Alternative medicine helps pets

PINE VILLAGE, Ind. (WLFI) - From acupuncture to aromatherapy, many people are finding pain relief from non-traditional medicine. Now some pets are too. Pine Village vet Cathy Alinovi said treatments like acupuncture and adjustments for pets can help their quality of life and your pocketbook.

Henry is never late for his appointment with Pine Village vet Cathy Alinovi . He has a session of acupuncture followed by a back adjustment every two weeks. His owner, Charles Abbott, said he can immediately see a difference in his 14-year-old friend.

"He acts a lot younger after he gets acupuncture and adjusted. He will run and do a lot of stuff he couldn't do,” explained Abbott.

The alternative therapies allowed Abbott to take Henry off all of his heart medications.

"It's better for him because he is not taking a bunch of medication that will mess with his liver and lungs because the stuff he was on was not good for him,” said Abbott.

Dr. Cathy Alinovi said she began offering alternative therapies as another way to serve her patients.

"People bring me things and I can't fix them. Traditional Western medicine is really good. It gets so far, but then somebody brings some thing and I can't fix it,” she explained.

She offers holistic services including acupuncture, chiropractics, aromatherapy and massage for pets. She believes the alternative therapies is why her practice is thriving despite a recession.

"Alternative therapy is why my business has grown as the economy has gone down. Most of my colleagues across the U.S. have either lost business or stayed the same and I've grown every year,” said Alinovi.

She also believes holistic treatments can be good for pet owner's pocketbooks too.

"To go for a cruciate ligament surgery in our part of the country is about $3,000. Then you compare that to the $42 chiropractic adjustment that we try to have every four to six weeks. It's definitely a lot more cost effective,” said Alinovi.

Abbott doesn't mind the cost. He just wants to make sure his friend Henry's golden years are pain-free quality ones.