Acupuncture has been used on horses in ancient China. It is based on the philosophy that illness is caused by an imbalance of vital energies in the body. As an aspect of traditional Chinese medicine, it focuses on restoring the energy balance in the body and promoting healing. In modern times, it has been used increasingly on pets, including dogs.
Acupuncture stimulates specific points in the body. It aims to alter various biochemical and physiological conditions in order to achieve a healing effect. It is not always a cure for all, but it works well when used alone or in combination with other traditional veterinary treatments or rehabilitation. It is best considered collaborative and holistic for your dog.
The needle insertion relaxes muscles at the location and elsewhere in the body, so it relieves pain both locally and generally. By stimulating the release of naturally occurring pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory substances, acupuncture may decrease the number of pain medications needed to treat your dogs.
As with most medical practices, a combination of treatments often provides the best results. Fortunately, acupuncture and medical therapy can be safely used together, which is beneficial when neither method can provide the desired response alone.
The effects of acupuncture treatment are cumulative, so there is a benefit to repeated sessions. The goal is to achieve improvements and maintain that level with fewer treatments where possible. There are few side effects following acupuncture sessions, including soreness, stiffness, and tiredness. These symptoms usually disappeared after a day or two.