Use of complementary veterinary medicine in the geriatric horse

The use of complementary and alternative veterinary medicine continues to grow within the veterinary community. Until a few years ago, only the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) offered a basic course to veterinarians in veterinary acupuncture. Now, Colorado State University, Tufts University, and the Chi Institute all have basic courses in veterinary acupuncture. Until quite recently, only the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association offered a course in animal chiropractic or veterinary manual therapy. Now, Colorado State University offers a course in veterinary manual therapy. Veterinary Chinese herbal medicine courses are also being offered to veterinarians from several sources, including the WAS. Many veterinarians involved with complementary and alternative veterinary medicine believe that the use of the term alternative is misleading not only to colleagues but to the public as well. Complementary veterinary medicine (CVM) should not be viewed as an "alternative" to conventional veterinary medicine but as a complementary or adjunct therapy. Veterinarians using CVM first and foremost are veterinarians; they have simply added other therapeutic options to their practices. Some have believed that our conventional veterinary therapies have their limits when presented with certain conditions, especially some of the chronic conditions that are often seen in the geriatric horse. As more clients seek out complementary and alternative medicine for their own health care, they begin to seek out these forms of therapy for their animals. For the equine practitioner, this includes those clients with geriatric animals. It is not the intent of this article to instruct the equine practitioner on how to practice different forms of CVM. It is hoped this article provides some insight into what conditions may be helped with CVM and when an equine practitioner may want to consider CVM as a form of therapy for the geriatric horse. As has previously been stated by the American Veterinary Medical Association, those who offer CVM should acquire additional training in these therapies before offering them as a service.