How Acupuncture Can Help Pets with Arthritis
Arthritis afflicts the joints of both humans and animals alike. In pets, the most common form is osteoarthritis, which arises when the cartilage cushioning the joints erodes over time. This causes pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility in the affected joints. As our furry friends age, arthritis increasingly hinders their frisky nature. By age 8, approximately 80% of dogs suffer some degree of arthritis!
Seeing our pets struggle with arthritis is heart wrenching. Rising from rest is agonizing. Stairs seem insurmountable. Exercise leads to limping. We notice them licking tender joints or favoring a leg. These changes seriously diminish their quality of life. Luckily, we can ease their discomfort through integrative treatments like acupuncture.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture originated in ancient China over 2,500 years ago as a keystone of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It entails inserting ultra-thin needles into specific points on the body. These acupuncture points overlay junctures of nerves, muscles, and connective tissue.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
While research continues unraveling acupuncture’s mechanisms, it appears to help in several ways:
Releases pain relieving endorphins
Improves circulation
Reduces inflammation
Activates the body's natural healing abilities
Numerous studies confirm acupuncture effectively alleviates pain and restores mobility in arthritic joints. It furnishes a natural, non-pharmaceutical solution for this chronic affliction.
Acupuncture for Arthritic Pets
Veterinary acupuncture begins with a thorough physical exam, medical history, and assessment of pain levels and joint mobility. This enables customizing the acupuncture points for each patient’s needs.
During treatment, pets rest comfortably while needles are swiftly inserted around painful joints, along the spine, and in the limbs. Sessions last 15-30 minutes. Dr. Bhatt periodically checks for relaxation and gently twists select needles to enhance the therapy.
Pet parents notice gradual improvements in mobility and activity tolerance. Consistency is key. Over time, treatments improve strength and function in damaged limbs. Dogs eventually enjoy longer walks, bounding and jumping. Cats rediscover their ability to pounce and climb. Alongside other arthritis care, acupuncture sustains comfort and motion.
What do veterinary experts say?
The American Veterinary Medical Association endorses acupuncture as a valid complement to animal care. Veterinarians report excellent results:
“I’ve seen outstanding outcomes using acupuncture to treat dogs with hind limb weakness and pain from arthritis and disk disease. Mobility and attitude often improve dramatically after just a few treatments.” – Dr. Lisa Parsons, DVM
“For pets with advanced arthritis, acupuncture grants pain relief and renewed mobility when other options are exhausted. It gifts precious quality of life.” – Dr. Danielle Schaffer, DVM
“In my practice, acupuncture has been highly effective for chronic musculoskeletal pain and injuries. Pets commonly show pain relief after their inaugural treatment. I passionately recommend this secure therapy.” – Dr. Erica Jones, DVM
At Arya Animal Acupuncture, it is a primary integrative practice that we use on our pet patients for a variety of conditions. Please CLICK HERE to learn more.
Could acupuncture help your pet?
If your aging companion suffers from rigid, painful joints, query your veterinarian about acupuncture. They can refer you to a certified veterinary acupuncturist, like Dr. Bhatt, if appropriate. Most pets tolerate it extremely well.
Complementing medications, supplements, exercise, and laser therapy, acupuncture composes a comprehensive pain relief plan. This time-honored medicine gently restores joint health and mobility, enabling arthritic pets to enjoy youthful play and snuggles.
Understanding Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, and Osteoporosis
Arthritis refers broadly to joint inflammation with various origins. Osteoarthritis represents the most frequent arthritis in mature pets, stemming from eroded cartilage in the joints. Meanwhile, the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis also contributes to elderly pets’ pain and limited mobility.
Osteoarthritis arises as cartilage wears down over years of use. Eventual bone-on-bone friction creates stiff, swollen, throbbing joints. Obesity and prior injuries hasten cartilage degeneration.
Osteoporosis manifests as bones lose minerals faster than the body can replenish them. It is prevalent in small, senior dogs and cats. Osteoporotic bones become fragile, fracturing easily. This also impedes mobility.
Since osteoarthritis and osteoporosis often strike in tandem, their symptoms intertwine. By stimulating nerves and circulation, acupuncture brings relief to both arthritic joints and brittle osteoporotic bones. The gentle needling activates the body’s innate healing abilities.
Regular acupuncture treatments can profoundly improve joint flexibility and comfort for pets with age-related bone and joint disorders. Blended with medications and supplements, acupuncture helps restore vibrancy to aging pets.
The Ancient Roots of Acupuncture
To appreciate acupuncture’s modern veterinary applications, it helps to understand its origins thousands of years ago.
Acupuncture arose within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which envisions health as the harmonious flow of vital energy called “qi” (pronounced “chee”) through the body. Qi flows along meridian pathways corresponding to major organs.
Per TCM philosophy, blocked or unbalanced qi creates pain and illness. Acupuncture points overlay locations along the meridians where qi can be manipulated. Needles artfully inserted into these points restore proper energy flow.
The earliest acupuncture texts date back to 100 BC in China. However, sharpened stones unearthed from ruins over 5,000 years old hint that this practice is much more ancient.
Over millennia, TCM practitioners meticulously charted hundreds of acupuncture points and their therapeutic actions. This empirical knowledge informs acupuncture practice today.
Acupuncture Arrives in the West
Although acupuncture flourished in Asia for thousands of years, Western cultures were oblivious until the 1600s. Jesuit missionaries in China documented this unusual needling therapy for pain.
In the early 1800s, acupuncture attracted scientific interest when a French diplomat in China had his nagging back pain resolved through treatment. However, it took President Nixon’s visit to China in 1972 to truly introduce acupuncture to the mainstream Western world.
Since then, millions worldwide have experienced acupuncture’s benefits. Extensive research has elucidated its physiological mechanisms. Acupuncture now integrates seamlessly into modern medicine as a complementary therapy.
Applying Acupuncture to Animals
Veterinarians commenced exploring acupuncture for chronic pain and mobility conditions in the 1970s, consulting ancient texts to locate acupuncture points in animals.
Canine points are the best documented, with 365 classical locations compared to around 360 in humans. Additional animal-specific points have also been identified.
Veterinary acupuncture synthesizes ancient concepts of energy balancing with modern biomedicine. Highly effective for acute and chronic pain, it furnishes a natural alternative to lifelong drug dependence.
The Blending of Eastern and Western Medicine
Modern veterinary acupuncture artfully integrates ancient Asian medicine with current Western veterinary medicine, gifting animals the best of both worlds.
Eastern medicine lends theories of energy flow and detailed acupuncture point maps accrued through centuries of practice. Western medicine contributes anatomical precision and rigorous scientific analysis of therapeutic mechanisms and efficacy.
This fusion empowers veterinary acupuncturists like Dr. Bhatt to alleviate joint pain and restore mobility in pets via non-invasive techniques with negligible side effects. Acupuncture partners synergistically with conventional treatments like NSAIDs, steroids, and physical therapy to promote comprehensive, lasting comfort.
Demystifying Acupuncture's Inner Workings
While predating modern science, researchers now understand how acupuncture works in physiological terms.
Needling specific points releases endorphins, serotonin, cortisol, and other compounds that reduce pain and inflammation. It also appears to enhance blood circulation and immune cell activity.
Additionally, acupuncture points overlay locations rich in nerve fibers, blood vessels, and connective tissue. Needling these sites transmits signals that spur the brain to launch pain-relieving, healing cascades.
Acupuncture’s Wide-Reaching Benefits
Rigorously controlled studies substantiate acupuncture’s therapeutic value for many conditions in humans and animals, including:
Humans:
Lower back pain
Osteoarthritis
Headaches
Nausea
Animals:
Osteoarthritis
Disk disease
Hip dysplasia
Post-surgical pain
It also quickens recovery from strains, sprains, and fractures.
Evaluating Acupuncture’s Efficacy
Researchers assess acupuncture’s effectiveness through meticulous clinical trials comparing it to placebos and other treatments. The preponderance of over 100 human and animal studies confirm acupuncture significantly reduces pain and enhances mobility.
For instance, a 2018 analysis of data from over 1,500 arthritic dogs given acupuncture concluded it was “an effective analgesia with negligible side effects” for chronic pain.
What to Expect During Acupuncture Sessions
Ready to give your stiff, sore pet some acu-relief? Here’s how a typical veterinary acupuncture visit unfolds:
Pre-treatment exam – Dr. Bhatt first conducts a physical exam, reviews your pet’s health history, and evaluates their pain and mobility. This orients the acupuncture treatment approach.
Needle insertion – Your pet rests comfortably on a padded mat or table while needles are swiftly tapped into acupuncture points around afflicted joints and down the back, limbs, ears, or tail.
Treatment time – Sessions last 15-30 minutes. Dr. Bhatt periodically checks your pet and gently rotates select needles to amplify the therapeutic effect. Most pets become supremely relaxed.
Post-needling – After needle removal, your pet remains at rest for 5-10 minutes to integrate the treatment before moving about freely.
Dr. Bhatt examines your pet before and after each visit to gauge their progress. Acupuncture sessions are scheduled every 1-2 weeks initially, tapering to wider intervals as your companion improves.
Is Acupuncture Painful?
Acupuncture needles are far slimmer than injection needles, so most pets tolerate insertion well. They may feel a quick pinprick as the needle pierces the skin. But acupuncture should never be painful. If a needle causes discomfort, it can be immediately repositioned or removed. Most pets drift into tranquil slumber during sessions.
A Safe, Natural Healing Process
Veterinary acupuncture is very low risk, with needles pre-sterilized and disposed after single use. Side effects are seldom and minor. Most pets gain significant benefits without complications.
By activating the body’s innate healing systems, acupuncture minimizes reliance on medications with deleterious side effects. Integrating it with other therapies promotes wellness through natural physiological means.
Glimpsing Dramatic Improvements
Our Pet parents observe profound changes after just a few acupuncture treatments:
“Our dog Paris' rear legs didn't work anymore although she could support herself. We feel that through the regimen of herbs and acupuncture, we were given more quality time with Paris.”
“After my dog’s first treatment of acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments, she walked and then ran.”
“Sharpie's limp is practically non-existent and he is back to running and playing and even jumping up on the couch which we had thought he would never do again!”
“The acupuncture and laser sessions themselves were conducted with the utmost professionalism and care. Within weeks, we noticed a significant improvement in both of our boys. Their mobility has improved, they’re more active and playful, and they’re clearly experiencing less pain. Our boys now look forward to their acupuncture appointments!”
While individual responses vary, most pets gain substantial improvements in mobility, activity, and vitality from acupuncture. Through gentle stimulation of healing touchpoints, this traditional medicine eases joint discomfort to revive youthful vigor.
Could Acupuncture Help Your Pet?
If your senior companion suffers from rigid, painful joints, ask your veterinarian whether acupuncture may help. They can refer you to a certified acupuncturist like Dr. Bhatt, if suitable.
Pairing acupuncture with medications, supplements, exercise, and laser or hydrotherapy configures a comprehensive pain relief plan. This time-proven medicine alleviates joint distress naturally, enabling arthritic pets to enjoy play and snuggles again.
With acupuncture’s healing touch, our pets can continue leaping, bounding, and nuzzling pain-free well into their golden years.
References:
Washnis, G. (2021). Veterinary acupuncture: What you need to know. American Kennel Club. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/veterinary-acupuncture-what-you-need-to-know/
Xie, H., Colahan, P., & Ott, E. A. (2005). Evaluation of electroacupuncture treatment of dogs with signs of chronic back pain. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 226(1), 53-57. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2005.226.53
Gaynor, J. S. (2022). Managing osteoarthritis in active and aging pets. DVM360. https://www.dvm360.com/view/managing-osteoarthritis-in-active-and-aging-pets
Janssens, L., Bienz, M., Longato, B., & Jung, M. (2018). Influence of acupuncture on outcome measures in veterinary medicine-A systematic review. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5, 163. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00163