Veterinary Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
Veterinary Acupuncture
How Acupuncture Works | The Traditional Chinese Medicine Examination | What to Expect During and After an Acupuncture Treatment | Conditions Which Can Be Treated With Acupuncture | Certification of Veterinary Acupuncturists
“It matters not whether medicine is old or new, so long as it brings about a cure. It matters not whether theories are Eastern or Western, so long as they prove to be true.”
—Jen–Hsou Lin, DVM, PhD
Acupuncture has been used to treat animals in China for at least 3,000 years. It involves the insertion of needles into specific points in the body to cause desired healing effects. At Suburban Animal Hospital, Dr. Hall and Dr. Licata are able to provide acupuncture services.
Needles (dry needling), pressure alone (acupressure), needles stimulated with low–voltage electrical stimulation (electroacupuncture), needles heated with a herbal stick (moxibustion), and Vitamin B12 injections into acupuncture points (acupuncture) are all methods of acupuncture.
How Acupuncture Works
There are many theories about how acupuncture works, and experimental evidence indicates that acupuncture stimulates many pain–modulating systems within the body, causing release of endorphins and enkephalins, and releasing neurotransmitters such as serotonin. No single theory completely explains how acupuncture can result in long–lasting relief of pain.
Traditional Chinese Medicine, the basis of acupuncture treatment and theory, views pain as the result of the blockage of Qi (pronounced “chee”, this is life energy) and Blood (a vital substance, similar but not the same as our Western view of blood) in the meridians, which are the energy channels that Qi travels through. Acupuncture, the placing of needles in specific acupuncture points, helps move the Qi and Blood and remove obstructions in the meridians.
The effects or results of acupuncture for non–painful medical conditions cannot be explained adequately or fully yet in Western medical terms. In Traditional Chinese medicine, the manipulation of Qi through needling of specific points is what accomplished the therapeutic effect.
The Traditional Chinese Medicine Examination
During an evaluation of a pet for acupuncture treatment, a normal, Western–style examination of the pet is done. Assessment of gum color, capillary refill time, evaluation of the heart and lungs with a stethoscope, palpation of the abdomen, and palpation of the muscles, bones and joints, as well as evaluation of the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth are all performed. In addition, evaluation of the pet for acupuncture includes evaluating parameters important in Traditional Chinese medicine, including evaluation of the tongue for shape, moistness, size, coating, and consistency; evaluation of the pulses for depth, rate, strength, and quality; and palpation of the Alarm and Association acupuncture points which correspond to the internal organs. The Chinese medicine diagnosis encompasses the conventional veterinary medicine diagnosis and establishes a pattern diagnosis which may be very different (for example: an animal with weight loss and poor appetite might be diagnosed as having a Qi deficiency as part of the pattern diagnosis.)
In addition to the physical examination, the veterinarian will also review any past medical history, labwork, or radiographs (Xrays) in order to determine the best course of acupuncture treatment.
What to Expect During and After an Acupuncture Treatment
Pets vary in their response to acupuncture. Some show no sensitivity or response during the placement of the very fine, thin acupuncture needles. Some will show discomfort briefly on insertion of some needles (some acupuncture points may be more sensitive than others). Generally, once the needles have been placed, a pet exhibits no discomfort. During the treatment, some pets may become very relaxed or even sleepy.
After a treatment, pets vary greatly in their response. Some are energized and very lively; others are sleepy and tired for several hours. If a pet is receiving treatment for arthritis or a painful condition, an immediate relief from discomfort may be seen, or a gradual improvement over several treatments and over time may be seen. Occasionally, a pet may be even temporarily worse immediately after a treatment, and then improve over the next few days. And occasionally, a pet may not respond to acupuncture treatment.
The acupuncture treatment will vary depending upon the pet’s condition, but in general treatments last from 10–15 minutes, and are performed once a week for 4–6 weeks, and then at longer intervals if a good response is achieved.
Conditions Which Can Be Treated With Acupuncture
- Acupuncture can be very helpful in the treatment of pain and stiffness due to arthritis, disc problems, hip dysplasia, or joint injuries. It can also be very helpful in the treatment of muscle pain or spasms.
- Acupuncture can be helpful in the treatment of respiratory problems such as sinus infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma, and helpful with chronic urinary tract infections or kidney disease.
- Acupuncture can be helpful for intestinal diseases, such as constipation, diarrhea, vomiting or inflammatory bowel disease.
- Acupuncture can be helpful in the treatment of some neurologic conditions, such as seizures, vestibular syndromes, and facial nerve paralysis. It can be somewhat helpful in some degenerative nerve conditions, but the success rate is variable.
- Acupuncture can be helpful in the general care of elderly pets, to keep them feeling as well and as energetic as possible.
There are many other conditions that acupuncture can be used for, either as the only treatment, or as an add–on treatment if conventional, Western therapies are not helping the patient adequately.
Certification of Veterinary Acupuncturists
Veterinarians can be certified in acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (I.V.A.S.), the Chi Institute, or through Colorado State University. Dr. Hall is certified through IVAS, having completed a 120–hour acupuncture training course, passed a written examination, practical examination, had an acupuncture case report accepted by the IVAS Education Committee and completing a 40–hour internship program under the direction of certified, veterinary acupuncturists.
Dr. Hall has also had a case report published in the International Journal of Veterinary Acupuncture, in 1999, acted as a teaching assistant for a small animal acupuncture course at the Chi Institute in 2002–2003, and received her certification in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medication from the Chi Institute, Florida in 2002. Dr. Hall is also a member of the AAVA (American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncturist) and a member of IVAS. Maintaining certification requires ongoing continuing education in acupuncture.
IVAS is a non–profit organization established in 1974 dedicated to promoting excellence in the practice of veterinary acupuncture as an integral part of the total veterinary health care system.
Herbal Medicine
Dr. Hall also offers herbal medicine. Patients are evaluated in the same manner as for an acupuncture evaluation with both a conventional veterinary diagnosis and a Chinese medicine pattern diagnosis being established. Dr. Hall uses a wide variety of Chinese herbal formulas to treat patients, as well as some Western herbal formulas.