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Veterinary Acupuncture
Veterinary acupuncture is a modality that is used to help a variety of conditions in pets. It is not to be used as a sole therapy, but as complementary treatment to traditional medicine. It should only be performed by a veterinarian that is certified in veterinary acupuncture. Additionally, the pet's primary care veterinarian should approve acupuncture before starting treatment.
Acupuncture involves needling of a very specific point on the body that corresponds to nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatics. There are hundreds of acupuncture points that correspond to certain meridians. These are channels that are named after organs such as the bladder meridian. After the acupuncture points are stimulated, nerve impulses, endorphins, and hormones are released.
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Acupuncture is good for treating musculoskeletal disorders, GI problems, allergies, neurologic issues, incontinence/urologic problems, prevention of disease, and for immune support. It is contraindicated with open wounds, pregnancy, some infectious diseases, and for some tumors/cancer.
It is imperative that a Western or traditional diagnosis and treatment plan have been in place prior to starting any acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture should be used as ancillary treatment, not primary care. The needles are usually in place for about 10 to 15 minutes, while the pet is supervised. However, the session itself can often last for an hour, with extensive history taking and follow up recommendations such as nutrition and supplements. The positive effects of acupuncture can last for 2 days to 2 weeks, and sometimes longer. The frequency of the sessions are scheduled depending on each pet and how they respond.
Acupuncture can provide much needed help. Feel free to visit the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society's website at www.ivas.org for further information.