Acupuncture Therapy

When is acupuncture therapy appropriate?

At a glance, acupuncture therapy may seem like an unnecessary way to spoil your pets. However, according to the American Animal Hospital Association, there are proven positive effects that can enhance your pet’s quality of life. Veterinary acupuncture can be incredibly useful in treating a variety of conditions, particularly those that involve inflammation and pain, such as arthritis, cancer, metabolic disease, traumatic nerve injury, degenerative joint disease and asthma.  Additionally, acupuncture therapy lacks many of the negative side effects that prescription medication has on your pet’s internal organs. This means that it can be safely used alongside other mediums of treating pet illness.  This treatment can be sought through counsel with your veterinarian.

How does acupuncture therapy work?

Acupuncture involves inserting extremely thin needles into specific points of the body to stimulate healing. These needles cause minimal to no pain and are generally well-tolerated by pets.  Acupuncture can improve tissue blood flow and oxygenation, remove metabolic waste and toxins, stimulate nerves, relieve muscle spasms, and cause the release of hormones, all of which helps your pet’s body to heal itself.

Duration of treatment can vary depending on the condition of your pet, as well as the number of treatments needed. Chronic conditions may take a few treatments for a positive response to be seen. After optimum responses are achieved, treatments may taper off.