What is dog acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the practice of putting very small needles in certain spots of the body to stimulate a response from the body, so chemicals and pain control and nerve stimulation.
Dr. Rebecca McIntosh
Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital
Is there more than one type of dog acupuncture?
Yes, there is acupuncture where we just do dry needling. There is electro-acupuncture where we're actually stimulating nerves and stimulating the area that we're doing, almost like using a TENS unit on the areas that you're doing acupuncture on.
How does the use of acupuncture impact the health and well-being of your dog?
Usually we're trying to treat a problem. If we're treating a problem that is painful or we're treating a condition that is a chronic arthritis condition, it can significantly improve the ability of medications to help. It can significantly improve the quality of life and sometimes extend the life of some of these kiddos that have some problems that we're trying to treat.
How old does your dog need to be to receive acupuncture?
Depends on the problem. We've certainly used acupuncture on puppies for certain acute problems. There's not an age cutoff necessarily, but most of the patients that I see are somewhere between 2 and 14 years old.
What are some conditions that would benefit your dog by receiving acupuncture treatments?
Arthritis and neurologic problems. If you have a kiddo who is having a chronic internal organ situation, it is a tool in the toolbox that we can use in addition to medications that can help us improve the situation.
Would acupuncture complement my dog's current treatments?
It can, depending on the problem.
How can dog acupuncture be integrated with Western medicine?
Western medicine is medications and physical exams and things like that. Chinese medicine is where acupuncture stems from. The acupuncture that I use is integrated with Western medicine. I do not do Chinese medicine, so we are actually using the Western version of acupuncture when I'm doing acupuncture on patients.
How will a veterinarian determine if acupuncture is right for my dog?
Doing an exam and finding out what's wrong with your dog and deciding on whether or not that can be treated with acupuncture is the result of a consult that we do here. We look at what else the dog is on. We look at your dog's medical records. We do a physical exam and then we determine whether or not acupuncture would be a good tool to use in addition to what they're already taking.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (407) 896-0941, or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media Facebook, Instagram
Dog Acupuncture - FAQs 1
Dr. Rebecca McIntosh
Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital
How do I know if acupuncture is a viable option for my dog?
After we've done a physical exam and a consult and talked to you about your animal's issue, we can decide whether or not acupuncture will be part of their treatment plan.
Does acupuncture work for dogs?
Yes, it does. Depending on what you're treating, acupuncture has been shown in lots of studies and certainly personal experience to improve the quality of life in dogs and improve some of the situations that they have.
Is there more than one type of acupuncture?
There are a couple of different types of acupuncture. There's Western and Chinese medicine. I do the Western version. It is basically getting to the same places by using a different road. So it's using needles to stimulate particular points of the body and stimulate the body's response.
Is acupuncture painful?
If you've got a dog who has a painful situation, we try to use acupuncture to reduce pain. Depending on where you're needling and how big your needles are, they can feel a little pinprick. Most of the time, dogs tolerate it pretty well.
Can acupuncture be used with other types of veterinary medicine?
Yes, absolutely. Acupuncture is part of the toolbox that we have to use when we're talking about medications and when we're talking about a treatment plan. We can use acupuncture in certain situations to help improve a problem, help improve clinical signs of an animal who is having an issue.
Is acupuncture safe for my dog?
Yes, acupuncture is pretty safe. We don't see a lot of side effects and for the most part, while they're here in the hospital receiving an acupuncture session, they're with the doctor, they're with their owners, and they tolerate it very well.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (407) 896-0941, or you can email us at [email protected].
But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media Facebook, Instagram
Dog Acupuncture - FAQs 2
Dr. Rebecca McIntosh
Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital
What conditions can be managed with veterinary acupuncture?
There are a lot of things we can do with acupuncture depending on what problem your dog has. We treat a lot of painful conditions, neurologic conditions, and arthritis, and there are some chronic like kidney problems and liver problems. There are a lot of different points that can do a lot of different things. So it really depends on what's going on with your dog.
How many acupuncture treatments will my dog need?
It depends on what your dog's problem is. In some situations, we have used four or five sessions of acupuncture and fixed a problem, and in some situations, they are chronically on it as long as they need to be. So sometimes it's months, sometimes it's years.
Can acupuncture mke my dog worse?
It depends on what's going on with your dog. In the first 24 hours, sometimes you will see a little bit of lethargy if you have a painful dog. Sometimes they will act a little bit more painful in that first day, but after that you should start seeing an improvement.
Can acupuncture reduce my dog's need for medication?
It can. When we use acupuncture, we use it in combination with medications and with Western medicine and your physical exam and your doctor's recommendations to be able to use it as an adjunct therapy, just like physical therapy in people, to be able to help with a particular problem in a dog.
Can acupuncture reduce stress in dogs?
It can, usually depending on what your stressful situation is related to. Acupuncture, in general, is not something that I use by itself in stressed-out animals, but while they're having acupuncture done, we do use a few points that are specifically for stress to help relax a dog while they're getting acupuncture.
Can acupuncture be used to treat behavioral problems in dogs?
It can in certain situations. Usually, we would use this and other therapies as well.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (407) 896-0941, or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media Facebook, Instagram
Dog Acupuncture - FAQs 3
Dr. Rebecca McIntosh
Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital
How do I prepare my dog for their acupuncture treatment?
There isn't much preparation needed. If your dog tends to be nervous at the vet, we might discuss pre-medications. If your dog experiences pain in a specific area, we may recommend pain medication before and/or after the session. However, generally, there's not much you need to do to prepare your dog for the appointment.
What will an acupuncture session look like for my dog and how long will it take?
Typically, appointments last about an hour. During this time, we assess your dog's condition and place the needles. Your dog will sit with the needles for a while, and we'll set a timer. The session's duration depends on how well your dog tolerates the procedure.
Will my dog tolerate acupuncture?
Most of our patients tolerate acupuncture well. We've noticed that more dogs are able to sit still with their needles in than those who can't.
How soon will my dog receive results from an acupuncture treatment?
The results depend on the problem we're treating with acupuncture. The issue your dog is facing will determine whether acupuncture will help and how long it will take to see results.
What can I expect after I bring my dog home from an acupuncture treatment?
Your dog may be a bit lethargic for the first 24 hours. Minor bleeding from the acupuncture sites can occur, but generally, they behave normally at home. If we're treating a pain condition, they might experience more pain in the first 24 hours, but it usually subsides after that.
How effective is canine acupuncture?
The effectiveness of veterinary acupuncture depends on the problem being treated. In cases of neurological conditions, we've seen great success.
What are the side effects of veterinary acupuncture?
Since acupuncture is a physical therapy, there aren't many side effects. Most of our patients do quite well and we don't observe many side effects.
Are there any risks from canine acupuncture?
The risks depend on the problem being treated and the veterinary professional you're consulting. But generally, dogs tolerate acupuncture well.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (407) 896-0941, or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media Facebook, Instagram