What are my qualifications to perform Veterinary Acupuncture?
A Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA) is a veterinarian who has completed extensive training in veterinary acupuncture, indications and treatment modalities, as well as their traditional veterinary training. I have obtained my certification from Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in 2017.
Is it safe?
Acupuncture is one of the safest forms of medical treatment when administered by an appropriately trained veterinarian. Very few side effects exist with acupuncture. Occasionally, your pet may seem worse for up to 48 hours following a treatment session. Other animals may become sleepy or lethargic for about 24 hours following therapy. These effects are rare, but when they occur, they indicate that physiological changes are occurring and are most often followed by an improvement in the patient’s condition and energy level.
Does it hurt?
For most patients, the insertion of the acupuncture needles is virtually painless. For some animals, very mild pain is associated with passing the needle through the skin. In all animals, including humans, once the needles are placed, there should be no pain.
Most animals become very relaxed, many even fall asleep. Some sensations can occur, such as tingling, numbness or local contraction of muscles around the needles, but most human patients report a feeling of heaviness and sedation which frequently causes relaxation and comfort for our patients throughout treatment.
How quickly can I expect results and how many treatments are recommended?
Results are frequently noted within minutes to hours following treatment. For some acute conditions such as intervertebral disc disease, nausea, vomiting, fever, or pain , clinical signs can be alleviated as quickly as they appear. For chronic conditions, which take a much longer time to develop, multiple treatments sessions are required to notice significant improvements over time.
What does a consultation and treatment session entail?
Initial consultation involves a review of history, TCVM physical exam, tongue and pulse diagnosis, complete acupuncture treatment as well as any other indicated treatments such as electro- acupuncture, aqua-acupuncture, massage, food therapy suggestions or at home treatment recommendations.
Initial consultation and treatment will take about an hour from start to finish and recheck examinations and treatments should last about 30 minutes.
What if my pet is uncooperative? Will my pet need to be sedated?
If a patient is uncooperative, fractious, or aggressive, adjustments can be made to any treatment protocol so that your pet may still benefit without anyone getting hurt.
In some instances, your pet may only tolerate a few needles inserted, or only in a few areas. In other cases, recommendations for diet change, Chinese herbs, or massage techniques can be discussed so that treatment can still be initiated, even though a typical session could not be performed. Sedation is never used, as it compromises some of the beneficial effects of acupuncture, including endorphin, enkephalin and serotonin release
