Folsom Acupuncture Services for Pets
At Blue Ravine Animal Hospital, our veterinary team offers expert acupuncture services for dogs and cats. Keep reading to learn more about what acupuncture is, how it works, and what conditions it can help treat.
What Is Acupuncture for Pets?
Acupuncture is a type of therapy that involves inserting tiny needles into specific points of a pet's body. It's a form of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine growing in popularity today. Studies show that acupuncture can provide pain relief in pets, along with promoting tissue healing and muscle repair.
How Does Acupuncture for Pets Work?
Acupuncture stimulates a pet's nervous system, activating three key benefits:
- Release of natural pain-relieving chemicals
- Increased blood flow
- Reduced inflammation
Together, these functions help manage your pet's pain and promote quicker healing.
Think of the body like a huge circuit board with highways of electrical current running through it. Acupuncture uses a fine needle to stimulate an existing intersection. Each intersection is unique and causes a different reaction in your pet's body.
Acupuncture points are different from other parts of the body because they have higher concentrations of:
- Free nerve endings
- Blood vessels
- Lymph ducts
- Mast cells
When a needle is inserted into an acupuncture point, it triggers hormonal and chemical changes. These help the body heal, regenerate, and return to its normal state.
Conditions Acupuncture Can Treat for Pets
Acupuncture is ideal for helping treat a multitude of issues in various parts of the body. In pets, it can help treat the following types of conditions:
- Musculoskeletal
- Dermatologic
- Neurologic
- Opthalmic
- Behavioral
- Cardiac
- Pulmonary
- Gastrointestinal
- Renal
- Reproductive
- Endocrine
- Immunological
- Neoplastic
In some cases, acupuncture can be used as an alternative to conventional drugs. In others, pets can benefit from a combination of conventional drugs and acupuncture. With a reduced dosage in conventional drugs, your pet will have fewer side effects to deal with.
Acupuncture can also promote healing and return to function following a surgery. If surgery is too risky for a patient or too costly for the owner, it can help manage painful conditions.
What to Expect During Acupuncture Treatment
During treatment, our caring veterinary team will gently insert fine needles into specific points on your pet’s body. Most pets tolerate the procedure just fine, and some find it so relaxing they fall asleep during the session!
You may notice the effects immediately, within a few days, or after multiple treatments, depending on your pet's condition. Since acupuncture has a cumulative effect, most pets require a series of sessions for the best results. Typically, 5–7 treatments are needed for significant improvement.
- Acute conditions: Initial treatments are scheduled every 1–3 days
- Chronic conditions: Treatments are spaced every 1–2 weeks
- Maintenance care: Once a pet has improved, follow-up sessions may be scheduled monthly to yearly
Our goal is to provide a gentle, effective, and personalized treatment plan to help your pet feel their best. Reach out to us today to schedule your pet’s first acupuncture appointment and start them on the path to feeling better.