Opening the Door: Non-Veterinarians and the Practice of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine

Abstract

Abstract Growing interest in complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) has sparked a debate among veterinarians, who claim such therapeutic modalities fall under the purview of veterinary medicine, and non-veterinarians, who argue that several modalities do not require the rigorous training of a veterinarian to be performed safely. The veterinary profession must proactively redefine its definition of the practice of veterinary medicine in the face of increasing challenges to state practice acts. By looking to human medicine as a model for how to balance conventional and alternative modalities, the profession can develop a system that provides animal caregivers access to CAVM while still safeguarding animal health.