Alternative Pet Care On The Rise

More and more veterinarians are turning to universities like Tufts to learn about holistic treatments for animals, including chiropractic care and acupuncture.

No. Grafton, Mass. [08.04.03] The classroom at Tufts’ School of Veterinary Medicine was filled with veterinarians from around the country who wanted to learn about one of the field’s growing treatment options – chiropractic care. Part of an emerging trend, holistic treatments like chiropractic and acupuncture are quickly gaining footing among animal care professionals.

“While the practice of applying chiropractic methods to animals dates to the early 1900s, its popularity has risen in recent years,” reported The Boston Globe.

As a result, veterinarians like Dr. Margo Roman are flocking to veterinary schools like Tufts’ – one of the few that offers chiropractic instruction.

“Veterinarians are training in these modalities to give themselves more tools in their toolbox to take care of animals,” she told the Globe. “It’s the total picture of what it is to be in medicine.”

Other holistic treatments are gaining ground as well.

Acupuncture, say Tufts experts, has been growing in popularity among veterinarians and students who are seeking ways to add it to their skill sets.

“More and more people are turning to alternative medicine,” Dr. Mary Rose Paradis, an associate professor at Tufts, said in an Associated Press story on holistic treatments for animals. “They find it useful for themselves, so they want the same treatments for their pets.”

Dr. Mary Kahan – a Tufts-trained veterinarian in Concord, Mass., – offers her patients both acupuncture and chiropractic treatments.

“It’s incredibly popular,” Kahan told the Globe last year. “People love it and the horses love it and they respond wonderfully.”

More and more veterinarians are embracing the treatments.

“According to the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, which certifies animal chiropractors, 683 veterinarians worldwide are certified to perform chiropractic work on animals, 571 in the United States,” reported the Globe.

Universities, says clinical assistant professor Dr. Allen Schoen, play an important role in the growth of holistic treatments.

“Besides research, [Schoen said] universities need to acknowledge holistic medicine to enhance its reputation and give it more widespread acceptance,” the New York Times reported in an article on the topic.