I started this episode thinking we would be talking about lions, tigers and bears. But we ended up with glial cells, learning and neuroplasticity. Just like in clinic there are often surprising things that show up, and so too it is podcast conversations.
In this conversation we start with veterinarian acupuncture. But then take a hard right and go deep into neuroscience, the treatment of pain, nervous system regulation and how medicine is beautiful. I loved our discussion as it ranged from the clinical ‘how-to’s” of working with animals, to the deep science of neurobiology, and all woven together with a sense of inquiry and appreciation for the beauty of nature and the practice of medicine.
In This Conversation We Discuss:
- It started with anesthesiology
- Cats like acupuncture, reptiles not so much
- Communicating with non-verbal patients
- Working with animals is a lot like playing with animals
- Opioids can both reduce pain, but also set up for increased pain later
- Glial cells and the learning process
- The role of NMDA receptors
- The imprint of pain is in the nervous system for your entire life, the question is if the body is up or down regulating that incident
- Acupuncture can affect neuroplasticity
- It’s ok for medicine to be beautiful
- Acupuncture and the Vagus nerve
- Medicine as a nudge
Everything I know I have learned from my patients (and they don't speak)
Bonnie Wright, DVM, DACVAA
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