naturalpet
Functional Medicine for Pets
Why the Best Vets Use It by Shawn Messonnier M
any pet owners have chosen functional medicine for their own care, so they logically
turn to it for their four-legged family members, as well. Most veterinarians are still unfamiliar with this approach to pet health care and may even discourage its use because they see it as being out of synch with conventional ideology. Functional medicine address-
es the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging patients and doctors in a partnership designed to improve health. This evolved practice better address- es individual needs than a traditional approach that focuses on illness and treating disease rather than restoring overall health. By shifting from an allopathic platform to a more holistic, patient-centered one, functional medi- cine addresses the whole pet, not just a set of symptoms.
Why Functional Medicine The system of medicine practiced by most vets is geared toward acute care of a severe trauma or a climax in illness
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that necessitates urgent diagnosis and treatment. They typically apply specific, prescribed treatments such as drugs or perform surgery to treat the immediate problem or symptom. This approach works well for pets experiencing a crisis, but isn’t appropriate for restor- ing health when animals have chronic disorders. It also doesn’t help them to at least live comfortably with incurable problems without the side effects often caused by extensive administra- tion of medications. Conventional veterinary
science lacks the proper tools for preventing and treating complex, chronic disease. In most cases, it doesn’t take into account an individual’s unique ge-
netic makeup or exposure to toxins such as too many vaccines, drugs or environmental chemicals. Functional medicine always focus- es on the unique nature of the patient; there is no “one treatment fits all” men- tality. Functional medicine vets are spe- cifically trained to assess the underlying causes of complex, chronic disease and to apply strategies such as nutrition, diet and naturopathic remedies to both treat and prevent these illnesses. They can ably help the increasing number of pets suffering from complex, chronic health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, allergies, arthritis, sei- zures, bowel and bladder problems and immune system disorders.
Functional medicine best address- es these concerns because it involves understanding the origins, prevention and treatment of ailments and empha- sizes customized care. The goal is to promote health as a positive force well beyond the absence of disease. It’s possible for many pets to appear to be healthy while specialized, noninvasive testing shows underlying issues that must be addressed if illness is to be prevented. Conventional medi- cine either doesn’t offer such testing or ignores minor
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