Natchez Trace Veterinary Services acknowledges both Eastern and Western veterinary medicine practices. We offer acupuncture
as an alternative therapy to traditional Western veterinary medicine for our equine patients as well as dogs and cats. The
value of acupuncture can be appreciated particularly in the older patient. Acupuncture is well recognized as an alternative pain relief
modality and vitality stimulator and may be of benefit both diagnostically and therapeutically when Western medicine fails to produce
expected results.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the stimulation of acupuncture points (acupoints) with a very fine metal needle. These specific
points range in size from 1mm to 25mm and differ from surrounding tissue in their electrical conductivity.
How does it work?
According to ancient Chinese medical philosophy, disease is the result of an imbalance of energy in the body. Acupuncture
is believed to balance this energy and, thereby, assist the body to heal disease.
In Western terms, acupuncture 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 causes the release of hormones, such as endorphins (one of the body's pain control chemicals) and cortisol
(a natural steroid). Although many of acupuncture's physiological effects have been studied, many more are still unknown. Further
research must be done to discover all of acupuncture's effects and its proper uses in veterinary medicine.
Commonly treated conditions in small animals include:
Pain and inflammation (Arthritis)
Orthopedic and neurological conditions
Gastrointestinal
disorders -nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Immune regulation
Internal organ dysfunction
Trauma
Asthma and Bronchitis
Wounds
Some conditions that respond favorably to acupuncture in equines are:
