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Acupuncture for your pet?

Posted on Nov 5th 2007 10:00AM by Bethany Sanders

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health

Our 8-year-old lab has been limping on her back leg for a while, and this fall graduated to limping all day. The vet prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, and we've been really pleased with her progress. But the pills are expensive and there's a risk of developing digestive issues, so it's not a perfect solution. We're searching for other options, including the glucosamine supplements that just arrived in the mail.

So when I came across this article about acupuncture for pets, I was intrigued. I know that in my small city, finding a practitioner would be next to impossible, but the research involving acupuncture and pain relief in humans is pretty exciting. I wonder if it really could help a dog as well?

If you do decide to head down the homeopathic path with your pet, make sure that the practitioner is certified. Performing acupuncture on an animal is considered practicing veterinary medicine, so only licensed vets are allowed to do so. Acupuncture comes with few risks, but be informed about them and any other treatment options that are available for your pet.

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Tags: acupuncture, acupuncture for animals, AcupunctureForAnimals, alternative treatments for dogs, AlternativeTreatmentsForDogs

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Bob 11-05-2007 @ 2:40PM

I seem to recall that the Chinese writing on acupuncture recommend against it for animals.

Who would you believe, a vet taking your money or a Chinese physician that has been dead for a few centuries. At least the placebo effect should make you feel better, and think that your pet is also better.

caitlin 11-06-2007 @ 3:57AM

Literature on Traditional Chinese Medicine does not recommend against acupuncture for animals.

Also, whether or not a acupuncturist should also be a vet to work with animals differs from state to state. There are some cases where the acupuncturist needs only to work in conjunction with the vet and some cases where the acupuncturist is allowed to work solo.

Please check www.nccaom.org
and/or www.acupuncture.com/statelaws

for more information regarding your state :)

Sherri 11-11-2007 @ 6:42PM

I found your blog while searching for blogs about acupuncture for me and had to comment. I also have a lab that was limping... he was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia in June. We wanted to do whatever we could before looking into surgery because the surgery is so invasive. We found a vet that does acupuncture and went for it. I was AMAZED. He started to improve after the 2nd treatment and now 5 months later the limp is completely gone and he's running around the yard again like a mad fool with NO limping afterwards. I think his schedule was his first appt, 2 weeks later, 3 weeks later, a month later, 6 weeks and 8 weeks later. This is why I'm now looking into it for me.. I figure if he can improve so much and not know that he should be feeling better.. imagine what it can do for me! Good luck.