what does "wholistic"
really mean?

general approach

feeding
& nutritional therapy

exercise physiology
& sports medicine

internal medicine

physical therapy
& rehabilitation

"prehab"

manual & movement
therapies

osteopathic care
of the spine

homeopathy
& homotoxicology

medical intuitive evaluation

energy medicine

Anima Herbal Solutions

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Internal medicine is the study of diseases involving the internal organs - heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, digestive tract, glands (thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, etc.), immune system (lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow), etc. It is a diverse and fascinating field, and one in which an wholistic approach often is a great complement to conventional methods of treatment.

These medical problems often are complex and usually are chronic, although their chronic nature may be obscured by the subtlety of their early signs. Typically, these cases require an integrative approach in which conventional therapies are combined with more "alternative" therapies.

For example, equine Cushing's disease is now known to be a disorder caused by oxidative damage to certain cells in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland (master regulation glands in the base of the brain). Horses with this disorder often do best overall with a combination of conventional medical therapy (e.g. pergolide) and nutritional therapy (e.g. antioxidant supplementation, herbal therapy).

In almost every case of chronic disease, compromised immune function is a core element. One of the primary functions of the immune system is tissue repair, so the presence of chronic disease must indicate some weakening of this vital function. Wholistic medicine offers a wide variety of options for immune system support that conventional medicine is only just beginning to explore. Here again, conventional and alternative veterinary medicine complement each other very well.