Acupuncture: What dogs are top candidates? (part two)
by Christy Caplan
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January 17, 2016 
*This second picture is of Bruisy from his first Acupuncture appointment many years ago – he was one of the first patients our regular vet practiced on.
This will be an ongoing series so please subscribe if you want to hear more about Bruiser and his experiences with Acupuncture and holistic medicine.
The last post was mainly focused on how Acupuncture benefits seniors and dogs diagnosed with disc disease. Acupuncture also helps animals with GI and kidney issues.
Dr. Becky Jester with Natural Healing Veterinary Acupuncture (NHVA), says acupuncture is a wonderful way to treat pain, simulate appetite, and treat nerve, organ, and many other conditions. Basic massage and joint manipulations are incorporated in treatments to ease needle insertion and aid the body in regaining function.
According to Dr. Jester, acupuncture often helps with arthritis, degenerative disc disease (from severe pain to neurologic dysfunction), disc disease, idiopathic vestibular disease (geriatric vestibular disease —circling/falling and/or head tilt not caused by ear infection), gastrointestinal issues, and kidney and liver dysfunction, to name a few.
Back in 2009, Whole Dog Journal published an article about the benefits of Acupuncture with the side effects of some cancer treatments. It’s important to consult with your Veterinarian first but don’t hesitate to ask them if this is something you want to explore further. Alternative treatments are proven to be effective and Acupuncture is one of many worth exploring.
Resource: Caring for a Senior Dog
I firmly believe in alternative therapies, or should that be complementary therapies, for animals. I’d be interested to find out how animals react with acupuncture though!
Thanks so much Jason! Well I have a first hand testimonial – our senior dog suffers from IVDD and he hasn’t needed any pain medication while on this cadence of appointments every three weeks! He’s 12 and killing it! He acts like he’s a young pup. 🙂
That’s fantastic!
I’m a firm believer in acupuncture for humans, so it makes sense that it would be beneficial to animals too. Thanks for an informative post!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Thanks! I also have seen an Acupuncturist for my back and it’s amazing!