CANCELLATION AND MISSED APPOINTMENT POLICY
Our goal is to provide our patients with quality individualized veterinary care in a timely manner. We would like to inform you of our office policy regarding missed appointments. Because we are a busy practice, this policy enables us to better utilize available appointments for our patients waiting for medical care. We understand that occasional missed appointments can occur for a variety of reasons.
Please call Integrative Veterinary Services promptly at 517-292-8880 if you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment. This time can be reallocated for a patient who is in need of treatment. If it is necessary to cancel your scheduled appointment, we require that you call at least 24 hours in advance. You may leave a message on voicemail if applicable.
Many animals will show immediate improvement, while others may require a few adjustments in order to improve range of motion and resolve symptoms of pain. Sometimes pain medications like an anti inflammatory are indicated as tissue manipulation can result in some local inflammation and discomfort. Ensuring adequate water intake is recommended as well to promote hydration and normal cellular metabolism. Some animals may become tired for short periods of time after an adjustment.
The number and frequency of adjustments is determined on a case by case basis. Chronic conditions will likely require more frequent adjustments before the body can begin healing itself. Initially it may be recommended that your pet be adjusted 1-4 times monthly in order to achieve realignment. Older patients often need longer times to heal and acute cases often respond in a more timely manner.
• Neck, back, leg and tail pain
• Muscle spasms, muscle atrophy and nerve problems
• Injuries from trauma or exercise
• Bowel, bladder and internal medicine disorders
• Maintenance of joint and spinal health
• Behavioral changes (aggression)
• Unexplained muscle twitching
• Unexplained lameness
• Lower levels of performance
• Excessively tight muscles
• Difficulty chewing
• Reluctance to jump or use stairs, ignoring commands
• Degenerative arthritis
The initial appointment that is usually made for acupuncture and herbal consultation, will also include discussing nutrition and basic recommendations. Dr. Januszewski will examine your pet and discuss in detail their medical history. Based on the determined pattern diagnosis, dietary recommendations will then be made. If one is seeking information on devising a specific diet, then an additional fee may be applied as this can take a significant amount of time outside of the allotted appointment. One can also make an appointment specifically discussing nutrition and a diet will be formulated for your pets specific needs.
TCVM theory supports that foods have specific ‘energetic’ properties. Some food sources may have warming properties, while others may have cooling effects. When a proper pattern diagnosis has been determined for your pet, various foods can be selected that assist the body in helping it heal itself. If your pet has a condition leading to excess heat in the body, then proteins, vegetables and fruits with cooling properties would be recommended and vice versa. If completely changing your pets diet is not an option, simply adding in various whole foods could be of benefit as well.
The length and frequency of acupuncture treatments depends on the condition that is being treated. Acute cases may respond to one treatment, whereas chronic conditions may require several. Typically patients are treated 1-2 times weekly for 3-6 weeks, followed by every other week for several treatments. Then, pending on the case and outcome, ‘tune ups’ can be given on an as needed basis. Treatments may last from 10 seconds to 30 minutes depending on the condition being addressed. There are different forms of acupuncture used including dry needling, aquapuncture (injecting a solution into a point), electroacupuncture, and moxibustion (heating a point). Commonly a combination of techniques are utilized for each case.
Acupuncture is most often performed with sterilized thin stainle ss steel needles. There is occasionally a brief moment of sensitivity as the needle penetrates the skin in certain sensitive areas. Once the needles are in place, most animals will become relaxed, often falling asleep during the treatment. Some animals with high levels of anxiety or fear may require more coaxing but they will often become increasingly more relaxed with subsequent treatments. Acupuncture is considered a safe form of medical treatment when performed by properly trained veterinarian. Because acupuncture balances the body’s own system of healing and no chemicals are administered, complications rarely, if every occur. An animals condition may seem to deteriorate temporarily after an initial treatment – often 24-48 hours. This is an indication that some physiologic changes are occurring and this is most often followed by improvement of the animals condition.