Dedham Veterinary Associates

DVA 326 Bridge Street * Dedham, MA 02026 * 781.326.2800

What is Acupuncture?

For more than 3,000 years, the Chinese have known that by stimulating superficial points along the body, they could help the body regain harmony, provide comfort as well as manage pain. Acupuncture is the ancient practice of insertion of very small needles in the skin to stimulate flow of blood to an associated organ or nearby anatomical structure.

What is the mechanism of action?

Thanks to research, we now know that acupuncture helps to not only increase blood circulation at the location where the needle is inserted; but it has also been shown that nerves along the acupuncture points are stimulated resulting in a cascade of events that leads to stimulation of natural pain killers or endorphins, anti-inflammatory mediators, and hormone and temperature regulators. Because some of these acupuncture points have been associated with particular internal organs, namely, liver, lungs, stomach, intestines and kidney, it is believed that by stimulating these particular points, diseases affecting a specific organ may be more effectively controlled with the support of acupuncture.

What are the uses of acupuncture in Veterinary Medicine?

Acupuncture can be used to help improve the function of any one of the internal organs. It can also act locally at particular anatomical locations such as joints or bony protuberances. The most common uses of acupuncture are as follows:

Pain control: Arthritic pain caused by degenerative joint disease, post surgical pain management (including spay and neuter), traumatic injuries or chronic pain from diseases such as cancer.
Vomiting (including motion sickness and nausea associated with general anesthesia or chemotherapy)
Gastrointestinal disease: Diarrhea or constipation
Ear disease
Seizures
Kidney disease

Will my pet be cured after being treated with acupuncture?

Acupuncture will not cure cancer, arthritis, kidney disease or seizures. The principal of acupuncture is to help the body regain its balance and therefore help alleviate the signs or symptoms of these diseases. Acupuncture is used as a complimentary therapy with modern veterinary medicine. Rarely do we recommend acupuncture as a sole therapy.

Is acupuncture painful?

An initial sting might be felt especially if the point is sore. In most cases, the discomfort will not last more than a couple of seconds. If the pet does not tolerate the needle at a particular point, alternative points may be used. To ensure that your pet enjoy the acupuncture treatment, we will avoid any point that appears to make your pet uncomfortable.

What should I expect after my pet’s acupuncture treatment?

You might start seeing a positive change in your pet even after the first session. On some occasions, animals might appear tired following an acupuncture session, but that should disappear with successive treatment. A level of relaxation is desired during and after the acupuncture treatment. Observe for pet at home for improving in sleeping patterns, reduced restlessness at night and overall anxiety.

Can acupuncture hurt my pet in any way?

NO, acupuncture should not hurt! Your pet will undergo a thorough physical examination during his/her first visit. This will help determine if your pet is a candidate for acupuncture. Severely debilitated animals should be treated with caution.

A small, local inflammation or bruise may occur at the place were the needle is placed. On rare occasions, the pet might get a rash or infection locally at the point. Please call our office if this occurs. If your pet has an unrelated skin infection, the area will be avoided when performing acupuncture.

Acupuncture should and will be used with caution on pregnant animals because it may induce labor. Please tell your veterinarian if your pet may be pregnant.

When is acupuncture not recommended?

It is not recommended on severely ill, debilitated animals, or animals that are currently on steroids. The latter is due to the fact that steroids will interfere with the acupuncture treatment. Talk to your veterinarian if your pet is on Prednisone/Prednisolone, Dexamethasone or Depomedrol injections.

How should I schedule my pet’s acupuncture sessions?

We recommend that you and your pet commit at least to 4-6 consecutive appointments in order to start seeing results. The first appointment should be one hour long with consecutive appointments averaging 30 minutes. On the first visit, we gather all the information related to your pet and do a thorough physical examination which will help us obtain both a Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis. Based on the diagnosis, we will design a personalized treatment that may vary slightly from appointment to appointment. Appointments should be one week apart unless suggested otherwise by the doctor. The actual acupuncture treatment will not last more than 20 minutes.

We sincerely hope your pet will enjoy his/her acupuncture treatment and will be looking forward to the experience week after week. If you have any other questions or concerns please call Dr. Sandra Silva- Arrieta, Certified eligible in Veterinary Acupuncture and member of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

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