Acupuncture

Acupuncture uses a series of small needles placed along nerves and blood vessels in order to stimulate blood flow and/or nerve function. The most common use for acupuncture in veterinary medicine is for chronic pain management, but the benefits can extend far beyond just that. When starting acupuncture treatments, it is usually recommended to do weekly treatments for a month, then treatments can, often, be decreased to every 4-6 weeks.

Acupuncture can benefit dogs and cats, just like with people. Most commonly, we think about acupuncture being used for pain management. While it certainly is helpful to relieve both acute and chronic pain, there are many other potential benefits. Below is a list of common conditions that can benefit from acupuncture.

*Acute and chronic pain management

-Osteoarthritis

-Hip dysplasia

-Elbow dysplasia

-Neck and back pain

*Neurologic dysfunction

-Intervertebral disc disease

-Degenerative myelopathy

-Urinary or fecal incontinence

*Gastrointestinal disorders

-Inflammatory bowel syndrome

-Nausea

-Anorexia

*Kidney disease

*Allergies

Acupuncture is not one size fits all and not all patients have the same response. Some patients are able to go longer between treatments than others. Other patients may not seem to show any benefit at all. It is recommended to start with a minimum of 4 treatments, usually done once weekly, before deciding how effective it is for each individual patient. After the initial treatment period, treatment frequency can often be decreased to once every 2-4 weeks, depending on patient response.

During acupuncture treatments, you will be able to remain with your pet. We often use frozen baby food to distract pets while the needles are being placed. The needles then remain in place for about 15-20 minutes. If your pet shakes or gets the needles out before that time period that is ok, there is some benefit just from placing the needle. The goal in treating animals is to get the most benefit while causing the least amount of stress.