What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture has been practiced by the Chinese and other Eastern cultures for thousands of years and may be used to treat a wide variety of illnesses. It typically involves the insertion of fine needles through the skin at particular points.

It is used in conjunction with conventional veterinary medicine to help treat various medical conditions and to relieve pain. Adding acupuncture to a treatment plan can help to reduce the patient’s requirements for additional drugs which may have undesirable side effects.

Acupuncture is a safe medical procedure with minimal unwanted side effects. Under UK law animal acupuncture can only be carried out by a qualified veterinary surgeon who is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

What conditions can acupuncture treat?

Most commonly acupuncture is used to treat musculoskeletal problems. In dogs and cats this is most commonly osteoarthritis. Your dog may be getting stiff after walks or isn’t able to jump up onto the sofa like he used to. In horses we use acupuncture to treat muscle soreness, back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease as well as obscure lameness and laminitis.

For performance horses acupuncture is frequently included in their ongoing management to maintain peak performance and prevention of injury and illness. You might have a feeling that something doesn’t feel quite right with your horse. You might not be able to pinpoint what exactly it is and there may not be any lameness detectable yet. In cases like these a thorough examination might pinpoint areas of muscle soreness that will benefit from acupuncture.

How does Acupuncture work?

Scientific research into acupuncture has made enormous progress over the past 40 years and now explains much of acupuncture’s actions which had previously only been understood in the ancient concepts of health described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This has brought about the greater recognition and acceptance of acupuncture within the scientific community. Early research focused mainly on pain relief and the endogenous opioid responses (the bodies ability to produce natural pain relief hormones) to acupuncture, however, further advances have revealed potent normalising effects to the hypothalamus (part of the brain) and autonomic nervous system. This has opened the understanding of its use in all manner of internal medical disorders as well as its use in pain relief.

What should I expect during a treatment?

Most animals (even cats and rabbits!) will accept acupuncture treatment without any distress or discomfort. The needles used are very thin and the majority are inserted into points on the animal that are not painful. The needles can be left in for 5 to up to 30 minutes depending on the case. During treatment, many animals will become more relaxed and even sleepy and this may continue for the rest of the day.

Do not change anything in your normal routine of feeding, exercise or medication unless strictly advised to. Horses should avoid any strenuous exercise on they day of acupuncture.

How will my pet respond after treatment?

All animals, like humans, can react differently to treatment. Your pet may initially be a little stiffer or uncomfortable. This may indicate that they need less stimulation at the next treatment, but does suggest that they are likely to respond well in the longer term. After a day or two this will improve, so just allow them to rest.

There may be no response. This does not mean that your pet will never respond, but it may take a little longer. Many animals can take up to the fourth treatment to show a significant improvement. There are a small percentage of animals (as with humans) who will not respond at all.

There may be an improvement – this may occur any time within a few days of the treatment. The improvement may not last until the next treatment but this is normal in the early stages. Later in the process, the effects should last for longer so there can gradually be longer between treatments.

How many treatments will my pet need?

On average, 4-6 treatments are required to start with, but acupuncture can be continued long term. Individual cases may vary, but as a rule, these are given weekly initially with gradually increasing intervals, until the desired effect is achieved. The frequency of treatments depends on the individual animal’s needs, but often top-ups are required to maintain the therapeutic effect in the long term. Every animal will have a treatment plan tailored to their individual needs.

How much does it cost and will my insurance pay?

The initial treatment costs £75 and includes a thorough clinical examination which may also include a lameness exam for horses (trotting on a hard surface and lunge on a soft surface). Prior to seeing you for the first time I encourage discussing the particulars of the case with your own vet, veterinary physio and / or farrier if this is appropriate. Follow up treatments are £60. Call out fees are £25 if within 20 miles of my home (TQ7) or I can see you at one of the veterinary practices I work at if more convenient for you.

As acupuncture is now recognised as a very successful treatment for many conditions, the majority of insurance companies will cover the costs involved. If you are in any doubt, check your policy or contact your individual company for more information.

What area do you cover and what’s the call out fee?

Most of South Devon (!) anywere within a 20 mile radius of Kingsbridge but contact me to discuss if you aren’t sure. The call out fee is £25 but may be more if further than 20 miles from my home.

Do you provide emergency care?

My services are only offered between the hours of 9am-5pm Monday - Friday. I do not offer any out of hours services. In an emergency situation you need to call your regular veterinary surgeon.