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Acupuncture For Dogs and Cats - "An Alternative Treatment Gaining Acceptance"
Acupuncture for dogs and cats is an effective treatment option, according to vets and owners.
Acupuncture can be effective for pain treatment. Just like in humans, acupuncture relieves arthritis pain in dogs and cats. The proof it works, say the pet's owners, is how much the dog or cat's activity level increases after treatment.
Here's a Short Video About Acupuncture for Dogs and Cats by a NJ Vet
More & More Vets Are "Believers" as this story tells...
The Washington Post, in a story published 6/1/2009, tells of a middle-aged pug that suffered from itchy skin, loss of appetite and weakness in his back legs. The Vet wasn't optimistic. But the owner took the pug to a dog acupuncture specialist, and now, three years later, the dog is more active than ever.
"Monthly acupuncture treatments are the reason for the pug's turnaround", the pug's owner said.
While some Vets are skeptical, others are actively seeking to add "alternative therapies" to their practices.
Some Vets are "believers" in acupuncture for animals and pets. They say that they have seen cases where horses, dolphins and even snakes can benefit from the therapy.
Humans who have tried alternative treatments themselves, are especially interested in giving their pets the same opportunity...especially when conventional medicine fails to offer good remedies.
Are the treatments painful? Just like when human get acupunture, the dog or cat feels the needles going in, but it is a mild discomfort that most pets virtually ignore.
(Do the pets ignore the needles because they know they're being helped and relief will follow the treatment???)
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) states that it is open to considering alternative treatments, but it is bound by ethics to see "the science" behind the therapy.
Many Vets say that they are impressed with the success of acupuncture...but they draw-the-line when it comes to treatments like aromatherapy or herbal medicine.
Sessions can start at about $95.00. Monthly treatments are typical. Usually owners are reimbursed after they pay out of pocket.
I know a woman who takes a 2 hour drive into the country, where treatments for her dog are less expensive. I asked the woman how it's going, and she said that acupunture has "turned the dog's life around. Before acupunture - misery. Now - a more comfortable life.
Acupuncture for dogs and cats most commonly treats chronic pain from arthritis and orthopedic problems.
Case histories show that acupuncture is very effective for other conditions, as well.
Other practioners offer alternative therapies including deep tissue massage, chiropractic treatment and ozone therapy.
Ozone therapy is being used to treat cancer and kidney failure.