Did you know that your favorite staff at Godspeed Animal Care offers veterinary acupuncture for your pets?
Alternative therapies like acupuncture give us a scientifically founded way to help pets when other therapies are not enough or cannot be tolerated. In fact, therapies like acupuncture often work synergistically with traditional medicine to achieve even better results.
Interested yet? Read on to learn all you need to know about veterinary acupuncture and how your pet could benefit.
On Pins and Needles
You are probably familiar with the image of a person undergoing acupuncture with hundreds of little pins stuck all over their body. While this is a somewhat accurate picture, it is not quite so crazy as it might seem.
“Needling” is an ancient and very intricate technique and is one of the four branches of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. Special needles are placed in very specific locations, with there being about 150 potential acupuncture points in the dog.
Acupuncture can release anti-inflammatory substances in the body, relax the muscles, improve blood flow and tissue oxygenation, and lacks any serious side effects.
There are different types of veterinary acupuncture, including:
- Dry needling uses acupuncture needles inserted based on modern scientific observations, primarily for pain management.
- Chinese traditional acupuncture focuses on changing the flow of Qi, or energy to correct energy flow imbalances throughout the body.
- Acupuncture uses the injection of liquids like diluted vitamin B12 and other homeopathics at acupuncture sites.
- Cold laser at acupuncture points can be an alternative to needles insertion for some pets.
- Electroacupuncture uses a small electrical current at needle sites to re-establish nerve impulses and relax muscles.
Different types of acupuncture may be indicated in different pets and different situations. While the exact techniques may vary, many pet patients can benefit.
Veterinary Acupuncture
Veterinary acupuncture seems to find ways to be useful for so many of our patients. WE might utilize it for:
- Pain management
- Stress relief
- Support of orthopedic disease
- Treatment of nerve injuries/diseases
- Management of gastrointestinal disturbances
- Help with seizure disorders
- To support immune function
- To decrease inflammation
Most of our pet patients tolerate acupuncture very well, and some even seem to enjoy it. It is non-invasive and quite safe. Adverse reactions are uncommon when done by a trained veterinary professional.
If you are curious about acupuncture and how it may help your pet, don’t hesitate to call us. We are always happy to talk about new ways to better the lives of animals and look forward to helping yours.