Acupuncture is a modality of traditional Chinese medicine that involves stimulating key points on the body by the insertion of specialized needles. Acupuncture has been used to treat a wide variety of medical conditions. In some animals it has been applied for respiratory and digestive disorders, pain management and other conditions. In order to perform acupuncture on animals you must acquire specialized training.
Instructions
Identify your professional status and need. Most animal acupuncturists are veterinarians or veterinary technicians. If you are not a professional in either of these fields, you may find it difficult to enter a training program or find a practice venue.
Determine that acupuncture is the treatment modality you wish to practice. In order to train as an acupuncturist you should have an interest in and respect for alternative medical therapies in general and Chinese medicine in particular. Acupuncture will require you to work with terminology and concepts that are not generally familiar to people from Western cultures.
Choose a training program that is right for you. The choice of program will depend upon your professional background and field, location and the type of certification you will require. Other factors to consider are the program requirements, the quality of instruction, and the professional success of program graduates.
Apply to the program of your choice. Better yet, apply to multiple programs so that you will have more options to choose among. When you enter the program, learn everything you can. Complete all assignments; involve yourself wholly in your educational program. Ask all the questions you can think of. Build strong relationships with your instructors and fellow students. When you have completed your training, you will be ready to add acupuncture to your repertoire of professional skills.