5/21/2024 | 10 minute read

1. What is TCVM?
2. Exploring the four branches of TCVM
3. Five Elements Theory of TCVM
4. Yin-Yang balance and disease
5. Warming, neutral, and cooling foods for dogs
6. Oma's Pride and TCVM
7. Frequently asked questions

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) is a holistic animal healthcare approach that has been practiced for thousands of years. It encompasses various treatment modalities, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage (Tui-na), and food therapy. In TCVM, the emphasis is on balancing the body's energy, known as Qi, to promote health and well-being.

In this article, you’ll learn more about the Five Elements Theory, how to address imbalances in dogs according to TCVM, Yin and Yang forces, and warming and cooling proteins for dogs.

It’s important to note that Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Western Veterinary Medicine (WVM) should not be seen as opposing forces. When used appropriately, both practices have strengths and can complement one another.

• TCVM. TCVM focuses on treating the whole patient holistically through the least invasive and natural means possible. This practice tends to look at the whole picture and address chronic issues with minimal risk of damaging side effects.

• WVM. WVM uses modern medicine, technology, and tools to diagnose diseases and illnesses quickly and accurately. This practice can provide laser-focused accuracy about an acute issue or imminent trauma.

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is divided into four smaller branches. In addition to dietary recommendations, TCVM often incorporates herbal medicine, supplements, and acupuncture to enhance the therapeutic effects of food therapy.

Food therapy is an integral part of TCVM and involves using specific foods to address imbalances in a dog’s body through dietary adjustments and changes.

When prescribing food therapy, a TCVM specialist will consider:

• The Five Elements Theory (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water)

• Energy imbalances

• Energetic properties of food (cooling, warming, or neutral)

• Dog classifications (hot, cool, or neutral dogs)

• Your dog’s constitution

• Yin-yang balance

• Specific medical issues or history

For example, warming foods might be recommended for a dog with cold symptoms, while cooling foods may be suitable for a dog that presents with excessive heat.

Another example: a dog with a fire temperament struggling with heart issues might be told to avoid warming proteins like chicken and told to eat rabbit, duck, or fish.

Overall, food therapy relies heavily on the idea of Qi (pronounced “chee”). Qi is the vital energy or life force that flows through the body's meridians. In TCVM, the quality of Qi is crucial for health.

Feeding your dog according to its individual Qi needs can help address specific health concerns and maintain a harmonious energy flow throughout the body.

Please note! While TCVM provides valuable insights into the energetic properties of foods, modern nutritional guidelines must also be considered when feeding your dog. Combining the principles of TCVM with evidence-based nutritional recommendations can help create a well-rounded diet that meets the dog’s nutritional and energetic needs.

You will often hear the TCVM practitioner state, “You will feed the dog in front of you.”

Essentially, you want to feed each dog as an individual. Two dogs in the same family could eat two separate proteins or the same foods with different supplementation. All of this can be determined with the integration of a TCVM practitioner.

Acupuncture for dogs is very similar to acupuncture for humans. The practice involves inserting specialized needles into the body at particular stimulation points to restore bodily balance and heal the body.

The stimulation points are typically found where blood vessels and nerves meet (also called Meridian Channels). These points are thought to be where Qi flows. Inserting needles boosts blood circulation and oxygen delivery, promoting healing.

The next area of TCVM is the incorporation of Chinese herbs and supplements into a dog’s regimen. These formulas can address a variety of issues, from anxiety to allergies.

In general, herbs are plants with active properties and a therapeutic impact. The entire plant or just small parts of a plant may be used. Herbs can be prescribed individually or in combination with other herbs. Typically, herbs are given orally through a powder, capsule, liquid, or tablet.

For example, herbs like astragalus and licorice root can boost Qi and support the immune system, while supplements like omega-3 fatty acids can help maintain healthy skin and coat.

Tui-na is somewhat similar to acupuncture; however, needles are not used. Tui-na is a massage where a practitioner applies pressure to certain points where Qi flows.

Pressures include kneading and rolling at specific points (along the Meridian Channels) to improve bodily balance, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.

While Tui-na can address various health issues, it is commonly used to alleviate joint pain, improve mobility, reduce arthritis symptoms and stiffness, reduce muscle tension, and help animals recover from surgery.

One of the foundational concepts in TCVM is the Five Elements Theory.

This theory categorizes everything, including food, into five elemental categories: Water, Earth, Fire, Metal, and Wood. Each element has corresponding organs, physiological functions in the body, and temperaments.

The Five Elements Theory derives from the Ancient Chinese observation of seasonal patterns starting with spring and ending with winter. Just as the seasons have certain dispositions, characteristics, and temperaments…so do the various elements.

Understanding the relationships between the elements and their corresponding physiological functions can help us select the right foods, nourish our dogs, and balance their bodies for general health and well-being.

Here’s a chart to begin understanding the relationship between seasons, elements, temperament, and food choices:

Please keep in mind that dogs are not categorized in one season for their entire lives. The actual time of year (season), age of the dog, and current health issues can all play a role in determining how to use the chart above.

For example, senior dogs tend to be more in a water season than younger puppies. Certain dog breeds may tend to lean toward one season or another according to temperament but can also be impacted by the current time of year (how hot or cold it is, etc.).

Consider consulting with a certified TCVM practitioner to learn more about how to assess your animal’s individual needs. They can provide personalized dietary recommendations and monitor your dog’s progress to ensure optimal health outcomes.

Another core tenet of TCVM is the idea of Yin and Yang forces. Yin and Yang are opposing forces that need to be in harmony and balance for optimal health. Examples of opposing forces include hot and cold, light and dark, fire and water, and more.

• Yin represents cold, stillness, fluids, and substance. Yin foods are more salty, sour, or bitter, like fruits, fish, and vegetables.

• Yang symbolizes heat, inflammation, activity, and function. Yang foods are sweeter and more pungent, like warming spices, duck, and beef.

A balanced diet should contain foods that maintain the Yin-Yang equilibrium to ensure your dog’s overall health and vitality.

So, what is the relationship between Yin-Yang and disease?

According to TCVM, disease is understood as a lack of balance or general disharmony in the body. In other words, Yin and Yang forces are out of harmony—they need to be brought back into harmony to achieve balance.

Disharmony can be caused by a certain health issue, lack of an optimal diet, and much more. A qualified TCVM professional will look at the animal holistically to determine what can best bring them back to balance. They will consider your dog’s age, temperament, sex, medical history, and more.

In TCVM, foods are categorized based on their energetic properties rather than their nutritional content alone.

Some foods, such as chicken and lamb, are considered warming, while others, like fish and rabbit, are cooling. Understanding these properties helps formulate a balanced diet tailored to your dog's needs.

TCVM often recommends a diet that includes a variety of meats, vegetables, and grains to ensure a balance of Yin and Yang energies. Other factors, like the actual temperature of the food (cold, warm, or room temperature), can also impact Yin and Yang energies.

It's essential to avoid feeding overly processed or highly processed foods, as they can disrupt the natural balance of Qi and contribute to health problems over time.

Dogs that are overly hot or have a Yin deficiency may benefit from cooling foods. Issues related to excess heat include bodily inflammation, hyperactivity, anxiety, physical overheating, arthritis, digestive problems, rapid pulse, itchy skin and coat, urinary infections, and allergies.

While it’s not an exhaustive list, here are some foods considered to have a “cooling” impact on dogs.

• Proteins: mussels, duck, rabbit, pork, whitefish, wild turkey, ocean fish, boar, kangaroo

• Vegetables and fruits: asparagus, broccoli, celery, cucumber, eggplant, spinach, strawberry, summer squash, pear, kelp, cranberries

• Grains, seeds, oils, and herbs: amaranth, barley grass, alfalfa, wild rice, millet, flax seed oil, sesame oil, peppermint

Dogs that are already in balance may benefit from neutral foods. Although neutral foods don’t directly provide heating or cooling benefits, they are very nutritious ingredients to incorporate into a diet.

• Proteins: beef liver, beef, beef heart, beef tongue, pork heart, tripe, quail, sardines, wild salmon, chicken eggs, mackerel, bison, tuna, turkey wings, elk

• Vegetables and fruits: carrots, green beans, yams, sweet potatoes, cabbage, peas, beans, pumpkin, shitake mushroom, kale, turnips, apples, blueberries, pear, strawberries

• Grains, seeds, oils, and herbs: wheat grass, white rice, corn, rye, lentils, brown rice

Dogs that are naturally cold or low-energy (understood as a Yang deficiency) may benefit from warming or hot foods. Issues related to an overly cold constitution include low stamina, shivering, inactivity, low appetite, weight loss, deep pulse, digestive problems, kidney disease, and anemia.

• Proteins: chicken, chicken gizzard, lamb, venison, trout, goat’s milk, farmed turkey, chicken liver, pheasant, farmed salmon

• Vegetables and fruits: apricots, leeks, mustard greens, cherry, leek, winter squash, garlic, oyster mushrooms, raspberries, butternut squash, sweet red peppers

• Grains, seeds, oils, and herbs: olive oil, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, turmeric, ginger, quinoa, oats, cinnamon, parsley, thyme, basil

Allergies are an extremely common ailment for dogs. According to TCVM, allergies can be partially understood as an excess of heat, body temperature, and inflammation.

Allergies are also seen as an abundance or overaccumulation of phlegm in the body caused by an imbalance in the liver. In TCVM, the liver is responsible for allowing energy to flow smoothly throughout the body.

For dogs with chronic or seasonal allergies, it's a good idea to stick to neutral or cooling proteins to counteract the body's natural Yin deficiency. These proteins and other foods will better allow the liver or “energy pump” to eliminate excess heat and phlegm in the body.

If you’re interested in incorporating TCVM principles into your dog’s diet, Oma’s Pride raw food for pets can help!

Haven’t heard of Oma’s Pride?

They are a small, 4th-generation family-owned and operated company with deep roots in the raw food space. They began as a poultry farm in Connecticut in 1950 and began crafting raw pet food in the 1990s. Here are some facts about their food and products:

• Human-grade ingredients. Food is made from USA-sourced, human-grade meat, bones, organs, and select vegetables.

• Crafted in small batches in a USDA facility. Food is raw, all-natural, and crafted in small batches of 200 pounds or less in a USDA-inspected space to ensure quality and freshness.

• Biologically appropriate. All food, treats, bones, and supplements are formulated for canine and feline carnivores with the digestive makeup of their ancestors.

• No HPP. HPP is not used on the food to preserve its raw nutritional integrity. Instead, they use a natural pathogen mitigation technique called bacteriophaging.

• Extensive product selection. The extensive catalog of food, treats, bones, and supplements can help you get started following TCVM principles. Traditional, exotic, and oceanic proteins are all available.  

Feeding a raw diet is ideal when following TCVM principles, as cooking ingredients can denature or destroy essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in the food. Raw diets are more bioavailable, contain higher-quality ingredients, and are not highly processed.

Warming proteins for dogs include chicken, lamb, venison, pheasant, trout, farmed salmon, and farmed turkey. These proteins are intended to improve heat in dogs with a Yang deficiency (those who are naturally cold or low energy).

Cooling proteins for dogs include duck, pork, whitefish, wild turkey, boar, and kangaroo. These proteins are intended to cool down a dog’s body with a Yin deficiency (those who are naturally hot, allergenic, and inflamed).