Acupuncture is a type of medicine that has been around for thousands of years. In human and veterinary medicine, it is used as an alternative method for treating chronic pain. This traditional Chinese medicine refers to the insertion of a tiny needle or thin piece of metal into pre-established points in the body. From a western viewpoint, acupuncture points correlate with areas where we have a bundle of vessels and nerves. The insertion of the needle often causes an increase in blood flow and the release of some anti-inflammatory mediators.

One of the most commonly diagnosed pet pathologies from a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) perspective is dampness accumulation in the body. This is true for both dogs and cats.

Acupuncture is a popular pain relief method used by millions of people. You may be familiar with it as a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Like the name implies, Traditional Chinese Medicine is a series of healing modalities that originated in China with roots that pre-date modern Western medicine.

If the thought of your pet sitting calmly while several tiny needles are inserted into various points on his body makes you scoff, think again. Veterinary acupuncture is an increasingly common treatment for a variety of canine and feline ailments, from chronic pain and inflammation to metabolic conditions like kidney disease.

In Western medicine, pain is defined as a complex phenomenon that includes both the sensation and the subsequent behaviors that occur as a response. In Eastern medicine, pain is the manifestation of stagnant Qi or blood. Essentially, it is energy that is caught in one area creating pain and loss of function. Longstanding stagnant energy eventually leads to permanent structural changes, such as arthritis.