Acupuncture for my Pet - Frequently asked questions by Pet-Parents : AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

•   Q.)   What is Veterinary Acupuncture ?
• Ans.)  Veterinary Acupuncture ( Latin : Acus - needle ; Punctura - penetrate) is a therapeutic technique based on needle insertion in specific points of animal s' body for the purpose of treating a disease, disease prevention or maintenance of health.

• Q.)      What Needles will be used & How are they different from the normal medical needles ?
• Ans.)   Acupuncture needles are specifically designed for the therapy, they are fine solid needles and they do not have a cutting edge, so it passes through the muscle fibres during the insertion and does not cut through them, hence does not cause equal amount of tissue trauma and thus cause minimal pain,close to painless.

• Q.)      I am worried about the Bio-safety ?
• Ans.)  Be rest assured, We maintain a high level of sterility. Acupuncture needles are sterile packed and are for single use. Needles once used will be disposed off and thus never be used again.

• Q.)  My Pet is currently under medical therapy, so can they receive Acupuncture session alongside ?
• Ans.) Yes,Your pet can receive an Acupuncture session. Acupuncture is not a total replacement, but a complement to the western medicine. We encourage Integrative Therapy, so that your Pet receives the best from both the sciences. However it is essential to mention the ongoing prescribed medications to the Acupuncturist. 

• Q.)     What are the conditions that can be treated by Acupuncture ?
• Ans.) Acupuncture has been known to work in numerous cases, Neurological disorders like Paralysis, Weakness in hindlegs etc. Orthopediac disorders like Arthritis. It is proved to work the best for Chronic Pain management too. Also the scope can be boradned by Integrating Acupuncture into the conventional medicine and can give faster results in other disorders too.
  URL : Conditions That Acupuncture Can Help

• Q.)      Is it safe ? Are there any side effects ?
• Ans.)   Yes, Acupuncture is one of the safest therapies. The only adverse effect that can be observed is your pet will be relaxed and can be very sleepy for about 48 hours after the 1st Acupuncture session. It is considered a favorable response in the healing process. These symptoms disappear on their own without any intervention. 

• Q.)     Can my pet tolerate the needling ?
• Ans.) Ofcourse, In my experience, most of them love getting an Acupuncture treatment, there may be a brief sensitivity while the needle passes the skin and enters the Acu-point ( De-Qi response) which is a favorable response . But later,they relax and most of them fall asleep during the session.

• Q.)       Will my pet need to be strongly restrained during the procedure ?
• Ans.)    No, The pets are allowed to relax during the treatment and needling can be done without any strong physical restraining . They can relax with you being in your pets vicinity when the treatment is performed. A few animals which are new to the needling experience may need a muzzle so that the treatment can go on peacefully. 

• Q.)      Will the Acupuncture session be only with the solid needles ?
• Ans.)   Your Acupuncturist will select the type of stimulation needed, he may use either or a combination of Electro-acupuncture, Aqua-puncture, Haemoacupuncture, Moxibustion, Pneuoacupuncture, Laser-puncture to enhance the effect of the session.

• Q. )     How long will an Acupuncture Session last ?
• Ans.)   An Acupuncture session can last from 15 minutes to 45 minutes depending on the condition and the method employed.

• Q.)      How often will my pet be treated ?
• Ans.)  Your pet may be treated once or twice a week in majority of the cases .

• Q.)     How many sessions will be needed ?
• Ans.)  Acupuncture is based on a science, so it is totally dependent on the case, the severity and how long is the disease going on for. No two cases can be compared as the Pathophysiology of the disease differs and Acupuncture therapy is "Tailor Made" for each and every individual pet. Acupuncture works on your body's response to the treatment,so it is a very individual based response. Some respond faster, some take longer. However as per our experience on an average you would require atleast 6 sessions to see a favorable response The Acupuncturist may be able to tell it to you when he examines the case.

• Q.)      Can I perform Acupuncture on my pet ?
• Ans.)   I'm sorry to say, but Acupuncture can be performed only by a trained Veterinary Acupuncturist. According to the law, Your Veterinary Acupuncturist should have formal training in the practice of acupuncture for animals.

• Q.)   But I want to be an active participant in helping my pet recover what can I do as an owner ?
• Ans.)  Your Acupuncturist can teach you some basic Acupressure techniques and a few physical exercises that you can easily perform at home and thus get a better and faster result. Implementation of diet plans,if recommended.

• Q.)  How can I assure I play my part in helping my Pet get better ?
• Ans.) This would probably be the most important part . When pets suffer from Neurological dysfunctions like Paralysis or some senior patients often loose control over urine and stools. They are unable to get up or walk. That is the time when they require most of your attention. Acupuncture would be a weekly or twice a week therapy. But the pet-parents need to take this in mind that the real care is to be taken by them during the rest of the week.

I've tried to put up most of the commonly asked questions, if you have any more questions, you can post a question as a comment below or feel free to send your queries to  

 AcuMedvets

I would be glad to answer them.

HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK ? - Scientific Basis Of Acupuncture : AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

Perhaps the most commonly asked question Acupuncturist have to face...

"How does Acupuncture Work " . Here I try to explain the Scientific Basis of Acupuncture.

Modern experiments have shown that Acupuncture points occur where nerves penetrate tissue planes or where nerves, themselves divide. 

There are 4 major types of Acupuncture points.

1. Type - I (motor) points are most points are most common and exist where Nerves penetrate muscles.
2. Type - II points are located where Nerves  intersect on the dorsal and ventral midlines of the body.
3. Type - III points are located where superficial nerves branch.
4. Type - IV points are located where nerves penetrate tendons ( Golgi Tendon Organ)

Most Acupuncture points are located at areas of low electrical resistance and high electrical conductance of the skin.  Deep into the point,there are accumulations of free nerve endings, small arterioles,veins,lymphatics and tissue mast cells. 

LOCAL EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE :

When a needle is placed in an Acupuncture point , there is local tissue micro-trauma which activates Hageman s' tissue factor XII. This inturn results in the activation of local coagulation cascade and the complement cascade, leading to the production of plasminogen , protein kinins and prostaglandins . Further the trauma causes mast cell degranulation which releases histamine,heparin, proteases and bradykinin. 

Thus the local effect of Acupuncture involves in setting up a micro inflammatory process which results in increased tissue blood perfusion , increased immune responsiveness, relaxation of muscles and tissues in the area. To sum it up this pic explains how local effects of Acupuncture needle insertion.

SEGMENTAL AND SUPRASEGMENTAL RESPONSES :

PAIN MANAGEMENT : Acute pain is mediated by A delta fibers which are myelinated and are fast conducting, in muscles they are categorized as Type II & Type III fibers. The purpose of these fibers is to signal potential or actual tissue damage. Where as C fibers are unmyelinated and slow conducting . C fibers conduct chronic pain.

When an Acupuncture point is stimulated , as discussed above it sets up a same response the same response in the brain and body that would be stimulated by a potential or actual tissue damage without that damage actually occurs , because this potential damage is more important to the body than the pain from the chronic condition, the acupuncture stimulus from A delta fibers get a priority in terms of recognition . A delta fibers stimulated by needle activate the interneurons in the dorsal horn that produce Enkephalins. These Enkephalins are inhibitory to any C fiber activity going on in the same dorsal horn. Thus C fiber pain is "switched off" or more accurately its impulse importance is decreased thus controlling Pain at the level of the Spinal Cord.

EFFECTS BEYOND THE DORSAL HORN OF THE SPINAL CORD : After synapsing in the dorsal horn, A delta fiber transmission continues upto the spinaothalamic tracts to the BRAIN. Various interactions at this level stimulate release of the following neurotransmitters.

1. Beta Endorphin from Peri Aquaductal Grey 
2. Nor-Adrenaline indirectly from the gigantocellular reticular region.
3. Serotonin from the raphae nucleus magnus of the Medulla Oblongata..
4. Oxytocin from Vagal Nucleii and Adernocorticotrophic Hormone from the pitutary gland.

Some of these neurotransmitter act humerally , some via descending inhibitory control system. These systems 'damp down' the pain perception at every spinal segment by inhibiting the transmission of painful stimulii by various mechanisms. Serotonin and Nor-Adrenaline are involved with and potentiate the effects of descending  inhibitory control and thus inhibiting pain.

EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE :

In an experiment using Manganese enhanced Functional MRI (f-MRI) visual effects were seen  in human and animal neural tissues.

above pic : fig A : Baseline ;
                  fig B : Mannitol Infusion
                  fig C : Manganese infusion
                  fig D : After Electro-Stimulation of an Acupuncture point GB-34.


ACTIVATION OF CORTEX IS ACUPUNCTURE SITE SPECIFIC

                                           

Stimulation of different Acupuncture points activates different areas in the cortex.

ANALGESIC V/S NON ANALGESIC ACUPUNCTURE POINTS :

In a separate study Analgesic acupuncture points were compared to the non analgesic points .

• Analgesic acupuncture points altered Brain regions involved in pain modulation like Peri Aquaductal grey, Hypothalamus and Thalamus.
• Non- analgesic points did not activate the same areas

 A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT ACUPUNCTURE WORKS ONLY IN PAIN CONTROL IS NOT TRUE AS NUMEROUS RESEARCHES HAVE PROVED THE NON-ANALGESIC PROPERTIES OF ACUPUNCTURE  & ON THE CONTRARY TO  A FEW MYTHS THAT ACUPUNCTURE IS NOTHING MERELY BUT A PLACEBO HAS BEEN PROVED WRONG BY THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO PLACEBO IN ANIMALS. 

 NON ANALGESIC PROPERTIES OF ACUPUNCTURE : 

There have been several researches to demonstrate the non analgesic properties of Acupuncture . I have listed a few,

1. The Acupuncture point Pericardium-6 (PC-6) is well known for its anti-nausea effects and has been shown to be helpful in controlling postoperative and postchemotherapy nausea in human. A new research showed it resulted in decrease in lipid peroxidation of the heart and increase in coronary flow and stabilization of cardiac rhythm.
2. Governing Vessel-26 (GV-26) when rapidly manipulated results in release in Epinephrine,which results in revival of a patient. In an experiment in a group of dogs with Hyopvolemic shock 75 % of the dogs who received stimulation of GV-26 acupoint survived compared to 100% mortality in the control group.
3. Speeds recovery from Paralytic stroke as acupuncture provides an enriched sensory environment and has been showed that animals that receive Western medicines along with Acupuncture have a better recovery than those who receive only Western Medicine .
4. Autonomic modulation in Detrusor muscle inability in human, Acupuncture was shown to have the same effect as the standard treatment drug ,Oxybutinin.
5. Governing Vessel-14 (GV-14), LI-11 have shown to have a role in Immunomodulation .
6. Promotes Wound healing by second intention to speed up Acral Lick lesions and to improve healing of ulcers.
7. Management of Behavioural problems by release of neurotransmitters Serotonin and Nor-Adrenaline.
8. DERMATOLOGY PROBLEM management by reducing Pruritis as "ITCH" is caused by C-fiber stimulation and inhibition of C-fiber thus prevents self-mutilation in addition to the immunomodulatory effects promote faster recovery.
9. Governing Vessel-4 (GV-4) has shown to have an effect on the delayed Hypersensitivity reaction by a mechanism involving release of Opoids.

CONCLUSION : The effects of Acupuncture cannot be explained by a single mechanism. What starts as a Local event spreads by the nervous system to affect most of the body . Ultimately the Nervous system effects create changes in the Endocrine system and Immune-System. While the knowledge and the theory behind application of Acupuncture in a clinical setting may be derived from antiquity , it has been modified and improved over the years.

The Western Veterinary Medicine & the Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine have their own strengths and weakness . However they can be successfully Integrated so as to Multiply their strengths and Divide their weakness.  

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE CAN BE THE FUTURE OF VETERINARY SCIENCES .

"A MIND THAT OPENS TO NEW IDEAS, NEVER RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL SIZE " 

                               - Albert Einstein

Introduction To Veterinary Acupuncture : AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

Veterinary Acupuncture ( Latin : Acus - needle ; Punctura - penetrate) is a therapeutic technique based on needle insertion in specific points of animal s' body for the purpose of treating a disease, disease prevention or maintenance of health.

Acupuncture points can be stimulated by Dry needles (conventional acupuncture ), electro-acupuncture, aqua-puncture, haemoacupuncture, moxibustion, laser-puncture and pneumoacupuncture.

 Acupuncture for your pet can be performed by any qualified Veterinary Acupuncturist .

Acupuncture is an established and a scientific based medicine. In 1979 WHO declares "Acupuncture must be considered as a clinical procedure of substantial value " . There are over 300 scientific articles on clinical application of Veterinary Acupuncture published in Pubmed.

Mechanisms of Acupuncture or How Acupuncture works can be explained by various theories :

Acupuncture is very closely related to neuro-physiology as the points are located on nerve bundles, nerves emerging through deep fascia, perivascular plexus of nervi vasorum, motor points of muscles , myofascial trigger points or nerves in ligaments and joint capsules.

Acupuncture points also represents regions of low electrical resistance and high electrical conductance

In simple version 

• Acupuncture stimulates the Central Nervous System to release specific neurotransmitters & opoids  that reduces sensitivity to pain.
• Acupuncture causes afferent nerve stimulation,vasodialation & blood vessel proliferation locally.
• Acupuncture causes increased Endorphin levels in the body and focuses them on desired parts ( via acupuncture meridians) which inturn reduces the inflammation that can cause , or be as a result of, pain.
• Acupuncture is shown to improve per fusion of blood supply to organs and each internal organ is supplied by the spinal nerves. Thus by selecting a specific set of acupuncture points over-activity or under-activity internal organs can be addressed to ,which explains of of the ways of how acupuncture can be used for treating other systems too.

INDICATIONS OF ACUPUNCTURE :

Acupuncture works well when combined with other principles of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) and its indications can be broadened and even more disorders can be treated effectively when Integrated with the Conventional Western Medical Therapy. 

Acupuncture works well in most of the Chronic disease pathology.

Most commonly treated disorders are :

• MUSCULOSKELETAL : Pain management in most of the disorders, Arthritis/Arthrosis, Sprains, Strains,contracture of muscles & 'Management' of Degenerative joint diseases, Hip dysplasia, spondylosis and cauda-equina syndrome.

• NEUROLOGICAL : Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) , Paresis , Paralysis,Spinal and peripheral nerve disorders, Management of Epilepsy & Vestibular disease , 

• GASTROINTESTINAL : Chronic vomition, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Megacolon, and Management of Obesity.

• REPRODUCTIVE : Retained Placenta, Induction of Labour, Retained cysts or corpus leuteum .

• DERMATOLOGY : Chronic Dermatitis , Lick Granuloma, Management of Allergies.

• RESPIRATORY : Management of Asthama,Chronic Sinusitis.

• Immunomodulation & Management of Side effects of Chemotherapy .

• Chronic and Recurrent Ootitis .

• Speeding up Rehabilitation process & improving Joint Mobility & Range of Motion after Orthopaedic surguries.

• Management of certain Behavioural Disorders like Insomnia, Anxiety.

• Improving life quality in Geriatric Animals

• Improving Performance in Sport Animals.

• Can be a used in conjunction of Western Medications for Management Of Chronic Renal Failure

Summary : Acupuncture was developed about 2000 years ago, so the indication for conditions that can be treated cannot be translated exactly to the modern disease terminologies. 

So always tell your Acupuncturist about your pets disorder, 

You never know, We might be able to Help !