Modern-day acupuncture is a combination of traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) and western veterinary health care. The ancient art of acupuncture, which has been used in China for more than 3,000 years, is based on the belief that all things are connected—people, plants, animals, planets, the atmosphere etc.—and that there is a balance between these.
Seven Oaks Pet Hospital provides acupuncture with the same mindset, combining it with nutritional therapy, exercise, herbal supplements, and other recommendations to create this balance.
The well-known Yin and Yang symbol represents the balance between these connections, such as day with night, hot with cold, and male with female. With this belief within the veterinary health system, there must be a balance between parts of the body, mind and spirit, and illness is simply a representation of an imbalance within these. The balance is created and maintained through an energy called qi (pronounced “chi”), and acupuncture is used to promote this balance of energy.
TCVM uses acupuncture to recover the balance of qi along particular points of the body, stimulating the flow of energy. There may be a blockage or excess of energy at a particular point, and acupuncture is used to create clear pathways for the energy to flow.
Seven Oaks Pet Hospital uses acupuncture as part of a holistic approach to veterinary care, using it to treat a variety of conditions, including:
- Chronic arthritis
- Endocrine disorders and thyroid disorders
- Gastrointestinal disorders such as vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and inflammatory bowel disease
- Geriatric patient management to improve general quality of life
- Heart disease
- Hip dysplasia
- Immune system disorders
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Nausea in cancer patients to improve appetite and help immune system
- Pre- and post-operative pain management
- Respiratory disorders such as upper respiratory infections, chronic bronchitis and asthma
- Seizures
- Separation anxiety
- Skin conditions
- Spinal cord trauma, including paresis and paralysis
- Urinary incontinence and retention
In addition to the commonly used acupuncture technique, the holistic approach at Seven Oaks Pet Hospital may also use aqua-acupuncture, which is a specifically formulated dose of of saline-diluted vitamin B12 injected into an acupuncture point in order to stimulate the point without having the needle stay in place. Herbal formulas are also used, which have doses that are surprisingly more sensitive to the patient than acupuncture; this is because some are used to rebalance excess or deficiencies. However, these herbal formulas can enhance the use of acupuncture.
In addition to acupuncture and herbal formulas, an informed and articulated nutritional plan can be one of the best forms of therapy in many instances to promote health. A healthy diet is an essential part of your pet’s healthcare, as it is a continuous necessity.
Most acupuncture treatments and herbal formula treatments are created specifically for your pet while others use classic formulas utilized by people and animals for thousands of years. Call the experienced veterinarians at Seven Oaks Pet Hospital at 813-929-4100 to find out if acupuncture could supplement your pet’s health.