ChiropracticTraditional Chinese Veterinary MedicineAcupunctureCase Studies
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Pet Acupuncture
Pet Acupuncture History
- Veterinary acupuncture has been practiced in China for at least 2000 years
- During the past 30 years North America has embraced veterinary acupuncture
- There are 361 acupuncture points in the body located on 14 meridians
- Meridians are energetic channels that connect the points to each other
Definition- The stimulation of acupoints (acupuncture points)
- When acupoints are stimulated, physiologic changes occur
- These physiologic changes are what brings about a clinical result
Physiological changes as a result of acupuncture:- Release of endogenous opoids (acupuncture pain relief or analgesia)
- Immune system stimulation (allows the body to heal itself)
- Blood pressure regulation (brings blood to an area to heal it, remove toxins, reduce swelling)
Location of Acupuncture points:
- At “motor points” where a nerve enters a muscle - stimulation of these points can increase nerve and blood supply to a muscle group
- Over nerves and nerve plexus - stimulating these points can affect nervous control of the target organs that these nerves influence. For example you could increase nerve impulses to the intestines, heart, or other organ systems
- At muscle-tendon junctions where they can affect the nerve and hormonal control of the muscles, tendons and ligaments
Ways to stimulate Acupoints:- Dry needle
- Acupressure
- Aquapuncture
- Hemoacupuncture
- Inject saline, Vitamin B12, blood or air into AP points
- Electroacupuncture
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective- Health arises from a balance of yin energy and yang energy in the animal.
- Balance is achieved by the smooth flow of yin and yang energy or “Qi” in the body
- Acupuncture points are spots along a meridian where the energy comes to the skin surface such that you can influence the energy of the meridian by stimulating that acupuncture point.
- Because of the meridian relationships you can affect sites distant from the AP point (eg a needle in the foot can influence the eye)

What Conditions does it treat?- Painful conditions like:
- Back and neck pain
- Degenerative joint disease (arthritis)
- Abdominal pain (colic)
- Post-operative pain
- Soft tissue injuries (bowed tendon)
- Muscle soreness
- Geriatric conditions like:
- Degenerative joint disease, ring bone, navicular
- Kidney failure
- Cancer
- Chronic diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease
- Infertility
- Asthma (heaves)
- Chronic uveitis
- Sports Medicine issues like:
- Musculoskeletal soreness
- Tendon/ligament injuries
- Performance and agility enhancement
ACUPUNCTURE IS USED WITH CAUTION
In cases of - weak or debilitated animals (can exhaust the animal)
- Pregnant animals (can induce labour)
- Cancer (can stimulate the tumor)
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