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Once the diagnosis is made, acupuncture points are chosen for the
specific pattern and needle placement commences. Most dogs
will receive around 15-20 needles during their first treatment.
Most cats may get eight to five needles. In general, a weaker animal
will have less acupoints used. Many pets will have a skin
twitch or look at the person placing the needle upon insertion.
This is a good sign of a de qi (receiving Qi) response. Once the
needles are in place, pets commonly relax and many even fall
asleep. Occasionally, an animal resents needle placement and
fewer points can be used. Very often dry needles are combined
with other acupuncture techniques. Electroacupuncture (using
electricity), aquapuncture (using liquids), hemoacupuncture
(using/releasing blood), and moxibustion (using heat) are important
as well. Once the needles have been in for approximately 15-
20 minutes, they are removed and the patient can leave. Usually,
three to six appointments, one to two weeks apart are planned.
Although the first appointment may last for an hour or more, follow-up
appointments are usually shorter. Recommendations about
food changes, herbal remedies, and massage can be made at this
time but are beyond the scope of this article.
After the first appointment, it is important to watch your animal
closely. Keeping a journal can be invaluable in monitoring the
process of healing in your pet. Commonly, pets are tired for a
few hours to a day. It’s also not unheard of to have an animal
“jump in the car like he hasn’t done in a long time.” Any concerns
should be brought to the attention of both the acupuncturist
and your regular veterinarian. It is not common for an animal
to be sore after treatment.
Follow-up appointments are used to assess changes in patterns,
assess success of treatment, and to change/add treatment protocols.
Some animals will receive more needles and some less.
Many times, needles will be left in a little longer. It all depends
on the changes the pet is showing and what you describe to the
acupuncturist. Once a good balance has been achieved, “tuneup”
appointments are discussed. These usually occur once
every four to six months, but are truly done when the patient
needs to be seen again.
So what can acupuncture be used for If you were to visit
China, you would find acupuncture being administered in hospitals
to patients in all departments. Thus, the answer is that
acupuncture can be used for any problem. The key, however, is
to have a diagnosis. In western medicine, diagnosis is based
upon system analysis. We look at and treat the individual parts
that are diseased. In TCVM, diagnosis is based on pattern differentiation.
This diagnosis and treatment are based on evaluation
of the entire mind and body as a whole. These are just different
ways to look at diseases/imbalances. Your veterinary
acupuncturist should be able to assess all problems and he/she
should also know when western medicine would serve the pet
the best. For example, a dog with pneumonia would benefit
from the use of antibiotics and I believe it would be a mistake
not to use them. Acupuncture can be used to help clear the disease
process but this pet would definitely benefit from the use
of western medicine techniques.
Another important aspect for both the owner of a pet and the
acupuncturist is intention. This idea can be very difficult for
some people to grasp but I believe that it is an important part to
the treatment of our pets. It has become commonly accepted
that people who have a positive outlook and demeanor during
disease states (like cancer) have a better outcome. Their intention
is to get better. This is the same in animals. If you and
your pet’s acupuncturist remain positive and intend to make
your pet better, there is a good chance that the outcome will be
positively influenced.
Acupuncture is an ancient medical art form that has many uses
in modern veterinary medicine. It gives the western trained veterinarian
a larger medicine bag to reach into to treat his/her
patients. It is a very safe modality of treatment with a very
good history of positive results. Seeking out a C.V.A. has
become very easy as more and more veterinarians have become
trained in acupuncture.
Remember to keep smiling and love your family and pets!
Jeffrey Berman was born, raised and continues to live in the
Philadelphia area with his wife, two sons, two dogs, and a baby
expected in March of 2009. He received his Veterinary degree from
the University of Pennsylvania and his veterinary acupuncture certification
from the Chi Institute in Reddick, FL. Currently, he works at
and co-owns Fort Washington Veterinary Hospital in Fort
Washington, PA. He is an active member of the Native American
Veterinary Services (NAVS) non-profit group that provides veterinary care to animals
on Native American reservations. In his free time he enjoys playing guitar
and the Native American flute as well as orienteering with his family. He can be
contacted at jeffrey@phillyfitmagazine.com.
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