Acupuncture for SA pets gets point across

ACUPUNCTURE uses needles that are inserted into specific points of the body to produce a healing response. Each acupuncture point has a specific action when stimulated.

Although fairly new to South Africa, this technique has been used in veterinary practice in China for thousands of years to treat many ailments.

Pet owners in South Africa are becoming increasingly interested in alternative, and holistic treatments for their pets, but it is important that they seek trained vets for assistance.

The goal of acupuncture is to assist the body to heal itself. From a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine perspective, veterinary acupuncture encourages healing by correcting energy imbalances in the body. Acupuncture enhances blood circulation, nervous system stimulation, and the release of anti-inflammatory and painrelieving hormones.

Acupuncture needles are inserted into body tissue where nerve bundles and blood vessels come together. These collections of nervous and vascular tissue are termed acupuncture points. They lie on meridians (energy channels) which cover the entire body surface. The meridians permit a cycle of energy to occur throughout the entire body over the course of the day. Western medicine has conditioned us to look for the quick fix; a pain pill here, and antihistamine there.

With alternative therapies, including acupuncture, results are often not seen immediately and require longer treatment. As pain relief for some pets the benefits of acupuncture are cumulative over several treatments. Thus, pet owners should prepare for a journey rather than for quick healing. –Valley Farm Pet Hospital