Pet acupuncture is a non-invasive and part of holistic care for dogs and cats to promote overall well-being. Veterinarians use mild stimulation on particular points of the animal’s body to diagnose and treat disease. Acupuncture started in China centuries ago but only began using Western vets during the 1970s.
What Is Pet Acupuncture?
Pet acupuncture uses thin needles inserted into the pet’s body for therapeutic purposes. The vet stimulates the point by twirling, rotating, or flicking the needle. Acupuncture has no known side effects on pets, which has become so common in today’s veterinary industry.
When treating your dog or cat with acupuncture, you can expect a short examination beforehand that includes taking their history and initiating palpations of different parts of their body.
This form of alternative medicine works within the animal’s natural energy field to encourage physical well-being and correct imbalances. Stimulating specific points on the body encourages your pet to heal itself naturally without harsh chemicals or medications.
Benefits of Acupuncture for Dogs and Cats
Veterinarians perform acupuncture on both dogs and cats. Aside from older pets, veterinarians also see it growing in popularity with puppies and kittens. Pet acupuncturists believe that acupuncture plays an integral part during the animal’s developmental stages that can affect their overall wellness later in life.
1. Stimulates the Nervous System
Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to produce endorphins and other neurochemicals that improve your dog’s wellness. According to a veterinary acupuncturist, this also manages pain and inflammation associated with arthritis because it prevents long-term damage to tissue and joints.
2. Improves Digestive System
It helps dogs with digestive problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diarrhea, constipation, colitis, and even obesity. Stimulating specific points in their body encourages healthy digestion while releasing any gastrointestinal blockage or discomfort.
3. Manages Allergies
Pet acupuncture helps dogs and cats suffering from allergies that cause skin irritation by stimulating particular points on their body. This is particularly effective for pets living in urban environments with constant exposure to harmful toxins that cause them to develop reactions.
4. Boosts Immunity
Acupuncture can even help your dog or cat fight off viruses and other illnesses by boosting their immunity. This alternative medicine releases different kinds of chemicals in the body, including interferon, which inhibits viral reproduction.
5. Helps Maintain Weight
Acupuncture is effective for weight loss because it stimulates the nervous system to release hormones responsible for satiety (the feeling of fullness). Additionally, pets who receive acupuncture treatment suffer less from arthritis, hip dysplasia, and degenerative joint disease since it helps strengthen leg muscles.
6. Increases Oxygen Flow
Proper oxygen flow is crucial to keeping your pet healthy. This means accepting that they need physical activity too. Acupuncture enhances and encourages adequate circulation and blood flow through stimulation to different points on their body. This benefits every part of them including: joints, muscles, stomach/intestines, heart, glands and lymphatic system.
7. Helps Treat Internal Organs Illnesses
Pet acupuncture helps treat internal body systems like the kidneys or liver. If your dog or cat suffers from kidney issues, the acupuncturist will target points in their paws directly connected to certain organs to improve their function. This same method applies to cats and dogs with liver disease.
That’s why it’s vital to choose a vet clinic that offers complete services with diagnostics and lab tests, such as this Glendale internal medicine clinic. It’s because not all vet clinics provide this type of alternative medicine that requires certification and years of study.
8. Prevents Cancer
Studies show that acupuncture plays a crucial role in preventing cancer cell growth because it can activate specific anticancer pathways which naturally stop tumor development while encouraging apoptosis (the death of cancer cells).
Key Points
Acupuncture can improve your pet’s quality of life by helping with arthritis, allergies, digestion, weight loss, internal organ illnesses, cancer prevention, boosting the immune system, etc. Veterinarians perform acupuncture on both dogs and cats with different age groups.
According to a veterinary acupuncturist, this form of alternative medicine plays an essential part during your dog or cat’s developmental stages that can affect their overall wellness later in life. Additionally, pets who receive acupuncture treatment suffer less from arthritis and degenerative joint disease since it helps strengthen leg muscles.
Choose a vet facility that offers complete vet services, as well as diagnostics and lab tests, and make sure they use clean and sterilized noodles. Visit Limehouse Veterinary Clinic if you’re looking for an experienced and reputable Glendale veterinary clinic around the area.
