Eastern healing philosophy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) maintain that the body has an innate potential to heal and repair itself, when given the proper nutritional and environmental support. Recuperation, however, is measured and deliberate. You don’t simply pop a pill and wait 24 hours for symptoms to be suppressed. Rather, you adjust a range of very intentional dietary/lifestyle/supplemental factors — shifting gradually toward a more optimal balance.

Based upon this Eastern philosophy, Nutrition Response Testing is a non-invasive alternative modality that also has roots in biophysics. This organ-by-organ assessment of the body’s electrical impulses detects weaknesses that may indicate systemic issues or imbalances. It’s been used on humans for some time, and a small but growing number of Western veterinary specialists now use it on pets as well.

“Basically,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Cutright, DVM, a veterinarian at LePar Animal Hospital, “the reflex underlying hypothermia is what makes Nutrition Response Testing viable. Central organs dealing with various stressors tend to steal blood and electricity from the body’s periphery — the outer limbs. So when we gently press on acupressure points associated with these organs, we’ll see a subtle weakness in a limb that’s being held rigid.”

Dr. Cutright is one of a select group of U.S-based veterinarians certified in advanced techniques for Nutrition Response Testing. She’s been a practitioner at LePar for 14 years, and she’s also a founding consultant at Healthier Pets Naturally. Often, she encounters pet owners who are unfamiliar with the Nutrition Response protocol … and sometimes, skeptical of the dynamics behind it.

“At our core,” Dr. Cutright explains, “every human and animal is made up of energy — electrons and protons. So this particular reflex can often be demonstrated using an everyday cell phone.”

You can actually grab a friend and try this demonstration yourself. Hold your arm out rigidly, palm down. Ask your friend to push down against that arm while you resist, to establish baseline strength. Then, turn on your cell phone and place it against your chest, over your heart. Again, have your friend push down against your arm while you resist — this time, keeping the cell phone in place. According to Dr. Cutright, that rigid arm will typically demonstrate a slight weakness; in other words, your friend may be able to push it down a bit more easily. If you don’t notice a difference, remember that Nutrition Response practitioners are trained to detect extremely delicate variations.

What’s happening? According to Dr. Cutright, your heart senses the electromagnetic field generated by the cell phone, and tries to shield itself by neutralizing the energy. “To do that,” she says, “it temporarily steals a slight amount of energy from your peripheral limbs. This can be observed when we assess the comparative rigidity of your arm.”

Obviously, our cats and dogs won’t hold their limbs rigid — even during a painless assessment like Nutrition Response Testing. So Dr. Cutright uses something called an “indirect tester” for the static arm. These testers are assistant technicians in good physical shape: feeling well, not exhausted due to lack of sleep or over-caffeinated. The selected technician holds your pet while extending his/her arm straight out, rigid, palm down. Dr. Cutright presses acupressure points on the pet, then evaluates the technician’s arm response.

She explains that electrical impulses can definitely be shared between two organisms, using the analogy of giving someone a carpet shock. According to Dr. Cutright, a related dynamic occurs when a healthy technician acts as a “fifth arm” on your pet’s behalf.

Once areas of detriment or weakness are identified, the second part of the assessment occurs. Dr. Cutright has a kit of glass vials containing various systemic stressors — the electrical imprints from grains, dairy and other foods; along with immune stressors such as viruses and bacteria.

“All of these elements have two-feed electrical currents that resonate from them,” she explains. “When they’re in a glass bottle, you can place them near an affected organ and see if that extended limb holds strong.” The very slight energy uptick is called resonance. It can suggest to the practitioner that something in the cellular structure may contain that particular electrical imprint.

Take chlorine, for example. Using the glass vial assessment, Dr. Cutright may find the electrical imprint of chlorine on the thyroid or kidneys. She may consequently suggest that you reduce your pet’s chlorine load by pre-filtering all drinking water for several weeks. Following this initial trial interval, your furry friend is re-assessed. If chlorine’s electrical imprint still manifests, the doctor may begin trying whole food-based supplements. Eventually, various western medicine modalities may also be incorporated to help support, detoxify, and/or heal specific organs.

“Nutrition Response Testing involves assessing specific organs repeatedly, over time — to see how the response may be changing with various treatment interventions,” explains Dr. Cutright. “We continue to adjust those interventions as appropriate, in an effort to re-balance your pet’s body naturally.”

While energy medicine offers a gentle, integrative way to activate the body’s innate balancing abilities, no two cases are exactly alike. Dr. Cutright also notes that there are often multiple ways to treat one particular case. That said, owners with an open mind may find that Nutrition Response Testing is a valuable addition to their wellness assessment toolbox.

To find a reputable Nutritional Response Testing pet practitioner in your region, Dr. Cutright suggests contacting Ulan Nutritional Systems. You can also try Googling the phrase “Nutrition Response Testing for Pets.”