Jun 02 2009
Frequently asked questions about acupuncture for animals
Darla Rewers
Seattle Alternative Veterinary Care Examiner
Acupuncture works well on animals. Dogs, cats, horses, cows, and other critters generally do not resent the needles, although they do feel them.
Often the skin will move and have small muscle spasms where the needles are inserted. Dogs may initially pant more or be more attentive immediately after acupuncture needles are inserted. Then they relax once the effects start.
Many animal patients become so relaxed during a treatment that they may take a nap, and some even snore because they become so relaxed. Occasionally, an animal may be too sensitive to needles (this happens in human patients as well) but respond well to acupressure or subtle qi gong tui na energetic massage techniques alone.
Acupuncture can be used on exotics, such as birds, snakes, lizards, and rabbits. Organic livestock benefit from acupuncture as an alternative to antibiotic or hormone use.
Most commonly acupuncture is requested for pain relief for arthritis, degenerative joint disease, seizures, slipped disks in the spine, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and skin allergies.
Acupuncture has been affirmed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1997 as a valid therapy for pain, cystitis (bladder inflammation), nausea, to treat side effects from chemotherapy and radiation, diarrhea, IBS, and much more. The NIH put out this consensus statement after evaluating over 7000 articles published on acupuncture.
Acupuncture works through complex nerve interrelationships throughout the body. The acupuncture points themselves are areas of higher electrical conductance and lower electrical resistance, which can be measured with an ohmmeter. Acupuncture improves blood and lymphatic (immune system) circulation, reduces painful muscle spasms, causes release of the body’s natural pain-relievers, and causes relaxation. All of this helps the body to be able to do more maintenance and repair, instead of being in a state of anxiety or pain. Hormone cascades and internal medicine effects are also achievable through acupuncture—so even though the needles are small, the results are more than just skin-deep.”