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Acupuncture - Dogs Get The Point

Vicki

Administrator
Acupuncture – dogs get the point

  • By Andrea Whaley
  • Posted July 29, 2009 at 1:56 p.m.


He’s not a pointer, but seven-year-old Onyx gets the point – many times over. Once a week, the mastiff/pit bull mix receives acupuncture treatments and K-Laser therapy from veterinarians Dr. David Ball and Dr. Sterling Sigmond, respectively.

Onyx was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease and suffers from chronic seizures and a skin condition called calcinosis cutis, in which calcium deposits build up in the skin. Using Chinese medicine, Dr. Ball treats the dog for liver stagnation and a blood and qi (pronounced chee) deficiency.

Chinese medicine has been used for more than 4,000 years and has been used to treat house pets in the last 50 years. Ball says acupuncture is about creating a balance in the body, specifically the qi, which according to eastern philosophies, is a life force in all things, living and inanimate. There are no set treatments, so each therapy is tailored to meet the needs of the patient. Acupuncture’s main purpose is to clear the qi pathways, or meridians, when there is a blockage or buildup.

Chinese medicine uses a combination of acupuncture, herbs and diet to treat a particular condition. Unlike western medicine, conditions are not categorized by symptoms but by patterns. Ball explains how there are three observations used to diagnose patterns: a patient’s health history, their tongue and the quality and strength of their pulse.

“I was taking this approach a long time ago,†he says with regard to diagnosing patterns. “I just didn’t have these tools.â€

Many doctors today are recognizing the validity of traditional holistic medicine, and that includes animal doctors. It has been observed that acupuncture points correspond with the locations of major nerves, lymph nodes and blood vessels.

“We’re going to use the best of Western medicine along with the best of Chinese medicine†says Ball, who studied Chinese therapies for two years prior to becoming certified in January 2009.
Acupuncture has many variations. Sometimes the needles are heated up with an object called a “moxa,†which resembles a large lit cigar. Other times they are connected to a special battery pack and a small amount of current is sent through the needles, helping to diffuse the energy through a larger area surrounding the needle. There is even a form called “aqua-puncture†in which liquid is injected into the acupuncture point to give a sustained treatment.

Onyx receives the traditional needle treatment. The dog seems to barely notice as Dr. Ball scrambles around on the floor, attempting to strategically position the needles to reach just the right angle. He inserts each needle with delicate precision.

“Every point has a specific use. Sometimes more than one use,†he says while placing a needle in the foot, a location that is particular to the liver.
Ball and his technician Brittany Lainhart, Onyx’s owner, have been treating the dog with acupuncture since May. She says she has seen a definite improvement.

“He’s doing really good. He responds really well to his treatments,†she says, adding she also gives Onyx herbal supplements to complement the weekly sessions.

Once all of the needles are in place, they wait. Onyx seems so relaxed, many would be envious. He wants to lie down, but the excitement of having an extra observer in the exam room makes him fight the urge. It appears as though he could fall asleep sitting up.

“A lot of these animals, once the needles are placed, actually fall asleep on us,†Ball says. “They are very comfortable at this point.â€

Once the acupuncture is over, Onyx is ready for his K-Laser treatment.
Dr. Sigmond enters the room. All present are required to wear a pair of unusual glasses with yellow lenses for protection. The doctor turns on a small machine, attaches to it a tool that resembles a microphone and demonstrates how the laser can be manipulated. It can be narrowed to a thin beam or widened to a circle for treatment of larger areas.

The K-Laser is a heat laser that uses specific wavelengths of red and near infrared light to create a variety of therapeutic effects. Benefits include decreased swelling, increased circulation, reduced pain, tissue repair and improved healing time.

Onyx receives K-Laser therapy for a cruciate tear in his knee where he previously had surgery. Lainhart says the treatment aids him in the healing process.

“The laser can be used to treat a variety of acute and chronic conditions,†explains Dr. Sigmond. “For acute conditions we usually like to do two treatments, 24 hours apart, and you’ll see results within those 48 hours that we’ve done the treatment.â€

However, Onyx is being treated for the cruciate tear, a chronic condition. “Chronic treatments you should still see results within the first week, but we like to do three treatments the first week, followed by two treatments the second week and one treatment each additional week after.â€

The patient is then evaluated to see what type of maintenance schedule, if any, is needed. Dr. Sigmond states that most patients usually see dramatic results within the first week.

Onyx, already sleepy from his acupuncture, lies down, which allows the doctor easy access to his leg. As she slowly glides it up and down his thigh, the machine continuously beeps and counts every passing second. Onyx remains motionless.

“As you can see, there are no adverse effects with it,†says Dr. Sigmond, “they only feel a mild warming sensation.â€

Sigmond says the K-Laser therapy is a drug-free way to manage pain, especially for older pets with arthritis, back pain or other chronic ailments. It has also been used on patients before waking from surgery and helps to manage pain immediately after coming to.

It is also an option for cat owners, because there are not many alternatives for felines when it comes to long term pain management. Most pain medications for cats have damaging effects on the liver and kidneys if given over a long period of time.

According to Ball, alternative therapies like K-Laser treatment and acupuncture are only the beginnings of a trend in holistic animal care; after all, “You can never have too much qi.â€


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Dr. David Ball places acupuncture needles in seven-year-old Onyx to treat the pet for chronic seizures and a skin condition.

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Relaxed by the acupuncture treatment, Onyx lies still while Dr. Sterling Sigmond uses a laser to directly treat his skin condition.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/jul/29/acupuncture-dogs-get-point/?partner=RSS