Special Issue "Combination of Western and Chinese Medicine in Veterinary Science"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Christine M. Egger
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Website: http://www.vet.utk.edu/faculty/egger.php
E-Mail: cegger@utk.edu
Interests: anesthesiology (all species); pain management; acupuncture; Chinese herbal therapy

Guest Editor
Dr. Bonnie D. Wright
Veterinary Emergency and Rehabilitation Hospital, 816 South Lemay Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
Website: http://www.veterinaryemergencyhospital.net/site/view/137742_BonnieWright.pml
E-Mail: mistralvet@gmail.com
Interests: veterinary anesthesiology; pain management; acupuncture

Dear Colleagues,

Increasingly, alternative or complementary medicine modalities are incorporated into the practice of "western" veterinary medicine and the practice of integrated veterinary medicine is becoming more common. At the same time, the practice of evidence-based medicine is encouraged and expected of scientists and clinicians. While there is value in anecdotal evidence and expert opinion, data from peer reviewed basic research and double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluating integrative medicine is accumulating. The publication of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in veterinary patients will soon be possible. This scientific evidence will aid us in understanding alternative modalities, assessing their value, and making rational clinical decisions for our patients.

The integration of acupuncture therapy into the treatment ofveterinary patients is meant to complement the "western" medicine modalities, resulting in a better outcome for the patient with fewer adverse affects. Acupuncture is a modality that is used to treat numerous conditions in both human and veterinary medicine. Modern rehabilitation medicine commonly uses acupuncture and myofascial trigger point therapy to reduce pain, promote healing, and hasten recovery.

The motivation for this special issue of Animals is to explore the evidence for the value of integration of acupuncture in the treatment of disease or trauma in veterinary patients. Manuscripts of original research and review articles will be peer-reviewed and should assess the value of integrating acupuncture into the treatment of pain, trauma, gastrointestinal, neurological, cardiovascular, or renal disease in veterinary patients.

Prof. Dr. Christine M. Egger
Guest Editor

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed Open Access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. For the first couple of issues the Article Processing Charge (APC) will be waived for well-prepared manuscripts. English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.

• horses
• companion animals
• food animals
• neurological disease
• gastrointestinal disease
• renal disease
• cardiovascular disease
• trauma
• acupuncture
• herbal therapy

Type: Article
Title: The Effect of Integrated Aquapuncture Herbal and Western Medicine in Canine Intervertebral Disk Disease
Author: Chi Hsien Chien
Affiliation: Veterinary Hospital of NPUST, Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Ping Tung University of Science and Technology, No.1, Hsueh-Fu Road, Nei-Pu, PingTung, Taiwan; E-Mail: chdvm@mail.npust.edu.tw
Abstract: The prevalence of canine thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) is increasing recently in small animal practice. The causes of the IVDD are calcification and/or protrusion of the cartilaginous intervertebral disk and vertebral spondylosis in multifocal vertebral segment mostly. The diagnosis is basically on plan radiographically and advanced with computerized tomography. Chief complain of IVDD are walk slowly, reluctant to jump or climbing, back pain, hindlimbs paresis or ataxia and weakness or loss of proprioception. The severity is grade I and II according to Janssens (200l). These disorders are known as “Bi syndrome” in traditional Chinese veterinary medicine. (Xie 2007) About 50 cases of canine IVDD were present in our clinic from 2008 to 2010. The treatment is an integrated aquapuncture with vitamin B1, herbal and western medicine. Acupoints selected are local bladder meridian according to the lesion sites, Bai Hui (GV 20), and Hou San Li (ST 36). Herbal medicine prescribed are Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, Tao Hong Si Wu Tang, Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan and Huang Qi Tang (Astragalus decoction), alternatively. Western medicines used are NSAID analgesics, muscle relaxant, and occasionally a long tern effect of steroid injection at the first visit. Significant improvement in mobility, proprioception, and spinal posture were noticed within the first two weeks of treatment. About 80% of patients were able to rise, walk and recovered to the normal activity four weeks after the sudden onset of the IVDD. The results suggested that the integrated treatment is an acceptable, and satisfied medical maneuver prior to surgical intervention.