Acupuncture may be defined as a stimulation of specific points on the body to produce a healing response. Each acupuncture point has specific actions when stimulated. It can also be used as preventative medicine. Acupuncture is used all around the world, either alone or in conjunction with Western medicine, to treat a wide variety of conditions in every species of animal. It can work very well when it is indicated.

You can read about how acupuncture saved Lucy's life here.

For Which Conditions Is Acupuncture Indicated?

Although most of animal health ailments treated with acupuncture are musculoskeletal conditions, its efficacy reaches beyond that treating infectious and non-infectious, and behavioural diseases. The following are some general conditions which may be treated with acupuncture:

Dr Giuliano Negrelli uses acupuncture in combination with orthodox veterinary medicine to facilitate the most effective treatment for your animal.

"Pain gating" as well as descending pain inhibition in the spinal cord and brain are involved in bringing pain relief to the patient and in chronic cases, decreasing the "wind-up" of pain. Acupuncture also stimulates the release of pain-relieving chemicals, namely endorphins, serotonin and noradrenalin, which aids in analgesia.

Conditions in dogs, cats and rabbits that may respond well to acupuncture:

• Back / neck pain
• Arthritic pains
• Muscle ligament sprains and strains
• Paralysis/ paresis: neurological conditions
• Facial Paralysis
• Traumatic Nerve Injury
• Urinary and faecal incontinence
• Certain skin conditions: acral lick granulomas, alopecia, atopy, otitis externa
• Chronic gastro-intestinal disease
• Stress related disorders: anxiety in dogs and cats. (In cats this could manifest in inappropriate urination, over-grooming and aggression)
• Auto-immune disease
• Rehabilitation after surgery (especially orthopaedic surgery).

Regular acupuncture can also help animals who are involved in any athletic endeavour by keeping their muscles, tendons and ligaments more resistant to injuries.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Stimulating acupuncture points can assist the body to heal itself by affecting certain physiological changes. For example, acupuncture can stimulate nerves, increase blood circulation, relieve muscle spasm, and cause the release of hormones, such as endorphins (one of the body’s pain control chemicals) and cortisol (a natural steroid). These points can be stimulated by many methods such as needling, acupressure, moxibustion, electro stimulation, gold beads, aquapuncture and laser.

Is Acupuncture Painful?

For small animals, the insertion of acupuncture needles is virtually painless. In all animals, once the needles are in place, there should be no pain. The needles used for acupuncture have a round point that separates the skin and muscle fibres, this is less painful than the cutting ac-tion of a hypodermic needle (e.g. injection needle). The skin is the most sensitive part and once through the skin, there is no pain in putting the needle deeper into the muscle.

Most animals become very relaxed and may even become sleepy. Nevertheless, acupuncture treatment may cause some sensation, presumed to be those such as tingles, cramps, or numbness which ca n occur in humans and which may be uncomfortable to some animals.

Is Acupuncture Safe For Animals?

Acupuncture is one of the safest forms of medical treatment for ani-mals when it is administered by a properly trained veterinarian. Side Effects are very rare.

The outcomes expected after your pet’s acupuncture treatment can be:

• No obvious change in the symptoms, but she/he may be brighter;
• Symptoms improvefor24-48 hours, then slowly worsen;
• Symptoms get worse for 12-24 hours, then improve rapidly.

Some animals become lethargic or sleepy after 24 hours. These effects are an indication that some physiological changes are developing, and they are most often followed by an improvement in the animal’s condition.

Animals which have a chronic condition will be more likely to need a longer treatment in comparison to one with an acute (sudden onset) illness. Acute conditions may be resolved with 1-3 treatments used daily. On other hand, chronic conditions may require several treatments at weekly intervals. The number and frequency of treatment is adjusted according to your pet’s needs.

In general, acupuncture can be effectively combined with most conventional and alternative therapies. Certified Acupuncture Veterinarians have the comprehensive training, knowledge and skill to under-stand the interaction between different forms of treatment and to interpret the patient’s response to therapy.

You can read about how acupuncture saved Lucy's life here.