AVA Conference Adelaide 2016

Equine veterinarians will be familiar with the wide spread use of herbs in horses. This can range from horses grazing plants with medicinal properties in the paddock and the folk use of herbs to herbal mixtures being prescribed by lay herbalists and veterinarians. Herbal medicine has emerged from the co-evolution of plants and animals. Phytotherapy integrates traditional plant lore with scientific knowledge of phytochemistry and clinical medicine. Equine veterinarians have a responsibility to have an understanding of the scope of herbal medicine, traditional concepts, herbal pharmacology, herbal pharmacy, safety and regulatory issues and evidence base in order to have informed discussions with clients and colleagues. Herbal medicine offers a broader range of options for the veterinarian when addressing the maintenance of health, physiological dysfunction and chronic disease. Practicing the art and science of herbal medicine can be pleasurable and professionally satisfying.  Herbal medicine is potentially a useful addition to the range of therapeutic options available to the veterinarian who treats horses