Chinese Herbs have been used for centuries, dating back to 168 BC. In China approximately 80% of all traditional Chinese medical patients are treated with herbs, while only the remaining 20% are treated with acupuncture or other manual therapies.

Herbal formulas are typically composed of 8-12 substances, ranging from plants and minerals to animal parts and insects. Herbal medicine is distinct from medicine based on pharmaceutical drugs in the following ways:

• Because of the complexity of plant materials, herbal medicine is far more balanced than medicine based on isolated active ingredients and is far less likely to cause side-effects.

• Herbs are typically prescribed in combination and the different components of a formula balance each other, creating a mutual synergy which increases efficacy and enhances safety.

• Herbal medicine seeks primarily to correct internal imbalances rather than to treat symptoms alone, and therapeutic intervention is designed to encourage this self-healing process.

Herbs are also a highly cost effective treatment and generally run about $25 a month for a 50lb dog.