Acupuncture has become almost main-stream for people in the US, but not everyone is aware that animals benefit equally as much as we do from the proper application of this ancient Chinese health practice. Only vets specially trained in animal acupuncture can place the needles, but doctors trained to administer acupuncture to humans are not allowed to place needles in animals.

How does acupuncture work? The Chinese system of medicine holds that energy, called chi or Qi, circulates through the body along fixed pathways When the chi is blocked, the body experiences disease. Acupuncture, or the insertion of tiny needles in specific points in the skin, can unblock the chi, thus restoring the body to health.

Animal acupuncture dates back nearly as far as human acupuncture because horses were used in ancient China to mobilize the feuding armies, so keeping the horses in good shape required a house acupuncturist to accompany each army. In our modern world, animal acupuncturists specializing in every species are practicing this ancient Chinese healing art to benefit small pets as well as horses. Some use the traditional needling techniques, while others stimulate the acupoints with cold lasers. This alternative treatment often has better healing effects than the high tech procedures and drugs of modern western medicine.

What can you expect when you take your pet to a vet trained in acupuncture? The vet takes a complete history and examines the animal, then chooses the points which require stimulation to free up the chi. The vet either inserts a thin needle in the selected acupoints or stimulates them with intense laser light. Your pet may need weekly sessions for four to six weeks, after which the vet will assess the animal’s progress