The use of alternative therapies to treat injury and illness in dogs and other pets is becoming increasingly popular and well accepted.

Many pet owners are to seeking to explore every possible treatment for the health and wellbeing of their canine companions, which can range from traditional veterinary options - including surgery and drugs - to a range of less conventional treatments, such as hydrotherapy, acupuncture or homeopathy.  

Some of these natural, alternative treatments are becoming increasingly accessible to pet owners and are therefore becoming an increasingly mainstream way of treating pet health needs.

Hydrotherapy

Animal hydrotherapy has been used in the racing industry for a long time, and has, in recent years become widely known as a useful and low-risk method of treating pet dogs for a number of conditions.

Hydrotherapy is practiced in different ways according to the type of treatment being carried out, the facilities available and the preferred techniques of the vet, physiotherapist or other medical professional conducting the treatment.This form of therapy may be carried out in a pool or in a tank specifically designed for the purpose.

Hydrotherapy is used to assist dogs to recover from injury and promote movement in dogs with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions which may cause pain and inhibit free movement.

When animals - and humans - are submerged in water, their bodies float and feel almost weightless, and the shock and strain of running or walking is greatly reduced or eliminated.  Joints, muscles and tendons can be stretched and exercised without the jarring shock of walking or running on a hard surface.

While hydrotherapy on its own may not be a complete treatment for some of the canine health issues it is used to help, it can be part of an intensive physiotherapy or exercise program.

It is very common for older dogs and certain pedigree breeds to suffer problems with the joints in their legs and hips, and hip dysplasia is a common ailment which some types of dog are more susceptible to than others - especially large breeds.

Hydrotherapy has a range of benefits when used as a low-shock form of exercise, and it can be a very beneficial form of exercise for dogs that have painful joints or are recovering from an injury.

Health conditions that make it difficult for dogs to exercise can create further health problems related to lack of exercise, such as obesity.

Weight gain is a particular concern for dogs that are already suffering from pain that restricts mobility, as increased body mass may increase the strain of walking, running and other normal movements.

Without a way to increase movement, these conditions can become self-perpetuating problems.

If dogs suffer from painful maladies and are inactive for too long, they can also suffer from muscular degeneration and increasing weakness - which can make it difficult to recover from the condition that originally caused the pain.

One popular form of hydrotherapy utilises an underwater treadmill, which enables dogs to use walking movements in an environment that lacks the weight, pressure or shock to the body that similar locomotion does to the animal’s musculoskeletal frame when walking on dry land.

The impact of walking normally - that is, out of water - is usually not a great strain, but for dogs recovering from injury or surgery, it may be a lot easier to walk on an underwater treadmill than it is to walk normally.

For rehabilitation purposes, hydrotherapy can be very useful tool because it allows dogs to use familiar types movement to rebuild strength and mobility, with considerably less pressure on the body.


Acupuncture


Acupuncture is a very old treatment, which has been used in human patients for hundreds of years.

The widespread use of acupuncture in animals has developed far more recently, but the number of veterinarians practicing animal acupuncture has grown quite rapidly in the last 20 years.  

This treatment was originally a branch of Chinese traditional medicine, but has become increasingly accepted and practiced in Western medicine, with many people finding that acupuncture helps provide relief from a range of different health conditions.

Acupuncture involves inserting fine sterile needles into very specific parts of the body, which can have effects on nerves, blood flow, various biochemical and neural systems, and ultimately, healing properties.

The results of veterinary acupuncture - positive, negative or otherwise - are still somewhat controversial amongst veterinary researchers, as it is difficult to gauge the effectiveness of certain treatments when the patient cannot articulate whether or not it has had the desired effect.

Nevertheless, there is a growing body of research that supports the idea that acupuncture can be effective in dogs - and animals more generally - to treat a range of conditions, especially those relating to pain, the nervous system and immune system.

Acupuncture was a widely-practiced and commonly accepted form of medical treatment in humans for hundreds of years before it became the subject of scientific enquiry into its efficacy.

When scientific studies began to unlock the mysteries that surrounded the way acupuncture worked, it was found to be a complex systemic response that the body makes in response to the nervous stimulation caused by needle insertion into various anatomical regions.

Veterinary acupuncture is thought to act in the same manner in pets and other animals.

Veterinary acupuncture is used to treat dogs for a range of maladies is used to provide pain relief and as treatment for conditions such as arthritis, gastrointestinal issues, neurological conditions and musculoskeletal problems, to name just a few.

This treatment is favoured by many pet owners because it is drug and chemical free, and low-risk compared to a lot of more invasive medical procedures.

Insurance

The acceptance and prevalence of veterinarians offering veterinary services that were formerly considered ‘unconventional’ or ‘alternative’ natural treatments is growing steadily.

Many of these treatments can be costly for pet owners, however, the developing Pet Insurance industry is beginning to make these sorts of treatments more affordable by covering them in insurance plans.

iSelect in Australia can help pet owners find Pet Insurance policies that cover natural and alternative pet care treatments and give you the best possible deal on pet coverage.

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