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Veterinary Acupuncture Traditional Chinese Medicine

Veterinary Acupuncture Traditional Chinese Medicine


Acupuncture is part of the traditional Chinese medical tradition. It seeks to balance the flow of energy through the body harmoniously. Disease is the result of blockages of the circulation of energy. Acupuncture addresses these blocks. Stimulating carefully selected points on any of the body's energy meridians stimulates energy flow.

Western Explanation
Stimulating the skin at certain points stimulates the nerves supplying that area. This induces biochemical and nervous changs in the spinal cord controlling that area, be it the hip or, say, the bladder.
 Veterinary Acupuncture Traditional Chinese Medicine

These immediate changes bring about more long-lasting changes in the neurotransmitter environment at that segment of the cord.

This changes the afferent was the spincal cord, a part of the brain, controls healing at that part of the body. Acupuncture points are chosen as they stimulate the cord in such a was to induce a healing response.

For Needle-shy Animals...

I use traditional acupuncture needles. For animals that are intolerant of needles I can use a handheld Photonic Therapy unit. It is a large pen-like instrument housing six focused LEDs to produce the therapeutic light stimulus - acupuncture without the needles! I find that horses, cats and dogs respond very well to this painless,s non penetrating method.

 Acupuncture needles in a hand

Needles

The needles I use are ultra-fine single use, sterile Japanese Acupuncture needles. As you can see on the photograph, they are only a hair's breadth wide, and yet are very strong, but flexible.

Treatments are 10-15 minutes while the needles remain in place in the skin. animals often feel very relaxed and sedated and will fall asleep!

Conditions I have treated using this method include:

Horses
Stiffness in neck, back or legs
Cold backed
Kissing Spines
Sinusitis - Nasal Discharge
Hip pain
Hock pain/Spavins
Stimulate wound healing
Lameness of unknown orign
Any chronic (long-standing) musculoskeletal problem
'Never lies down'
Chiropractic/Osteopathy won't hold 
 
Horses running  


A cat and dog togeather


Dogs
Neck, back, hip, stifle or elbow pain eg arthritis
Back problems in Dachsies
Incontinence in bitches
Lameness of unknown origin.
Any chronic (long-standing) musculoskeletal problem 

Lucy, a 4 year-old ex-greyhound, came to me with bad arthritis in her wrists on her front legs.

After four sessions of acupuncture (in which she just dozed off with the needles in as many do!) she was much much improved and could run and stop almost as normal.

Cats: Neck, back, hip, stifle or elbow pain eg arthritis, Incontinence, Lameness of unknown origin. Any chronic (long-standing) musculoskeletal problem
NB - Cats are often more tolerant of needling than you would imagine! 
 
Reproduced by kind permission of Nick Thompson BSc.(Hons), BVM&S, VetMFHom, MRCVS.
http://www.holisticvet.co.uk

 

 



Added on: 22/06/08. Views: 319

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