The medical articles on this site are for informational purposes only, and are not meant to be used to diagnose or treat your pet, or to replace the recommendations of a qualified veterinarian that has examined your pet.
Integrative Therapy for Kidney Disease
Integrative Therapy (IT) combines the most appropriate treatments from conventional veterinary medicine and surgery with acupuncture (AP) and herbal medicine, which are derived from much older, holistic disciplines. Utilizing the very best therapies available from different major medical systems optimizes quality of life, and can extend lifespan by months to years.
Acupuncture (AP) and Herbal therapy are the only treatments available in either holistic or conventional veterinary medicine that are able to improve kidney function. They are extremely effective for treating diseases like Chronic Renal Failure, and can significantly improve quality of life and extend lifespan. Recently, several human hospitals have started treating their kidney dialysis patients with AP, as well.
While it is impossible to replace damaged kidney cells, these holistic therapies help the kidneys work at their maximum potential. Both treatments work primarily by increasing blood flow to the kidneys. This keeps the remaining cells healthy and working at their full capacity for as long as possible, and slows progression of the disease.
Improved kidney function will help your dog or cat feel much better, start eating more, and acting more “like themselves” again. For many patients, improvements in kidney function are also evident on blood tests by about 4-6 weeks after therapy starts. However, the most important “measure” we use to monitor progress is how they are feeling.
Dietary changes together with supplements such as fish oil and vitamin B are often prescribed for dogs and cats with kidney problems. Depending on the progression of the disease, conventional treatments such as fluid therapy, and/or pharmaceutical medicines can be safely added, if needed.
