Dogs have been our trusted friends for thousands of years, offering unwavering loyalty, unconditional love, and a special place in our hearts. Like us, our canine friends can experience health issues, and as responsible pet owners, we are always on the lookout for safe and effective ways to improve their well-being. Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been in practice for thousands of years and involves the insertion of needles into the skin along strategic points/areas of the body. Acupuncture is a holistic and increasingly popular approach that has shown promising results in addressing various health conditions and promoting overall health and wellness, as I can contest my own pug’s physical and mental health improvement with Acupuncture.
Being responsible pet owners, our first question would be, is Acupuncture safe for our beloved pets? Yes, if performed by a trained and certified veterinary acupuncturist. It can provide significant relief for dogs suffering from conditions such as Osteoarthritis, Skin allergies, Hip or elbow dysplasia, Spinal cord issues, Anxiety or other behavioral challenges, side effects from chemotherapy, etc. This is just a small list of conditions that may benefit from the introduction of acupuncture. If you believe your dog has a condition that could be helped with acupuncture, inquire with their veterinarian. Other potential benefits included but were not limited to an acupuncture session, decrease healing time, decreased inflammation, increased pain control, and increased mobility.
An acupuncture procedure is minimally invasive, and the needles used are extremely thin, causing minimal discomfort. During an Acupuncture session, the acupuncturist will conduct a thorough assessment of your pet's health and medical history. (“Benefits of Acupuncture for Anxiety and Depression”) They will identify the specific areas where the needles should be inserted, based on the dog's condition and TCM principles. The process is typically well-tolerated by dogs, with finding it relaxing and may even take a nap. My pug had five sessions until she was finally relaxed during the sessions and she would be very relaxed and take a nap. If you are curious about how many sessions are required for your pet, it would depend on a range of factors, including the nature of the condition your pet is being treated for and your pet's response to the treatment. While some dogs may experience immediate relief, others may require multiple sessions over weeks to achieve the desired results. An acupuncturist will collaborate with you to create a personalized treatment plan for your furry friend. A session can be done in a clinic or in the comfort of your home.
To start your pet in Acupuncture, one must seek and choose an Acupuncturist, who has completed additional certification and training in acupuncture, certifications, and accreditations, as well as positive reviews from other pet owners. A skilled professional will ensure that the treatment is administered safely and effectively. Afterall, the acupuncturist will be inserting needles into points along the body’s meridians. Meridians are pathways in which life energy, also known as chi, flows for balance of this energy. From a Western perspective, acupuncture needles are inserted into acupuncture points to stimulate nerves, connective tissue, and muscles. While there are varying approaches to acupuncture depending on the practitioner’s personal approach, the objectives remain the same, which is to stimulate the body’s natural healing ability, therefore promoting an increase in physical and mental well-being.
Curious to know if acupuncture is helping your beloved pet? After an acupuncture session, watch for changes in your dog’s daily routine: appetite (increasing and decreasing) many pets drink more water directly after a session, is your dog more mobile than before the session, the pet’s activity levels will increase as they feel better, and positive behavioral changes with increase comfortableness and decreased stress and pain, immune system boost making your pet less prone to illness/sickness, and digestive health with regulating the gastrointestinal system and restoring proper functions.
Acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular as a stand-alone modality or used in conjunction with more traditional treatments for a variety of ailments. Unfortunately, the cost may prohibit some pet parents from exploring this therapy for their pet, but thankfully more pet insurance companies are now covering this treatment. With fewer negative side effects, acupuncture should absolutely be explored for your pets, especially since acupuncture is a natural and complementary approach to conventional veterinarian care. The benefits of acupuncture from pain management to stress reduction, to improved mobility and enhanced overall pet health is unmeasurable.Pets have a way of touching our lives in a way that we cannot even imagine or put into words to let us give them the love and care they truly deserve by adding this ancient practice of acupuncture to their well-being regimen.
No comments:
Post a Comment