Acupuncture is the insertion of needles to relieve pain. It’s part of traditional Chinese medicine and has been used on humans for years. But it’s also part of a growing movement of pain relief for dog as well and it’s something we wanted to present to you as an option for pain management therapy.
How It Works
Dog acupuncture, as well as its sister therapies of acupressure, herbal treatments and food energy, can go hand in hand with traditional medicine therapies. Neither of these therapies have to be exclusive.
After diagnosis, an acupuncture specialist will talk with you about where the needles will be placed. These needles are meant to help your dog’s body promote its own healing through increased blood circulation and muscle relaxation. And you know that when you are relaxed and your energy is balanced, any healing your body needs to do can be done with maximum efficiency. It works that way for dogs, too.
Why It Works
A dog’s body has its own method of relieving pain and inflammation. Acupuncture assists these functions naturally without any medication side effects. And if your pet is on medication, acupuncture is a treatment that may be done in conjunction without any worry of an adverse reaction. Needles are inserted where nerves and blood vessels meet in an acupuncture point. This helps give your dog the best pain and swelling relief possible.
Condition Management
Acupuncture works well on arthritic dogs who have joint inflammation. This can happen at any stage of life but is most prevalent in large breed dogs.
Joint disease pain management is enhanced with acupuncture. Any joint disease that reduces range of motion is a prime candidate for this treatment. Pain from hip and elbow dysplasia can be reduced, making your dog more comfortable.
Dogs with diseases of the metabolic system like pancreatitis, kidney disease and diabetes are good candidates for acupuncture.
If you’re looking into this treatment for your dog, see if you can find a practitioner who makes house calls to keep her stress to a minimum.
How Often?
This really depends on your pet and her condition. The point is to get her to a place where her condition is greatly improved or has gone away.
Check with your veterinary medicine specialist for frequency of treatment.
Would you let your pup try dog acupuncture?
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