More and more animal guardians are seeking respectful, natural, and holistic solutions to support the health of their companions. Veterinary complementary medicine is part of this growing movement. While it is gaining visibility today, many of its approaches have roots in ancient practices used for centuries — even millennia.

What is Veterinary Complementary Medicine?

Complementary medicine encompasses various therapeutic approaches that can be used in synergy with conventional veterinary medicine. Among the most common disciplines are:

• Acupuncture
• Joint or spinal manipulations (based on human chiropractic)
• Tissue mobilizations (osteopathy)
• Aromatherapy and phytotherapy
  
• Massage therapy
• Physiotherapy and functional rehabilitation

These approaches aim to support the animal as a whole, stimulating its natural regulatory and healing abilities.

Ancient Approaches That Remain Relevant

Some of these therapies, such as acupuncture, have been practiced for over 5,000 years. Aromatherapy draws from the medicinal traditions of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. As for manual therapies, while more recent in the veterinary world, they have been used in human medicine for over a century.

Today, modern science is increasingly interested in these practices. Several clinical studies support their effectiveness for both physical conditions (arthritis, digestive disorders, allergies) and emotional issues (anxiety, hypervigilance, post-traumatic stress).

How Does It Work?

The core principle of complementary approaches lies in the body’s innate intelligence. The body is equipped with natural self-regulation and healing mechanisms. The goal is to stimulate these mechanisms through targeted tools such as:

• Acupuncture points
• Gentle mobilizations or manipulations
• Specific essential oils or hydrosols

These stimulations act on the nervous, muscular, immune, or digestive systems,
promoting a return to balance.

This is known as homeostasis: a state of harmony between the body’s various systems (nervous, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular…) that defines a true state of health.

Did you know that the word health may derive from the Sanskrit SHANTI, meaning peace? This offers a different perspective: health is not simply the absence of symptoms, but a global state of inner peace and fluid vitality.

Preventive or Curative Care?

Complementary care can be used:

• Preventively or for maintenance, to maintain overall balance and prevent disorders from appearing. This is the optimal way to support the body and mind.
• As curative support, to help an animal already showing signs of imbalance — whether chronic (arthritis, immune disorders, allergies) or acute (injuries, pain,digestive issues…).

In reality, many animals are seen for the first time when a problem arises. But once stabilized, preventive care becomes a powerful tool to maintain the benefits and support long-term health.

How Often Should You Schedule a Visit?

It depends on the animal, its condition, age, and needs:

• A healthy animal may benefit from an annual or biannual check-up.
• An aging animal or one with a chronic condition may require monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly visits.
• During a significant imbalance, 1 to 3 sessions per month may be recommended temporarily.

Your complementary medicine practitioner or veterinarian will guide you in creating an optimal, individualized care plan that meets your companion’s needs and fits your reality.

In Conclusion

Complementary medicine does not oppose conventional medicine — it enriches it. It offers a broader vision, recognizing the body’s capacity to self-regulate and highlighting the importance of balance between all systems.

It also gives animal guardians an active, conscious role in their companion’s health journey. And often, that’s where real change begins — when care becomes a shared, connected, and respectful approach to the animal in all its dimensions.

Dr. Madeleine Tremblay, Veterinarian