Psychosomatics in veterinary medicine

Psychosomatics is nowadays a recognized field of medicine, especially in human medicine, but also in veterinary medicine is becoming increasingly popular. This is also because, above all, chronic and internal diseases cannot be cured using conventional medication and Western medicine protocols alone, which is frustrating for both, animal owners and veterinary doctors. I believe that the link between the health of animals and the environment in which they live is more than obvious, as is the similarity of their diseases to those of their owners.

WHAT IS PSYCHOSOMATICS

In the strict sense of the word, it refers to the relationship between the mental world of an individual, i.e. emotions, feelings and inner state of mind, and his/her physical condition, the physical body. The transcription from the language of invisible energies into matter, which is actually also just a concentrated form of energy, and vice versa. In a broader sense, it is about a holistic approach to health and looking for all or as many pieces of the jigsaw puzzles as possible that have an impact on the resulting health. In both of these cases, the psychosomatic approach is more demanding in terms of time and willingness to engage with the patient’s individual story and requires, in addition to the necessary knowledge, patience, trust and cooperation between the therapist and the client.

“Ideally, psychosomatic thinking can be used to prevent disease at all. To capture even small imbalances in behaviour or symptoms while they are reversible, and to understand the change so that simple measures can be taken to bring the system back into balance.”
MVDr. Milena Martincová

MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIELD

What fields can we look into when taking a psychosomatic view of health and disease? It will certainly not surprise anyone that the essential one is medicine, i.e. knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, pharmacology, dietetics and other veterinary disciplines. However, there is no need to stay solely with the Western view. In many cases we can use knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, phytotherapy, Ayurveda. Nowadays, modern and fortunately helpful methods for animals are physiotherapeutic methods. Less conventional and accessible is energetic medicine, Reiki, work with bioresonance, homeopathy and the real delicacy is the use of constellations and astrology.

SOCIAL CONTEXT

The animal is also affected by its social connections. Contact and relationships with other individuals of the same species, but also interspecies interactions. This is especially true for domestic animals, where the most powerful source of relationships is usually man, or the entire family system, the modern pack. An animal may suffer and become ill if it is not allowed to be an animal and if its natural needs, which were formed many generations before, are not respected. Also, if it does not live in a harmonious environment or has time to relax. If a horse or dog spends time in isolation, it may develop stereotypic behaviour; on the contrary, if a cat is forced to live in a large group of cats without its own space and peace, it may develop urinary problems, aggression or self-harm.

HOW DO EMOTION AFFECT ANIMAL HEALTH?

Animal emotions can be called primary or originating directly in the animal’s body. Typically, imagine aggression and fear in two fighting cats. Each animal is original and, in addition to its unique physical characteristics, has its own unique character and temperament. Some are more timid, others curious or joy itself. But then there are the secondary emotions. Secondary emotions are emotions originating somewhere outside the animal, but close enough and long enough and intense. In the case of pets, it is most often the emotions of their owners with whom the animal energy system resonates due to close coexistence, emotional attachment and also due to the ability of pets to somatise these energies – to mirror them on the physical level.