Over 3,000 years ago in China and India, acupuncture (the insertion of fine needles at strategic healing points in the body) was used to treat elephants and horses. Veterinary acupuncture has come late to the Western world, but its popularity as an addition to traditional veterinary medicine is increasing. How effective is veterinary acupuncture and is it right for your dog?
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Veterinary Acupuncture
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Veterinary acupuncturists take a medical history, examine your dog and then draw up a plan to treat him. In addition to the use of needle placement, pressure, manipulation and sometimes added electrical current for greater stimulation, your veterinary acupuncturist may suggest herbal remedies, changes in diet and physical therapy. Veterinary acupuncturists are often holistic healers who combine complementary medical and homeopathic approaches. As veterinary acupuncturist Marilyn Khoury states in an August 2009 National Geographic video, "I think you should be given all the options and you should go with those that do the least harm."
Uses and Benefits
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Acupuncture is used to alleviate pain and promote healing in dogs with a wide variety of illnesses, conditions and injuries. These include gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, respiratory and skin conditions. Acupuncture may take anywhere from 20 seconds to 20 minutes per session, and though on occasion a single treatment will deliver results, repeated treatments are usually necessary.
Some anecdotal evidence has been reported regarding the effectiveness of veterinary acupuncture. For example, the use of acupuncture is purported to have been successful in reducing the frequency and severity of seizures in a greyhound, revitalizing a dachshund after a spinal injury, relieving arthritis in a Great Dane, and mediating the debilitating effects of nerve damage in a Saint Bernard.
Does It Hurt?
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Unless your dog is highly anxious or moving around uncontrollably, acupuncture will calm and relax him. Though your dog may temporarily feel itching, numbness or a warm sensation at the needle insertion point after treatment, there is no evidence that he will experience any pain from the insertion and manipulation of the very fine acupuncture needles. Some dog owners find that their dogs even fall asleep during the acupuncture process.
Warning
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Avoid the chances of your dog being misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. Follow the guidelines set out by the International Veterinary Acupuncturists Society: make sure your take your dog to a licensed, trained veterinary acupuncturist who is both certified in veterinary medicine and in veterinary acupuncture. The incorrect application of acupuncture may deprive your dog of the medical treatment he needs or, in some cases, cause his illness to worsen, as in the case of some cancers.
Finding a Vet
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If you cannot find a certified veterinary acupuncturist in your immediate area, you can consult the websites of the following organizations: the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.
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