Acupuncture Therapy

Many times as owners of pets with chronic or even acute severe medical conditions, we find ourselves feeling like we would like to do more to help our animals but we aren't sure what else is available. Sometimes it is the skin allergy patient where it is difficult to get the itching under control despite being on appropriate conventional medications and diet.  Other times it is the older patient with arthritis or degenerative nerve and muscle conditions and you already have them on anti-inflammatory medications, pain control and joint supplements yet you still feel they are uncomfortable or not as mobile as you would like to see.  Maybe you are the owner of a dog suffering from a back pain issue that came on suddenly and was severe enough that they cannot walk.  Or what about the cat with chronic kidney or heart disease that just seems to be doing "okay"...

At Wascana Animal Hospital, our veterinarians have at times had the exact same thoughts!  Despite appropriate conventional medications, supplements and prescription diets there are still those patients who may not respond as favourably as we would like to see; or maybe they are doing "okay" but could they do BETTER?   Maybe as an owner you would like to see your pet try a more natural holistic approach to treatment instead of conventional medications?  These are situations that occur everyday in veterinary medicine and at Wascana Animal Hospital we like to have as many tools in our box of therapies as we can to help all of our patients to the best of our ability.  We like to combine conventional medical treatment with acupuncture whenever possible for an integrative, multi-modal approach to patient wellness.  Here is where acupuncture can be helpful!  We are pleased to be able to provide Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medical (TCVM) examinations and acupuncture therapy at Wascana Animal Hospital! 

Acupuncture treatment can include dry-needling (needles placed through the skin), electrostimulation (a low dose of electrical current passed between acupuncture needles placed through the skin), as well as aquapuncture (where a small amount of liquid is injected into specific acupuncture points).  Acupuncture is effective for many musculoskeletal & neurological conditions such as intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), repetitive strain injuries common in working or agility dogs, torn/damaged ligaments & tendons, nerve paralysis, and bone abnormalities (arthritis, bone cysts).  Many other medical (heart & kidney disease, cancers), behavioural (anxiety) and dermatological conditions (ear infections, skin allergies) can also respond well to acupuncture therapy.  Acupuncture may allow a patient to reduce, and in some cases even discontinue the amount of antibiotic, steroid, pain control or other medications they require. Consider a consultation with one of our veterinarians today to find out if acupuncture therapy is something that would benefit your pet!