What is dog acupuncture?
Dog acupuncture is, essentially, a simple procedure where we insert needles into specific points on the pet to help relieve things, including pain, muscle soreness, nerve issues, and other issues.
Patricia Wilfert
Haywood Animal Hospital
How does the use of acupuncture impact the health and wellbeing of your dog?
The use of acupuncture can definitely improve the pet's overall health by improving pain that they might be having from things like arthritis or disc disease, as well as improving the flow of blood and other things.
How old does your dog need to be to receive acupuncture?
Pets can be of any age to receive acupuncture. As early as young as a puppy, I've done pets as old as 18 or 19 years old.
What are some conditions that would benefit your dog by receiving acupuncture treatments?
Some of the best conditions I've treated include arthritis. It really can help these guys' disc disease, a back issue where the disc is not working right. It can also improve kidney function in cats and dogs and help the pet feel better overall.
How can dog acupuncture be integrated with western medicine?
I find it very beneficial with dogs, especially in things like arthritis, where they are using a lot of meds but not getting good control of arthritis. I like to use acupuncture in those cases where we can maybe reduce pain meds. We can still find it helpful in many other conditions as well.
How will a veterinarian determine if acupuncture is right for my dog?
You'll come to your veterinarian, and we'll do a full physical exam, looking for certain issues, discuss the history, and then determine if we both feel it is right for your pet.
Dog Acupuncture - FAQs
Patricia Wilfert
Haywood Animal Hospital
What do I need to do to prepare my dog for acupuncture treatment?
There really isn't much to prepare for. In fact, I tell owners to try not to stress out. I feel like owners sometimes worry more about it, but they just need to come in as a normal exam.
What will an acupuncture session be like for my dog, and how long will it last?
It really depends. Usually, the first session lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. After that, subsequent sessions will last anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes or so.
Will my dog tolerate acupuncture?
Most dogs tolerate it very well. As you can see here with my friend Hallie, it's just a simple stick with the needle that I put into a specific spot. Some dogs may be a little more nervous. There are even some biting dogs, and I've had to occasionally use a muzzle. We sometimes use treats as a distraction too. There are some dogs who do not tolerate it very well. I've found one or two, but 90% of my pets love acupuncture and even sometimes fall asleep during acupuncture.
How soon will my dog experience results from an acupuncture treatment?
I tell my clients that I don't expect to see results for at least a minimum of three to five sessions. However, some clients do notice that after one session, they see significant results.
What can I expect after taking my dog home from an acupuncture treatment?
Most of the time, they're not much different if not feeling better. Sometimes, on the first exam, they may feel sorer or be more tired for the first 24 hours. That can be expected because, a lot of times, we are loosening up very tight muscles. It's almost like your muscles might be a little sore after you get a really good massage.
How effective is veterinary acupuncture?
Veterinary acupuncture can be very effective for certain conditions, such as arthritis or back issues due to disc disease.
What are the side effects of veterinary acupuncture?
There are very few side effects, but as I mentioned, sometimes they're more sleepy, and sometimes they're sore. Every now and then, we might find a dog that reacts to these needles. Sometimes it's the coating on the needles they react to, so then we just have to switch to a different needle. Some bumps will eventually resolve.
Are there any risks associated with veterinary acupuncture?
If you're doing acupuncture correctly, there are very few risks. As I said, the worst-case scenario is a minor skin issue. There have been some reports, but those are usually because of more aggressive needles being used and things like that.
Dog Acupuncture - FAQs 2
Patricia Wilfert
Haywood Animal Hospital
How do I know if acupuncture is a viable option for my dog?
The best way to know is to visit our veterinarian who does the acupuncture, which is me. I will review a full physical exam, look at the history, and talk to you about how this might benefit your pet.
Does acupuncture work for dogs?
Acupuncture can work very well for our dogs. I've seen it be very beneficial for dogs, especially in arthritis cases, back issues, and even some chronic renal cases.
Is there more than one type of acupuncture?
There are three different schools of training for acupuncture. Essentially, though, they are all based on Chinese traditional medicine. They all work, just in different ways.
Is acupuncture painful?
Acupuncture is not painful, or at least we try not to make it painful. A lot of times, if I find a painful area that the pet is sensitive to, I remove that needle to ensure the pet is comfortable. For instance, here's my own dog, and this is the needle. It will simply insert the needle into the pet, push it in, give a little spin to attach to the muscle, and then look. You can see she didn't even flinch.
Can acupuncture be used with other types of veterinary medicine?
Yes. I love to use acupuncture in conjunction with medical therapy for things like disc issues, arthritis, kidney issues, and even lymph issues.
Is acupuncture safe for my dog?
Acupuncture's extremely safe. We don't find a lot of side effects. The worst-case scenario we've seen is some small reactions to the needle, and then we usually just change up the needle if that's the case.
Dog Acupuncture - FAQs 3
Patricia Wilfert
Haywood Animal Hospital
What conditions can be managed with veterinary acupuncture?
A lot of conditions can be managed. The biggest one that I do a lot of is arthritis. We do a lot of acupuncture for arthritis, as well as back and disc issues. We also can do it for some skin issues and some chronic kidney diseases. There are many different aspects to it.
How many acupuncture treatments will my dog need?
It really varies depending on the pet. Depending on what's going on, we may need to see him more frequently, and then we usually recommend at least a minimum of three to five sessions to see if it's even improving the pet.
Can acupuncture make my dog worse?
Occasionally I will see a dog for the first acupuncture session to be a little sorer and a little more tired after the first session. That usually goes back to normal, and then after that, we don't see that again. But usually, it does not make the condition worse.
Can acupuncture reduce my dog's need for medication?
Yes, sometimes it can. I've had several arthritic pets that we are able to reduce their medication. Sometimes we can't, but at least it's a good conjunction with the medication we are using.
Can acupuncture help a dog with asthma, arthritis, chronic kidney disease, or other conditions?
Sometimes, yes. I can't guarantee it will help everything, but I find the best success is with chronic arthritis, disc disease, and renal disease. Sometimes we can see improvement with asthma, skin issues, and mild anxiety.
Can acupuncture reduce stress in dogs?
It can reduce stress for short periods of time, but not enough that I feel like that's the only thing. We do need medications a lot more for these guys.
Can acupuncture be used to treat behavioral problems in dogs?
I find that acupuncture doesn't work as well for behavioral issues because we need to do a lot of training. It may decrease some of their stress, but most of the behavior issues we find need a combination of medicine and training.
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