Veterinary Acupuncture
For thousands
of years, the most consistently prevalent and popular system of medicine in the world has been Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Even now, it is first line medicine for a huge proportion of the world's population.
It has
not achieved these laurels because of mythology and belief but as a direct result of its manifest benefits.
Part
of TCM is
Acupuncture
which is often used in the modern Western world in isolation but is
more properly and
more effectively
integrated with natural internal medicine, chiropractic manipulation and holistic management,
lifestyle, and dietary measures to achieve its seemingly miraculous effects.
This applies to human acupuncture
but is no less applicable to horse acupuncture, dog acupuncture and cat acupuncture. For this reason, the
author prefers not to consider vet acupuncture (needling) in isolation but within such a holistic context.
Veterinary Acupuncture:
Vet acupuncture is applicable to all species of animals and patients
generally enjoy their treatment sessions.
The fundamental belief of Chinese medicine is that of a life force
(
Qi
- pronounced
chee
), which circulates throughout the body in a regular and rhythmic twenty-four hour
cycle (the ancient equivalent of the modern well-known circadian rhythm), within a series of channels or meridians distributed
over the body.
These meridians connect the limbs, the internal organs and the exterior of the body, via
definite routes.
In addition, the life energy must be balanced with respect to
yin
and
yang
,
the eternal and ubiquitous opposites of the universe (night and day, cold and hot, wet and dry, female and male, dark and
light are just examples of natural and essential pairing of opposites, in our natural world).
The principles of Traditional Chinese
Medicine and its attention to diet and lifestyle set out to recreate and re-establish balance, both between
yin
and
yang
and in proper rhythmic circulation of energy, when those have been disturbed in disease.
This
sounds deceptively simple, but in fact is the very essence of the philosophy.
Acupuncture treatment is the use
of needles as part of this strategy.
The acupuncture vet inserts needles into precise locations along
the meridians where these approach the body's surface.
They may be inserted at sites far removed from
the supposed site of symptoms.
The usual response in animals is of willing acceptance and profound relaxation
during treatment.
Often, more than one treatment may prove necessary to initiate the response.
Sometimes, there can be an apparent worsening before improvement sets in.
Since needling is part of the
balancing process, and imbalance is the root of disease, the scope of
acupuncture treatment
(together
with the other holistic facets of treatment discussed) is vast.
Veterinary Acupuncture
Acupuncture is
just as useful in animals as in humans, although there is less certainty about the
exact route of the meridians in animals. Veterinary acupuncture is widespread in Europe (incl. UK), North America (incl. USA),
Australasia and Asia. The rewards offered by veterinary acupuncture to the acupuncture vet, the client and the patient are
very exciting.
Equine acupuncture
is of particular value in locomotor disorders (e.g. lameness, OCD,
DJD, Navicular syndrome, back pain), periodic ophthalmia (aka ERU, recurrent uveitis, recurrent ophthalmia, moonblindness
or moon blindness) and back problems. There are very promising results from the use of horse acupuncture in cases of
head shaking (head-shaking or headshaking) and wobbler syndrome.
Canine acupuncture:
Using
acupuncture in dogs has been of especial help with hip dysplasia, disc disease (prolapsed disc, PID, IVDD [IVD],
intervertebral disc disease), paralysis, elbow dysplasia, arthritis and disorders of the back (back problem, back pain,
bad back) but can be used as part of an integrated treatment programme for all manner of metabolic and immune disturbances.
Acupuncture treatment
is
likely to be only partially effective if used in isolation, rather than integrating it with compatible natural internal medicine,
chiropractic manipulation and diet control in all species, along with attention to saddling, shoeing, etc. in horses.
Needling is
only one way of stimulating acupuncture points. Heat (moxibustion), LASER, electro-stimulation and pressure are also part
of the experienced acupuncturist’s repertoire.
If seeking
acupuncture treatment
for your animal in the UK, it is important to ensure that this is performed
by a veterinary surgeon as a point of law (Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966).
Sadly there are few veterinary
surgeons well-versed in acupuncture and even fewer in the wider holistic aspects of the practice.
Happily, t
his
situation is improving.
The International Association for Veterinary Acupuncture (IVAS) and the Association of
British Veterinary Acupuncturists (ABVA) are foci of interest.
Always ask your own veterinary surgeon in the first
instance.
More information on
www.equineacupuncturevet.co.uk
www.chiropractic-vet.co.uk
www.naturalfeeding.co.uk
Acupuncture:
Acupuncture Vet:
Site relates to:
acupuncture
vet - acupuncture horses - acupuncture ponies - acupuncture dogs - acupuncture cats - cat acupuncture - horse acupuncture
- dog acupuncture - DJD - hip dysplasia - neck pain - back pain - elbow dysplasia - pony acupuncture - acupuncture donkeys
- acupuncture goats - acupuncture rabbits - acupuncture buffalo - vet acupuncture - veterinary acupuncture - acupuncture for
animals - acupuncture vet - animal acupuncture - vet acupuncturist - veterinary acupuncturist - acupuncture treatment - horse
acupuncturist - equine acupuncturist - acupuncture horse - equine acupuncture - canine acupuncture - vet - acupuncture
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image - chris day
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veterinary acupuncture is well-accepted
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Acupuncture vet - Animal Acupuncture in Practice
At
the
AVMC
, we usually suggest an initial programme of three treatment sessions.
In responsive cases
, the typical response pattern is that little will be seen before the second treatment,
with the third bringing great improvements. Some rare cases can, however, respond well with a single treatment. Very rarely
would more than three sessions produce a positive result, if none has been forthcoming after the first three.
Acupuncture
is well-accepted by the vast majority of patients, although occasionally an owner must overcome a fear of needles
if attending a session. If an animal objects to the use of needles, we do not use drug sedation to force compliance. Sedation
also masks the body's responses and may even alter them. In such cases we use painless and relaxing LASER Acupuncture
[Acupuncture-by-LASER].
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Veterinary acupuncture
is without side effects
Veterinary acupuncture
is
safe in all species
Veterinary acupuncture
is safe for all ages, including during pregnancy or suckling
Veterinary acupuncture
requires
no laboratory animal experimentation
Veterinary
acupuncture
, properly (holistically) applied, treats the
patient
,
not the symptom
The curative effect of
veterinary acupuncture
comes from the body's own responses,
not directly from the treatment
Veterinary acupuncture
stimulates the body's own healing ability
Veterinary acupuncture
operates
at the bio-energetic level
Veterinary
acupuncture
can form part of an integrated pain control programme
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Veterinary Acupuncture - Horse Headshaker
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Acupuncture vet - Horse Navicular
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