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Veterinary Practice News February 2010 Letters to the Editor
Debating Tui Na
Editor:
I hate to see Tui Na receive a blanket condemnation on the basis of poor practitioners [“Tui Na: Chinese Massage or Something More?” December 2009].
Unfortunately, both human and veterinary medicine have practitioners who have diagnostic or operational deficiencies, but that is not a reason to condemn what they are attempting to do.
Tui Na, when done properly, is not a quick and violent adjustment. It involves thoroughly relaxing the area, and preparing the muscles and connective tissue through gentle movement, before the “adjustment” is given.
Two years ago I suffered a back injury that left me with muscle spasms, pinched nerves sacroileitis and bursitis in one hip. Over the course of three months I became progressively more disabled despite the best efforts of “Western” medicine.
I finally went to see a licensed acupuncturist/Tui Na practitioner who came highly recommended by several of my co-workers. He treated me with Tui Na, and I walked up the stairs to leave with no significant pain. Three days later I walked without a problem or pain, though going backward was risky.
Three days after the second Tui Na treatment, I was able to folk dance with rapid forward, backward and sideways movements and stamps—no difficulty, no pain, no drugs.
I don’t understand the meridians and the flow of Chi, but I can testify that this stuff works in the right hands.
Sandy Birkenmaier,
Research technician (retired)
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Blacksburg, Va.
Complementary Medicine columnist Narda Robinson, DO, DVM, responds:
I urge Sandy Birkenmaier to re-read the article. It is by no means “a blanket condemnation on the basis of poor practitioners.”
Please note that my main contention is summed up in the following statement: “The problem of indulging mysticism in medicine is that the modality falls out of reach of research and validation.”
I support the application of scientifically based soft-tissue techniques in veterinary medicine because I recognize their substantive value in the clinic. What I do not support, however, is the perpetuation of myth and belief systems in medicine. You state, “I don’t understand the meridians and the flow of Chi” and then leap to the justification about why it’s OK to not understand it, because as you say, “I can testify that this stuff works.”
I find it sad when I hear people being led to believe that Tui Na works by moving invisible energies through invisible meridians. You rightly don’t understand the explanation that Tui Na practitioners offer because it’s not correct.
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Short-Term Pain
Editor:
My first reaction to clients when the declaw subject came up was to try to teach nail clipping [“Declaws Should Be Performed Humanely,” Web Exclusive]. That worked most of the time, but some could not do it or panicked when they saw blood.
The declaws were done under general anesthesia. I know there is some discomfort for a few days post-surgery, but the cats are soon back to normal.
I was never told by a client that after a few days they saw any change in the cats. The cats could still climb furniture and play like intact cats. I never knew of one that had bad long-lasting effects.
C.B. “Bud” Hyatt, DVM (retired)
Warrington, Pa.
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We’re in This Together
Editor:
I was thrilled to read about the much larger shelter facility with a veterinary clinic being built for Stanislaus County, Calif., thanks to cooperation between a government alliance and private veterinary group [“Shelter Crosses Line, Some Vets Contend,” January 2010].
I was not surprised to read of the uproar by local veterinarians regarding a loss in business, even though most of the people whose animals would be cared for at the shelter clinic are ones they wouldn’t let even set foot in their practices.
I agree, I have seen some downfalls from low-cost neuter clinics such as enabling the people to go out and get even more pets. But careful screening and a limit on the number of animals a household can have will combat that.
I’m tired of veterinarians acting as though all we do is neuter/vaccinate/sell products. We went to school to do so much more. Even as a shelter/rescue veterinarian, I have had the opportunity to do more difficult wound and fracture repairs than I did in private practice. We practice an art in a way, and being creative in our care is part of what we do. I wish I had money for more lab workups and rads, but I’ve learned to think more and use my senses to figure cases out.
Having taxpayers pay for the euthanasia of thousands of animals a year doesn’t seem to bother some people. Yet “spend my money on neutering someone’s dog? No way!”
Jennifer Doll, DVM
Solon, Iowa
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A Needed Resource
Editor:
Low-cost clinics for vaccinations and spay/neuter may be the only immediate option for families faced with financial fallbacks. I started Vets4 MyPets.com because of an immediate need in our family and felt that others might benefit as well by listing low-cost clinics nationwide.
As noted in the article, pet overpopulation needs to be fully addressed, and that includes enlisting the help of local veterinarians. Many shelters do not have the resources or funding to continue to be the only ones to offer discounted services.
If we could offer reduced vaccination costs and spay/neuter discounts for all pet owners, even just once a month combining the efforts of veterinarians in each city, we might be able to create a healthy pet community.
Tasha Prinkey,
Chairman and CEO
Vets4MyPets.com
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Nice Dose of Reality
Editor:
I absolutely adore Dr. Patty Khuly’s Reality Check column. Opinionated, outspoken and brash—yes! But also intelligent, well informed, witty, thought-provoking and darn funny to boot.
Maybe it’s just me, but it’s always crystal clear that any opinions she presents are her own (and uniquely so) and are not meant to represent a consensus opinion for Dr. John/Jane Q. Vet.
Dr. Khuly, you go grrl!
Lili Duda,
VMD, MBE, Dipl. ACVR
University of Pennsylvania
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Veterinary Practice News February 2010 Letters to the Editor
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