Dr. Nan recommends
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Articles about DCFCH and Dr. Nan: |
If your pet is poisoned:http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/what-to-do-if-your-pet-is-poisoned
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Dr. Nan is a regular contributor for the Companion Animal Magazine. Find her latest article at:
http://www.thecompanionanimalmagazine.com/ |
Emergency care:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/cat-care-emergency-care.aspxFoods to avoid:http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/people-foods.aspx
More information can be found at www.aspca.org
www.info@catalystcouncil.org
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Her practice is purring along
It's the cat's meow, without the dog's bark: Utah's first cats-only veterinary clinic has opened in Salt Lake City.
Dancing Cats Feline Health Center, 1760 S. 1100 East, is a full-service hospital for cats, complete with operating rooms and a soon-to-be-finished radiology department. Owner Nancy Larsen, a veterinarian with a decade of experience, says her clinic creates a peaceful environment for cats because they don't have to confront menacing dogs in the waiting room. Limiting her patients to cats, she says, improves the quality of care. "It gives me a chance to focus on one field and stay current." Larsen offers traditional veterinary medicine, such as spays, neuters, dental checkups and surgeries, along with Eastern alternatives. Cats can receive acupuncture, homeopathic medicine and Reiki, a hands-on healing method that originated in India and Tibet thousands of years ago. "In the Western realm you get to a certain point where there's nothing more you can do," Larsen says. She suggests cats receive alternative therapy for conditions such as chronic pain, congenital diseases, kidney disease and asthma that cannot be cured with conventional means. Alternative treatments may be able to relieve pain and improve quality of life. Heather McShane's cat Ebony has received acupuncture from Larsen for three years. The 15-year-old cat developed back problems and began limping seven years ago. A veterinarian treated Ebony with steroid injections, which "masked the problem, but only made it worse," McShane says. The steroids created new liver and kidney problems and caused Ebony to gain weight, increasing the stress on her back. Ebony has acupuncture once a week, and McShane says the difference is visible. She limps less, and only receives steroids in small, infrequent doses. At a recent session, Larsen strategically placed needles along Ebony's spine at acupuncture points, or "acupoints," to move energy through meridians defined by ancient Chinese medicine. The cat was very calm during the procedure, and she has fallen asleep during it before, McShane says. Acupuncture has been practiced on humans for thousands of years and adapted to pets during the last century. Larsen was trained in feline acupuncture at Colorado State University, where she also received her doctorate of veterinary medicine. Larsen calls the self-financed business "an expensive hobby," but hopes it will grow into a successful enterprise. For now, she enjoys the independence of owning her own clinic. "I can arrange things the way I want them, I can mix alternative medicine with Western medicine, and I can spend [more] time with clients." |
