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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been around for 4,000 years for treating symptoms and diseases in people. There are a variety of protocols for many different diseases and signs in TCM. These include arthritis, diabetes, kidney disease, seizures, incontinence, back and joint pain. After the success seen in people, the practice was adapted to horses. More recently, the map of acupuncture points (acupoints) was transposed to dogs and cats. This form of medicine has many applications in veterinary medicine, including the treatment and support of cancer patients.
In Chinese Medicine, cancer is seen as a stagnation, which creates phlegm or dampness. Qi (pronounced Chee) is thought of as the life force throughout the body. Often more western minded people think of it as circulation. The Qi travels throughout the body through channels or meridians. When there is a road block, the Qi becomes stuck which is the stagnation. As the Qi becomes backed up, pain ensues and a tumor can form which itself can be very painful.
There are many different types of cancer and a variety of different ways to treat them which will not be explored in this post. However, many different types of cancer respond well to appropriate herbs and acupuncture. They can often be used in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation, or used alone. Side effects of chemotherapy and radiation including inappetence, lethargy and gastric distress will generally improve with holistic intervention.
Often pets treated with acupuncture will have a better quality of life. It is always important to treat the entire patient and not just the disease. Depending on the signs the patient is displaying, the deficiencies or excess of Qi can be moved which relieves these signs. Energy is increased, often appetite comes back, and pain is alleviated. The quantity of days is not always as important as the quality of those days.
When treating a patient for cancer, the single most important factor to consider is quality of life. If the patient’s tumor is shrinking but he is lethargic and not eating, it is a worrisome sign. Although a diagnosis of cancer in any species is quite scary, there are many different avenues to consider, and TCM has its place in the equation