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Acupuncture for dogs and cats ?
by Dr Leia Castañeda
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Many people have tried acupuncture for themselves at one time or another . And while it seems innocent enough - tiny needles placed in the skin - few understand how it works or where this ancient healing art comes from .
For centuries , acupuncture has been used by Asian cultures to treat almost every known malady to man . About 3000 years ago , the Chinese started adapting the practice for animals , primarily war horses . Since then , veterinary acupuncture has evolved to include food animals , zoo animals , aquatic animals and pets . In the United States , veterinary acupuncture began picking up steam in the 60 ’ s and has now grown to include thousands of licensed practitioners .
How does it work ? According to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine ( TCVM ), energy courses through channels ( or meridians ), which are situated in perfect symmetry on either side of the body . TCVM says that disease occurs because of energy imbalances in the body , usually along these channels . Acupuncture involves the placement of very thin needles at specific acupuncture points in the body to rebalance the energy , or Qi (“ chee ”). These points can also be activated using small injections of fluid , gentle electrical currents or moxibustion ( an herb that is heated and placed over certain acupuncture points to warm and activate them .) What the Chinese intangibly referred to as Qi , western medicine has proven to be ( at least in part ) blood , nerves and hormones . From a western perspective , acupuncture works by promoting circulation , stimulating nerves and causing the release of certain hormones , such as endorphins and cortisol . Respected studies from western medicine , both human and animal , have proven acupuncture to be a valid modality for the treatment of painful conditions like sciatica and arthritis !
At DTLAvets , we practice an integrated approach to veterinary medicine , offering both eastern and western therapies to our patients . We have incorporated acupuncture to treat a variety of conditions such as pets with spinal disc disease , arthritis , painful inflammation in the mouth , seizures , urinary incontinence , dermatologic disorders as well as palliative cancer care and many others ! How do you get a pet to stay still ? Surprisingly most animals do quite well and stay relatively still and quiet during the session . At DTLAvets , we have a dedicated acupuncture room with a cozy sofa , some pillows and blankets . First the doctor and owner will chat , then the doctor will feel the pulses of the pet and look at the tongue ( these are the most important parts of an eastern examination ). We let the pet and owner chill out to relaxing Zen-type music . Once everyone is comfy , we place our needles and then we ’ re on our way ! Depending on the nature of the condition we may also incorporate gentle vibrations of electricity or certain heated herbs . The doctor will often leave the room and most animals actually fall asleep during their session ( some owners do too !) Twenty minutes later the session is done . Take a look at some of our patients during their treatments …
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DTLAvets 333 S Spring Street
Los Angeles , CA 90013 213 613 1537 www . dtlavets . com