Welcome to the world of Integrative Veterinary Medicine, the combination of Conventional (or Western) Modern Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. You are about to fill out a medical history that far surpasses your past experiences. Some of these questions may be straight forward, and some may be a little “weird”, to say the least. In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, clues to the body’s health are everywhere; we just have to ask the correct questions.
Please take the time to fill out this very LONG questionnaire to the best of your ability. It may be best to read the questionnaire, fill out the easier points and then observe your pet for the next couple of days to answer the more “obscure” questions. The more detailed and accurate your answer, the more accurate the Traditional Chinese Medical diagnosis will be, and therefore the more effective the treatment can be.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, individuals can be categorized to fit into one or two particular Elements. The state of an individual’s health can be influenced by their “inherent” elemental status. An individual’s inherent constitution influences the animal’s body structure, health, emotions, and when exposed to the same stress factors, individuals of different constitutions will react in a different way, whether it is positively or negatively. When a constitution is in balance, there is harmony and health in the system. When unbalanced, there is disease. Check all that apply below for your pet so we can get a better idea of their inherent constitution.
For those of you who work between 8 AM and 6 PM, it is difficult to answer some of the questions with specific times. Rely on your observations during your days off and on weekends. Unless there is a lot going on in the household, most pets will stick to their same schedules of behavior, even on the weekend.