The medical articles on this site are for informational purposes only, and are not meant to be used to diagnose or treat your pet, or to replace the recommendations of a qualified veterinarian that has examined your pet.
Acupuncture (AP) refers to the painless insertion of sterile, hair-thin needles into specific anatomical points on the surface of the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. This technique has been applied for thousands of years in human medicine, and used by veterinarians in China since at least 600 B.C. The first recorded book on veterinary acupuncture, Baile Zhen Jing (Baile's Canon of Veterinary Acupuncture) was written around 620 BC.
AP can be extremely effective for alleviating pain and is also frequently used for a number of other conditions. In some cases, like degenerative myelopathy, it is the only effective therapy currently available. Integration of AP therapy with conventional veterinary medicine and surgery (i.e., integrative medicine) has allowed practitioners to draw on the strengths of each system while minimizing the weaknesses (e.g. side effects from drugs). This produces the optimal outcome for the patient.
Dogs and cats are surprisingly cooperative about being treated with acupuncture. Since needle insertion is quick and painless, most don't even realize that the needles are there. Needles are left in for about 20 minutes in dogs, and for 10-15 minutes in cats. Most cats that come to a clinic for treatment are content to sit on their blankets or in the carrier until time is up. Cats that are receiving treatment at home can be offered food, favorite toys, catnip, and lots of attention. This will usually keep them from roaming around if they start getting restless or bored.
Acupuncture Needles
Acupuncture needles are made from surgical stainless steel and are packaged as sterile needles for one-time use. They come in a variety of sizes, but all have a very small diameter, around the width of a human hair. These needles are considerably smaller than a hypodermic needle that would be used by your veterinarian to administer a vaccine. In fact, AP needles are so small that they can actually fit inside and be passed all the way through a typical vaccine (22 gauge) needle.
Electroacupuncture
Electroacupuncture (EAP) is simply the attachment of electrodes to AP needles after insertion. This produces a small current, which is kept low enough to be undetectable by the dog or cat. This practice makes the needle stimulation somewhat stronger. EAP is often used in dogs with neck or back problems, including pain or paralysis, and in cats with feline megacolon or other GI motility disorders.
