Acupuncture, the classic Chinese medicine practice, is now being used on pets.
While it may sound far-fetched, the treatment has yielded some great results on everything from arthritis and limb paralysis to easing symptoms of depression and cancer treatment side effects.
“We’ve had four months of treatment. Before acupuncture, we had no hope. We even considered euthanasia. Four months later, he began to walk again and then slowly he began to recover. He’s been pretty healthy ever since.”
While acupuncture is now wildly popular among humans as a way to combat pain and stress and to increase circulation, the idea that it could be used on animals still sees its share of detractors.
Yet some claim that acupuncture on animals isn’t a new development at all; and that horses and other livestock have been receiving acupuncture for thousands of years
Some of this criticism might stem from the fact that acupuncture is still considered a pseudoscience, whose effects are not based on the scientific method.
Still, many pet owners have seen tangible results where Western medicine has failed.
“The treatment is pretty good. It’s very fast. I also went to see Western doctors, but this is faster.”
Acupuncture therapy works by sticking a body with a series of short, sterile needles along 14 major channels. The needles provoke a physiological response by stimulating nerves in these points, which can increase circulation and decrease inflammation.
You might be thinking one single needle would be enough to set a dog running for the door. However, many therapists claim that it’s in fact a relaxing experience for many pets, who often fall asleep during the treatment.
If it gets tails wagging again, I’m all for it.
Would you try acupuncture as a treatment for your pet?