10/07/2025
Chronic Diseases, also known as Non-Communicable Diseases, apply to any disease process of long duration and according to the World Health Organisation definition “result from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors”.
In our pets the most common by far is osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease of the joints, ligaments and supporting tissues. However our pets can suffer from many other diseases such as allergic skin or ear problems, digestive or urinary issues, the list goes on…
As in the WHO definition, there is no one single cause, so of course one single treatment is never going to fix things. In the veterinary world we talk about a ‘multimodal approach’ which can and should involve lifestyle and exercise modification, diet and weight management, drug therapies and manual therapies such as acupuncture and physiotherapy. If your vet hasn’t already discussed these with you, ask them what else you can be doing to support your pet’s health.
My Recover programme aims to tie all the threads of chronic pain management together in a comprehensive support package - for more information head to https://www.pettherapyacupuncture.co.uk/services/the-recover-programme/ .