WHAT IS VETERINARY
ACUPUNCTURE?
Veterinary acupuncture has been used
to treat animals for nearly 4000 years in China. In
North America it has been used for decades in both large
and small animals. Acupuncture is one of a
variety of therapies a veterinarian may use to treat
your pet. Simply stated, acupuncture is the stimulation
of specific points on the body which have the ability
to alter various biochemical and physiological conditions
in order to achieve the desired effect. It is a means
of helping the body heal itself. Acupuncture is not
a cure-all, but where indicated it works well when used
alone or in combination with traditional veterinary
medicine.
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 HOW
DOES AUPUNCTURE WORK?
Ancient Chinese medical philosophy believes
that disease is a result of an imbalance of energy in
the body. Acupuncture is believed to balance this energy
and thereby assist the body in healing disease. In western
terms, acupuncture can assist the body’s efforts
to heal itself by causing certain physiological changes.
For example, acupuncture can stimulate nerves, increase
blood circulation, relieve muscle spasm, and cause the
release of hormones, such as endorphins (one of the
body’s pain control chemicals) or cortisol (a
natural steroid).
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WHAT ARE SOME
OT THE USES OF ACUPUNCTURE?
Acupuncture is known to have good therapeutic
effect in a wide variety of animal diseases. Pain modification
is an important application of veterinary acupuncture
but there are much wider applications. Examples of clinical
conditions where veterinary acupuncture may be used
are: gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory problems,
nerve dysfunction, urinary disorders, musculoskeletal
disorders, and skin problems.
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HOW LONG DO
ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS LAST?
 The
length and frequency of treatments depends upon the
problem and condition of the patient. Stimulation of
an individual acupuncture point may be for as little
as 10 seconds or as long as 20 minutes. Generally, acute
problems require less time and frequency of treatment.
For example, an acute sprain may require only one treatment,
whereas more sever or chronic ailments may need several,
or several dozen treatments. If multiple treatments
are necessary they are given 1-3 times per week for
2-6 weeks. A positive response is generally seen after
the first to third treatments. Once optimum response
is achieved (usually after 4-8 treatments), treatments
are tapered off so the greatest amount of symptom-free
time elapses between them.
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WHAT
ARE OUR CLIENTS SAYING ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE?
My dog, Ebony, will be 15 years old in February, 2005.
In the fall of 2003, he had a serious bout with hip
discomfort. Two weeks later, he slipped a disc in his
back. A short time after that, he was run over accidentally
by my snowmobile. It was a terrible time for him. I
thought he would never walk again on his own. I purchased
a doggie wheel chair and set about getting him used
to "walking" in it. It broke my heart to see
him struggling in his new found contraption.
Dr. Jean suggested that we try acupuncture. I was game
for anything. This dog has been a very faithful companion
to me for almost 15 years and I would do anything for
him. After two acupuncture treatments, he was walking
on his own. There was no more using the wheel chair,
no more using the sling I had rigged up for him, he
was walking entirely on his own. We continued the acupuncture
treatments and he kept getting better with every appointment.
I'm realistic and know that he will never be able to
run again like other dogs, partly because of his age,
partly because of his injuries to his hips. I'm happy
just to see the wheel chair hanging in the garage gathering
dust.
If somebody other than Dr. Jean would have told me about
acupuncture, I wouldn't have believed it. You can call
me a true believer now because I have literally seen
it with my own eyes. I now tell everyone with pet problems
similiar to Ebony's that they MUST try acupuncture.
Ebony has a treatment every 4 weeks now. It's been over
a year and he is doing great! Thank you, Dr. Jean!
- Dana & Ebony
We are the proud owners of five "pound dogs."
We feel "dumped-off" dogs give you the greatest
rewards. By giving these dogs a safe and secure home,
they respond with all the love and loyalty they have.
Our oldest is Bones. He is a German Shepherd mix that
we saved from the pound on the coldest week in January
of 1995. Dr. Jean says he is now about 16 years old.
Since the day we brought him home, he has been our watchdog
and devoted companion, never leaving our sight.
Last March, our eight-month-old puppy, Pepper, was playing
with "Grandpa" Bones. I assume Pepper got
too rowdy and left Bones unable to lift his head. We
knew he was in excruciating pain and progressively seemed
to get worse as the afternoon came. We took him to Grassland
Vet. Dr. Jean's examination indicated a neck injury
from age, arthritis and the roughhousing. She recommended
acupuncture treatments. In all honesty, I never thought
of giving acupuncture to an animal. My fear was we would
have to put Bones to sleep. Dr. Jean's compassion toward
Bones and her explanation of how and why the treatment
would help convinced Mike and I to try it with our old
boy.
The outcome was amazing! I truly am a "believer."
Within one treatment, we took Bones home and he was
back to an active behavior within a couple of hours.
Several more treatments and he was his old self again,
showing the puppy that he is the boss. With Bones' age
and arthritis, we have Dr. Jean provide him a treatment
every four to six weeks depending on weather and his
condition. On bad days I can see improvement within
a couple of hours of bringing him home. It works! Our
boy is proof, and for whatever time we have with him,
I appreciate Grassland Vet and the staff for their kindness
and concern with all my animals.
Truly, thank you.
Linda & Bones
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