When it comes to our pets, there’s probably nothing we wouldn’t do to make sure they don’t hurt or feel bad. Because of this, people are more open to new ways of healing, like acupuncture therapy for dogs and other complementary treatments, which offer exciting and noninvasive ways to speed up recovery and reduce pain.
Even though acupuncture for animals is becoming more accepted in veterinary medicine, there are still only a small number of clinics that offer it.
We not only offer acupuncture for your furry friend, but we also have four certified vets on site who can do it.
We think this method works for a number of long-term and short-term conditions, and we want to spread the word about the benefits of acupuncture to our pet patients and their worried owners.
An Overview of Pet Acupuncture
Even though people have used acupuncture for more than 2,000 years, it has only been used in veterinary medicine for the last few decades.
Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture therapy for cats can help treat a variety of illnesses and deficiencies, but there is still some debate about how it works. This is because acupuncture is based on an old technique that uses pressure on acupressure points along the body’s energy pathways, or meridians.
By stimulating these points, certain physiological changes happen, such as the release of endogenous opioids (the body’s natural painkillers, like endorphins) and a boost to the immune system.
How Does It Work
Acupuncture works the same way on pets as it does on people. By sticking very fine needles into the top layer of skin, blood flow is increased, which speeds up the healing process. Endorphins reduce pain, and in many cases, anxiety or fear is also eased.
A treatment plan for acupuncture will be different for each pet because their needs are different depending on the condition(s) being treated and other factors like age. Most of the time, pets start to feel better after the first couple of sessions.
As a supplement to other treatments, acupuncture is a great choice for pets with chronic pain from conditions like arthritis and joint degeneration, or who are recovering from surgery or injuries. It can also help pets with a number of other health problems.
Benefits of Pet Acupuncture
One of the best things about acupuncture is that it can help you feel better instead of or in addition to taking medicine or having surgery. As a noninvasive and mostly painless method, it can be a better choice for many pet owners who want to make sure their pets don’t feel too bad.
Pets with one of the following conditions often get a lot of help to get better:
- Arthritis
- Lameness
- Problems or injuries to the spine
- Reproductive problems
- Asthma and allergies
- Continual pain
- Recovery from injuries, such as fractures
- Recovery from surgical procedures
- Gastrointestinal disorders
Given the benefits of acupuncture for pets, we hope that this effective treatment will continue to gain popularity as an important part of modern veterinary medicine.
