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It’s not something you often hear about: acupuncture for your pet.

But you may be surprised to know the American Veterinary Medical Association considers it a valid treatment option for certain problems.

It’s been around for more than 3-thousand years for animals.

But it’s just becoming more popular in our area.

It’s a new option for small animals at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

“There are many techniques. There is a Japanese technique that only uses one needle,” says Dr. Bess Pierce. “You can place 20 to 30 needles in it. It just depends on what you’re trying to achieve.”

Acupuncture has been used to treat a variety of ailments in animals like arthritis, nausea, skin disorders, even reproductive problems.

Doctor Mark Crisman has been doing it on horses here for more than 10 years now.

“Gypsy has an infection in her ankle. So what I would do is use points that would strengthen bones, help the immune system, things of that nature,” says Crisman.

The doctor says most horses don’t seem to mind the needles.

“The majority of horses really enjoy it. There are some horses we call acupuncture junkies,”

Oreo, a dog from the area that received the treatment, did whimper at times, but that may be because she was a little nervous.

Acupuncture is even being done on birds.

Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the introduction of greyhound racing in Massachusetts. Over the decades, thousands of dogs have suffered and died at Bay State racetracks.

In 69 days, citizens will have an historic opportunity to Vote YES on Question 3 and end this cruelty forever!

You and I know the truth about this exploitive industry. We know that over 800 greyhounds have been injured while racing since 2002, including dogs that suffered broken legs, paralysis, and broken necks. We know that thousands of greyhounds endure lives of terrible confinement, inside tiny cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around. This is no way to treat a dog!

But success will only be possible if we can deliver this humane message far and wide. Already, wealthy dog track owner George Carney has threatened to spend millions against Question 3. He intends to whitewash the cruelty at Raynham Park with a multi-million dollar television advertising campaign.

Don’t let this happen! To win, we must fund our own television ad campaign, bringing our message of common sense and compassion to every voter in the state. Over the next sixty-nine days, we will execute a robust public education campaign – distributing bumper stickers, buttons and flyers – but this alone will not bring the greyhounds home. Without a prominent television and radio campaign, the Greyhound Protection Act will not pass.

PLEASE CLICK TO DONATE TO HELP THE GREYHOUNDS

Recently the Salem Gazette ran an article on my practice and treating cats with acupuncture. Some important details were left out of the article as well as some discrepancies. I do not use Homeopathy in my practice. Though I have had some training in homeopathic remedies, I do not feel it is safe to practice using it unless one has more than a few semesters of homeopathy or more than 130 hours of training, which seems to be the minimum requirement in the state of MA. To clarify any questions some may have here is an article I wrote for the Four Paws Acupuncture E-letter.

I occasionally get inquiries asking if cats can be treated with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The answer is yes! Cats can sometimes be a little more difficult to needle than dogs. It depends on the personality of the cat and of course their diagnosis. Some cats will only allow me to use the laser on them.

This is Nubi wan Kenobi, my five year old feisty male cat who has had a relapse of kidney stones and crystals in his urine. During his first acupuncture session he allowed me to needle him with no effort, which was quite shocking as he is a biter. He even fell asleep purring during his session. He also permitted me to give him Chinese Herbs in pill form, which aid in the dissolving the stones. Of course they had to be ground up and hid in his food!

When it comes to an internal problem such as one involving the kidneys and bladder, I feel it is best to also use Western Medicine in conjunction with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Why not use the best from both worlds? So Nubi went to visit his friends at Atlantic Veterinary Hospital in Marblehead, MA.

After a sonogram, it was determined he did have stones and crystals and was not out of the woods yet. He was given fluids, a shot of steroids to allow for easier urination and was put on antibiotics as a precaution. As recommended by his vet we changed his wet food for two weeks to a prescribed food. His dry kibble was was changed from the Solid Gold Katz-n-Flocken to the Wellness Complete Health which has cranberry powder and other natural ingredients to maintain a ph balanced urine in cats. His access to the dry kibble is now limited since he loves to eat his portion as well as my other cat’s filled bowl.

After two weeks of a changed diet and Chinese herbs, Nubi is back to being himself, getting in trouble and complaining about the lack of cat crunchies. Now that Nubi has finished his round of antibiotics he he does not seem to mind the probiotics (I use PB-8) being sprinkled into his food.

If you have any questions about how acupuncture or TCM can help your cat or dog please go to the contact us page on the Four Paws Acupuncture website.

The feast day of St Roch (also known as St Rocco), the patron saint of dogs is August 16. It is celebrated in Europe and South America. To read more about St Roch and his dog visit www.scborromeo.org

This day is also known as the Birthday of all Dogs. One of the traditions in South America is to tie colorful ribbons on your dog for the day. Italians cook a special feast for their dogs. Give your dog a special treat and a kiss today in honor of this birthday feast day!

On November 4, Massachusetts voters will have the unique opportunity to end the cruelty of greyhound racing in Massachusetts.

Question 3, the Greyhound Protection Act will phase out greyhound racing in the Bay State by 2010. This humane ballot question is sponsored by the Committee to Protect Dogs, which is comprised of the Humane Society of the United States, the Massachusetts SPCA and greyhound protection group, GREY2K USA.

As long as dog racing continues, greyhounds will continue to suffer and be hurt. According to state records, over 800 greyhounds have been injured at Wonderland and Raynham Greyhound Parks since 2002. Eighty percent of injuries are broken legs and other reported injuries include head trauma, cardiac arrest, paralysis and seizures.

When not racing, these gentle friends live confined in warehouse style kennels inside small, stacked cages for twenty hours a day. This is no way to treat a dog!

You can help spread the word by getting “Yes on 3″ flyers into the hands of other Massachusetts voters. Handing out information at your local grocery store, dog park, pet supply store, farmers market, train or bus station or anywhere that attracts large groups of people would be a tremendous help in raising awareness about this important issue.

Another great way to spread the word is to contact local veterinarians and pet supply stores to see if they will make them available to customers and clients or even post one on a bulletin board. Email info@ProtectDogs.org with your name, mailing address and phone number or call the Committee to Protect Dogs at 617-666-3526 if you would like to get involved.

To download flyers or for more info visit Committee to Protect Dogs

Thank you for caring about the greyhounds! Working together, we can end the cruelty of dog racing in Massachusetts.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

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