Can Acupuncture Actually Help Pets?

You must have come across acupuncture when you were going through alternate treatment for pets. You might be wondering if acupuncture can help your pet. Yes, the 2,000-year-old traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) or acupuncture is quite helpful to pets.

Tracing its roots to ancient China, veterinary acupuncture is a technique used by practitioners to promote healing in pets. Acupuncture releases hormones that are anti-inflammatory and relieve pain. It stimulates the nervous system of pets and improves circulation of blood.

In veterinary acupuncture, the licensed practitioner will insert needles into the tissues of the body where blood vessels and nerve bundles meet. These points are known as 'acupoints'and are found all over the body.

Insertion of metal needles isn’t the only type of treatment available in veterinary acupuncture. It also consists of the following variations:

• Aquapuncture In this variation of acupuncture, the practitioner will insert a combination of saline and vitamin B12 into the acupoints. The solution will apply pressure on the acupoints and stimulate them.
• Electroacupuncture Electroacupuncture is a little different from traditional acupuncture. The practitioner will insert the needles into the acupoints and connect them to electrodes. A small amount of current is passed through needles to stimulate the points.
• Laser acupuncture As the name suggests, laser acupuncture uses a laser to stimulate the acupoints in the body.
• Moxibustion In moxibustion, the practitioner will use a dried herbal essence to heat the acupuncture needles. When the practitioner inserts these needles, it will improve blood flow and help the pets to relax.

The vet will first physically examine and evaluate the pet. Once the vet has the necessary data, he/she will suggest the type and number of needles, longevity of treatment and points of insertion. As every pet is unique, the treatment recommended according to their requirements.

In most cases, veterinary acupuncture is a complementary form of treatment, working hand in hand with medications. However, there are certain medications which can decrease veterinary acupuncture’s effectiveness. Before you proceed with veterinary acupuncture, check with the vet for more information about the medication.

The length of veterinary acupuncture is dependent on the pet’s current condition. Sometimes, veterinary acupuncture can take as short as 10 minutes. There are times when the treatment will take 30 minutes.

In most cases, you will see improvement within a single treatment. However, it can take up to eight weeks before you notice any significant improvement in your pet. As veterinary acupuncture effectiveness is cumulative, it is much better to have consistent treatments than intermittent ones.