaniosis Leptospirosis Leucosis Leukaemia
Ligament Injury Liver Disease Lupus Lyme Disease Mange
Mast Cell Tumour Melanoma Meningitis MRSA Myositis
Myxoedema   Nose Bleed   Obesity
  OCD Osteoarthritis Osteodystrophy  
Osteomyelitis Osteosarcoma Pancreatic Insufficiency Pancreatitis Paralysis
Parvovirus Pseudopregnancy Pyoderma Pyometra - Pyometritis Renal Failure (CRF)
Sinusitis Sarcoptic Mange Skin Problems SLE Smoking
Spondylitis Spondylosis Teeth & Gums Thyroid Ticks
    Travel Sickness    
Urolithiasis Vaccination Problems Vestibular Syndrome Warts Wobbler Syndrome

Click on any condition for more information. Send a request if a disease is not shown or is not yet covered. N.B. Some of these links are in preparation.

The most common canine health problem seen at the AVMC is dog skin disease / dog skin problems (e.g. eczema, pyoderma, allergy, allergic dermatitis, atopy). This eloquently demonstrates the load that modern life and management put on the dog's immune system. When embarking on a treatment programme, we attempt to analyse the diet, lifestyle and environment of the dog patient, such that these pressures are much reduced.

While the only promises that can be made are that we will always concentrate and put in maximum effort on your dog's behalf, and strive for excellence in the application of holistic natural medicine techniques, we are able to report an encouraging level of success in such troublesome and chronic conditions. A great many dogs have surprised their human companions with their ability to defy prognosis and recover. Follow a full (and sometimes demanding) holistic programme and trust your dog’s healing ability, for maximum chances of success.

Click Homeopathy for dogs

Click Acupuncture for dogs

Click Herbal Medicine for dogs - Herbs for dogs

Click Chiropractic for dogs

Click Natural Feeding for dogs

See also: Pet Care

Common signs of ill health or impending ill health are: loss of fun, inability to make certain movements, inability to jump up, stiffness on rising, lameness (limping), reduced exercise tolerance, reduced stamina, decreased appetite, noisy breathing, heavy breathing, rapid breathing, increased thirst, laziness, sleepiness, head tilt, loss of balance, fits, fitting, seizures, convulsions, shaking head, shaking ears, scratching ears, poor coat (dull coat), dull eye, excessive blinking, bleeding, sickness, vomiting, dribbling, drooling, diarrhoea, abnormal discharges (nasal discharge, eye discharge, ear discharge), difficulty urinating, frequent urination, dribbling urine, leaking urine, difficulty defaecating, mucus in stool, blood in stool, blood in urine, abnormal odours (breath, skin, discharges), frequent sneezing, coughing, loss of muscle (muscle loss), unexpected weight loss, increased appetite with reduced weight, itching and scratching (itchiness), dry nose, crusty nose (and/or crustiness in nostrils), bottom rubbing (scooting), licking persistently.
 
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Copyright © AVMC - March 2007

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Copyright © 2007 Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre
Chinham House, Stanford in the Vale, Oxon SN7 8NQ (UK)
Tel.: #44 (0)1367 710324 - Fax: #44 (0)1367 718243
www.alternativevet.org
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Last modified: January 21, 2008

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