ACUPUNCTURE
Beginning in 2020, Country Club Animal Clinic offers acupuncture treatment for pets for a variety of conditions. Acupuncture is the ancient practice of benefiting the body’s ability to heal itself, through the application of tiny needles in precise locations.
Dr Roberts completed her training in February through IVAS – the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. She will be pursuing final certification this year by completing a publication-style case report. Dr Hall studied at Curacore – a “western” acupuncture school based in Colorado. With two veterinarians offering the service, we can now schedule acupuncture treatments two days a week.
Acupuncture is one of several components of so-called “Traditional Chinese (Veterinary) Medicine” (TCVM). But there is now considerable scientific understanding of how the practice works. In addition to being used for our regular patients, acupuncture may be incorporated into a general rehabilitation program or as part of a therapy regimen for cancer patients and post-surgical pets.
It’s important to recognize that acupuncture is an additional modality, not a substitute for good diagnostics or “western” medicine. The practice was developed over thousands of years, in China and other regions of the world – incorporating new knowledge and spinning off a range of styles and theories over time. Without a doubt, had modern x-rays and lab testing been available in ancient China, they would have been put to use! But we also honor the brilliant observational skills of early practitioners who recognized how the body responds to certain types of touch and needling. It is our intention to incorporate acupuncture into our existing menu of available ways to help our pet patients.
Acupuncture is very safe; side effects are rare in pets and are mostly limited to mild local discomfort.
Conditions that may respond favorably to acupuncture include:
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