Pain is one of the most common indications for acupuncture. Chronic pain cases in particular can gain huge benefits from the inclusion of acupuncture into their management regime. It can be used alongside conventional pharmacological agents or as a sole treatment in some cases. Acupuncture is also a really valuable option for those pets that may be limited in medical options due to concurrent disease processes.
Acupuncture can be a very useful tool in the rehabilitation of patients following surgery, particularly those affecting mobility such as orthopaedic and spinal cases. Acute muscular strains can respond well, as can myofascial pain often found in equine patients.
Acupuncture can also be applied to medical conditions in pets, such as gastrointestinal disease, urinary disorders, epilepsy and much more. In horses, we often have success with recurrent colic or diarrhoea and chronic respiratory disease such as COPD/RAO. As each treatment is specifically tailored to an individual through extensive history taking and detailed examination, the protocol used will vary from animal to animal. Be aware that, as with any treatment, there are a small percentage of animals that will not respond to acupuncture.