A new advancement in the field of veterinary medicine is the use of acupuncture and chiropractic for pets. This complementary care option is already well accepted.

Acupuncture is the oriental practice of inserting thin needles into the skin for therapeutic purpose. Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphin, a natural substance, that is considered to raise the pain threshold and gives a sense of euphoria. That is why people and animals feel relaxed after the session.

Chiropractic is a health care discipline that uses manual therapy. A chiropractic examination points to any partial dislocation existing in the body. Chiropractic adjustment corrects the dislocation and enables the nerves to function normally again.

Both are accepted as alternative therapies and have many successful applications. But how successful are acupuncture and chiropractic for pets?

It has been noted that most dogs and cats feel comfortable undergoing the treatment. Occasionally there are discomforts but these are quite rare and are temporary. Most dogs and cats do not feel much pain. If the animal reacts negatively to acupuncture needles, they are usually treated by laser acupuncture. Acupuncture and chiropractic for pets hardly ever require

sedation.

An application of the treatment, one to three times, significantly improves problems of the spine. At the second visit, the practitioner already knows how many and how often treatment is required. Limb arthritic treatment may require an initial series of three to six treatments a week apart, and then rapidly decreasing the frequency, to only one to two 1-2 times every year. A long term acupuncture effect happens when gold bead implantation is given for limb arthritis. Gold bead application is also used in the treatment of spinal arthritis. Another useful treatment for arthritis is to use ear staple implantation which is also a quick and effective remedy.

Depending on the physical state of the pets, treatment may be conducted weekly. More serious conditions require twice or three times weekly. After the treatment, some pets sleep more often for the first 24 to 48 hours and will feel a bit achy. These reactions are part of the healing process of the animals. It will require a while for the effects of the therapy to heal your pets body. Acupuncture and chiropractic for pets must be done repeatedly to achieve full effect.

There are times after the acupuncture or spinal adjustment when the problem will become worse for a while. This is simply the way the body reacts and adjusts to the change which has taken place. Some animals responding this way react well to chiropractic and/or acupuncture if the treatment is followed up. There are occasions when your pet may need anti-inflammatory medicine for a few days after treatment. Positive result of the acupuncture and chiropractic for pets may not be evident until six to eight weeks after treatment.

In many places in the United states today, acupuncture and chiropractic for pets are accepted and practiced but only licensed veterinarians are allowed to perform these service to your beloved pets.