por Melissa Souza
• There are conventional and alternative options for treating equine kidney failure. Integrative medicine combines a little of both; however, alternative approaches that are holistic in nature are being sought more and more by veterinarians and horse owners alike. Holistic treatments take the whole horse, his environment, and his relationship with other animals and humans into account when deciding on treatment options.
Equine Kidney Failure
• When kidneys begin to fail, it’s due to nitrogen and other waste products from the blood that can’t be successfully removed. Adequate levels of water and electrolytes can no longer be balanced, so dehydration is common. A horse can experience heatstroke when the kidneys aren’t functioning properly. Without sweating, body temperature increases and blood can even be deflected to the skin and lungs. Colic is often a culprit of kidney failure, but even natural toxins in certain plants can create the illness.
Alternative Therapies Versus Conventional Medicines
• Holistic remedies are commonly used to treat a variety of illnesses in horses—treating kidney failure is no exception. Where conventional medicines like fluid therapy or diuretic agents don’t work, alternative medicine is employed. Among holistic options are orthomolecular medicine, homeopathy and natural supplements.
Orthomolecular Medicine
• During the 18th century, scientists began to look at the link between diet and health more closely in humans, and now veterinarians are paying attention. Orthomolecular therapy focuses on balancing the biochemistry of the individual; orthomolecular medicine implements vitamins, amino acids, trace elements or minerals natural to the body in appropriate amounts. This holistic approach is believed to be a beneficial way to prevent and treat kidney disease.
Homeopathy
• Prescribing waterbased solutions with diluted ingredients is the system of medicine known as homeopathy. It’s believed that any substance producing a negative reaction in a healthy animal will, in turn, cure those symptoms in a sick animal. Homeopathic remedies treat the cause of the disease. With homeopathic remedies, knowing the cause of the kidney failure is key to proper treatment.
Herbal Medications
• Many herbal supplements look to plants and plant extracts for their tonics. Isolating a plant type can lead to specialized nutrition for any number of conditions in a horse.
Chinese herbalists believe supplements can allow for lower dosing of pharmacological ingredients if they’re required for treatment; other herbalists solely utilize herbal medications. The kidney is a major component of Chinese medicine and can be supported in many ways through herbal treatment.
