About Veterinary Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a health care system that focuses more on prevention than our present-day western health care system. Along with food therapy (including weight loss ), exercise and herbal supplements, acupuncture is one aspect of the ancient art of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), and has been used in China for over 3000 years. Other aspects of TCVM include herbal medicine and Tui-na, which is Chinese massage.
The Chinese believe that everything (people, animals, plants, the earth, the sky) is CONNECTED. They also believe that all the connections have an innate balance between them. The day is balanced with the night, hot with cold, male with female, Yin with Yang (pronounced yahng).
Health, then, is a reflection of balance between all parts of the body, mind and spirit. Illness manifests itself when there is an imbalance between body, mind and/or spirit.
This balance is maintained through the flow of energy between and within these areas. This energy is known as qi, pronounced "chi."
The Chinese discovered that this qi flows along pathways from the outside of the body (the skin) to the internal parts of the body. If these pathways are stimulated through acupuncture, the flow of energy can be stimulated. Problems arise when there is either not enough energy, deficiencies, at a particular point or if there is a blockage of energy, excess, at a certain point.
Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine can be used to maintain and promote balance in healthy individuals, as well as to treat a wide variety of conditions. These conditions include, but are not limited to:
- hip dysplasia/ chronic arthritic conditions
- acute muscle, tendon and bone injuries (often best used in conjunction with western modalities)
- pre- and post-operative pain management
- spinal cord trauma including paresis (weakness) and paralysis
- control nausea in cancer patients to improve appetite and boost the immune system
- gastrointestinal disorders: vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and inflammatory bowel disease
- kidney disease
- urinary incontenence and retention
- respiratory disorders: upper respiratory infections, chronic bronchitis, and asthma
- seizures
- separation anxiety
- disorders of the immune system
- skin conditions
- liver disease
- heart disease
- endocrine disorders including thyroid disorders
- geriatric patient management to improve the general quality of life.
Often times the best treatment is a combination of Western and Eastern approaches. It is my intention to work with your regular veterinarian to provide an integrated approach to your pet’s health.
In addition to the use of needles to stimulate acupuncture points, here are some commonly used techniques:
- Acupressure — the simple
use of manual pressure on a point instead of using a needle.
- Electroacupuncture — electrical
stimulation between points to enhance the effect. It is especially
useful in musculoskeletal
and spinal problems.
- Moxa — the use of an herb
that is used to warm the body surface (it does not make contact with
the body).
- Aquapuncture — an
injection of saline-diluted Vitamin B12 in an acupuncture point. This
allows stimulation of the point without
the needle having to stay in place.
- Hemoacupuncture — allowing a few drops of blood to be released from a point. This is used when there is excess heat in the body.
- Laserpuncture – I use an infrared laser to stimulate the acupuncture points. It is painless and effective.
Herbal Formulas: Used extensively in China to reestablish the balance within the body. In China, herbs are more widely used than acupuncture. Unlike acupuncture, which is extremely safe, the use of herbs requires more expertise. It is hard to overdose an animal with acupuncture or even give a treatment that is detrimental because many acupuncture points can help in both excess and deficient conditions. That is not the case with herbs—one herbal formula is used for excess and a different one for deficiencies. The beauty of herbal formulas is that there is continuous rebalancing of flow because the herbs are in the system all the time. This enhances the effect of the acupuncture treatments. It also ensures that they do not have to be too frequent (too frequent acupuncture treatments can “wear out” points.)
I recommend only high quality formulas. Some are specifically formulated for our animal friends. Some are classical formulas that have been used by people and animals for thousands of years.
Tui-na: The Chinese equivelent of physical therapy, chiropractic, and massagetherapy. The beauty is that I can teach you these techniques so you can apply them daily.
Diet Plan: The Chinese believe food can be used as a major form of therapy in many instances, especially to promote health. Each individual has different needs based on their age, constitution and any underlying challenges.
