Looking for other ways to treat your family pets? While people have been using natural medicine for centuries, treating animals this way is often a new idea.

Dr. Halldorson can help design a program tailored specifically to your pet's needs.

What is Alternative Medicine?

Firstly- what is it not? Simply, it is not conventional medicine. Alternative medicine is just that- an alternative to conventional medicine. Many alternatives, actually.

Alternative medicine is a truly diverse field of therapies that are not standard in mainstream or conventional Western medicine. When it comes to alternative medicine for animals, most therapies are not currently being taught in veterinary schools. But many, like acupuncture and chiropractic, are increasingly being researched and used more often (in both human and veterinary medicine).

When used along with standard medical practices they are referred to as Complementary or Integrative Medicine. However, no matter what terminology is used, most of these therapies integrate holistic principles into a therapy program, seeking to help the whole body restore or maintain health and wellness. Which is good news, since our body works together as a whole- we should treat it as a whole.

What alternative therapies do we offer?

Eclipse Alternative Veterinary Services focuses primarily on two main therapies.

These are: 1) Acupuncture and 2) Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine side of our practice can include both Chinese and Western herbs. It may also incorporate Homeopathy, Homotoxicology, Nutraceuticals, vitamins, supplements, Flower essences and Essential Oils into individual treatment programs for dogs and cats.

For every patient, a discussion starts with diet and nutrition. Nutrition and food therapy form the foundation of any healthcare plan (we are what we eat!). Addressing lifestyle and environment issues often also plays a part. Although Dr. Halldorson doesn’t currently offer chiropractic care herself, she does not hesitate to refer patients for Osteopathic or Chiropractic assessment and treatment when appropriate.

Chinese Herbal Formulas:

Along with acupuncture, herbal medicine is a foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Many traditional formulas have existed over hundreds, even thousands of years, but there are approximately 50 core herbal formulas that have really stood the test of time, and continue to be used regularly today.

Having identified specific health patterns in a patient, acupuncture and corresponding Chinese herbal formulas may be used, all with the goal of restoring balance in the body.

Eclipse Alternative Veterinary Services primarily uses Chinese herbal formulas from Natural Path Herbs and Kan Essentials, as both lines have been tailored to meet the needs of animals in particular. While many human herbal formulas are safe for use in dogs and cats, others may contain excessive quantities of certain herbs that could be toxic for our pets. 

Safety is of utmost importance

Quality Assurance practices by both Natural Path Herbs and Kan Essentials line up with this need for safety. Products originating in China are sometimes looked at with scepticism, and for good reason. The melamine contamination of pet food that led to the deaths of a number of pets in North America is testimony to that. Both Natural Path Herbs and Kan Essentials import high quality herbs into the United States for processing and manufacturing, and follow Good Manufacturing Standards. Usually these herbs are wild crafted or organically grown. Various testing is done to ensure each formula contains the specific ingredients listed on the label and nothing else. This includes testing for herbicides, pesticides, heavy metals, molds and other contaminants. Being meticulous about the quality, safety and potency of their herbal products, as well as making sure no endangered species or animal products are used, both Natural Path Herbs and Kan Essentials are products we’ve felt confident using with our patients for more than a decade.

If you have questions about more specific details relating to the health or treatment of your pet, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can visit the 'Contact Us' page by clicking the following related link (or the link in the top right corner of each page). Dr. Halldorson is currently accepting new clients, and would be more than happy to help you start your pet on a path to good health with Alternative Medicine.