WESTERN ACUPUNCTURE IN VETERINARY MEDICINE

INTRODUCTION
Acupuncture has been used for 3500 years in China as part of their traditional medicine and is still used alongside conventional medicine by ¼ of the world's population.
It helps to relieve pain, stimulates the immune system and improves the function of organs through stimulation of points on the body surface.

In veterinary medicine acupuncture is getting an increasing reputation for the relief of may musculoskeletal conditions including arthritis, joint and ligament damage and back pain. It has also been found to be useful for gastrointestinal malfunctions such as constipation, epilepsy, self-traumatising behaviour, urinary disorders and chronic debilitating conditions.
It is to be used as a compliment to other forms of veterinary medicine, never as a substitute and it is important that a clinical diagnosis is reached to assess whether other treatments, surgery or drugs may be more effective or if x-rays are necessary.

A FEW FACTS AND LEGAL BITS
Acupuncture on animals can only be carried out by a qualified veterinary surgeon. Needles are not reused for each animal or between animals to maintain sterility and sharpness. We do not use herbs such as moxa or heat the needles as done with people, and, although electro-acupuncture is available in some places to provide a more intense stimulus, we do not have this facility in our surgery.

WHAT THE SESSIONS INVOLVE
We usually allow 30 minutes for the first acupuncture session, possibly longer if this is the first time we have seen you and your pet. We will talk about your pet's condition and what you feel the major problems or areas of discomfort are. Your pet will then be clinically examined, as well as the usual veterinary examination this will involve palpation to determine the muscle groups and points that may be associated with the condition. Very fine needles will then be inserted into selected points.
At subsequent sessions we will discuss any improvements or deterioration so these sessions may be shorter than the initial one.

WHO DOES THE SESSIONS
Patricia MacFadyen BVMS CertSAM, MRCVS has attended the Western Veterinary Acupuncture Group's course on Veterinary Acupuncture and is the vet involved in the sessions. She would be happy to talk to anybody considering this treatment for their pet (see booking a session, below).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

· Will my pet feel the needles?
The needles we use as very fine and although there may be a light sensation through the skin mostly they do not appear to notice them. Acupuncture creates a different sensation in different individuals, but many animals appear to relax after the needles are in and may even go to sleep.

· How long do you leave in the needles?
We normally use between 5 and 15 needles depending on the problem and the size of the animal. The needles may be left in for just a few minutes or up to 15 minutes depending on the attitude of the individual animal. We may tend to start off with just a few needles for five minutes and progress to a larger number after a few sessions, or conversely we may start with a larger number and decrease the number of needles and points as the signs abate.

· What should I expect after a session?
Your pet may be sleepy or lethargic and relaxed as endorphins, which are the body's natural opiates are released. Try not to take your pet for vigorous exercise or a long walk straight after a session. Sometimes there may be a temporary aggravation before an improvement and other times there may be no difference till a few days later.

· How many sessions are usually needed?
We normally do between 3 and 5 sessions on a weekly basis. The effects of the first session may be declining gradually by a week's time and subsequent sessions reinforce and prolong the duration of the effects. The magnitude of improvement will depend on the age of the animal and length of time the condition has been present. A young and athletic animal with and acute injury may only need 1 or 2 treatments, older debilitated animals with a long term illness may need 6 or more weeks. Assuming animal response rate are similar to human responses, 10% of the population with be very sensitive to acupuncture and need gentle treatment and few sessions, conversely 10% will have a poor response to acupuncture and need more stimulation, more sessions or may not respond at all.

· Is acupuncture suitable for any pet?
Acupuncture may be carried out on any kind of animal within reason! Point diagrams for elephants, horses and even chickens have been found in ancient Chinese texts! Dogs, cats and rabbits would all be suitable candidates. The main proviso is that there is enough muscle mass to put the needles in (a very elderly cat may not have enough muscle to tolerate even very fine needles) and that the animals temperament allows the procedure to be safe. If your pet will not normally allow the vet within 6 feet without becoming a mass of teeth and claws it is unlikely this will be the treatment of choice for it! Other factors that may be contraindications are bleeding disorders, generalised infections or severe immunosuppression. Pregnancy may be a relative contraindication as there are some points that are related to abortions in traditional Chinese medicine.

HOW TO BOOK A SESSION
If your pet normally attends Blackness Veterinary surgery and we have seen him or her recently about this problem, ask at reception to book an initial consultation. If you are not normally one of our clients we would ask that you tell your usual vet that you are considering acupuncture as they may be able to offer this themselves. We will advise them that you have approached us and ask for your clinical records both as a matter of professional courtesy and to make sure that we are not interfering with more suitable treatment for the condition

INFORMATION COMPILED BY MRS PATRICIA MacFADYEN FOR BLACKNESS VETERINARY SURGERY