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Guidelines for the

Use of Integrative Therapies

Preamble

The diverse group of medical and health care therapies which are not considered a part of routine veterinary practice are most often referred to as holistic, complementary, alternative, or integrative medicine. These include veterinary: acupuncture, botanical or herbal medicine, chiropractic or manipulative therapy, homeopathy, laser and shock-wave therapy, physiotherapy or massage therapy, and many others. When performed within a context of a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship, these therapies are recognized as being an integral part of veterinary medicine by many national and international veterinary organizations. Nevertheless, there may be uncertainty in the mind of the veterinarian as to the appropriate circumstances for their use, the qualifications of practitioners employing these methods, and how the owner of an animal which might benefit from such treatment can be ethically directed to obtain it.

The following are the recommendations of the PEI Veterinary Medical Association for the responsible use of integrative therapies by its Members.

Guidelines

1) Integrative medicine constitutes the practice of veterinary medicine as defined in the Veterinary Profession Act, section 1(h)i, ii, iii.

2) Only veterinarians have the education and background to evaluate and integrate these less common modalities into a treatment regimen for animals.

3) The various modalities which comprise integrative medicine have differing levels of scientific validity, and each must be considered on its own merits by the veterinarian attending a case for which such therapy may be proposed.

4) Any Member who wishes to use an integrative therapy is responsible for obtaining appropriate training in that modality, and for maintaining their skill and knowledge through discipline-specific continuing education.

5) Veterinarians licensed under the Act are free to provide treatment to their client’s animals in any form required, so long as they have the informed consent of their client. In this instance, informed consent includes description of the possible benefits as well as the potential risks of treatment.

6) Any veterinarian recommending or providing an integrative therapy must ensure that the client is informed of conventional methods of treatment for their animal’s condition.

7) The PEI Veterinary Medical Association does not certify or license either veterinarians or facilities with regard to provision of integrative therapies. Certification of veterinarians is the responsibility of the appropriate professional specialty group for any particular discipline.

8) In the event of a complaint by the animal owner which involves the use of an integrative therapy by a Member, the complaint will be subject to the normal process as described in Section 21 of the Bylaws.

9) Members are directed to observe all parts of Section 25.5.6 of the Bylaws with respect to the advertising or public notice of providing integrative medicine. Provision of an integrative therapy is in no way different from any other form of veterinary practice in this regard, and every effort must be made to preserve the dignity of the profession.