\r\n \r\n Pet owners turn to acupuncture when conventional medicine fails.
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\nby Michele C. Hollow
\nOctober 2011
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\nWhen Laurie Morse-Dell found Luca, a four-year-old mixed-breed dog, wandering the streets of Memphis, he was in rough shape and limped badly. Luca�s veterinarian prescribed a swimming routine and a glucosamine supplement for joint support.
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\n�We took him swimming three to four times a week, and saw an improvement,� says Morse-Dell, a 42-year-old teacher. �Then we moved to Bismarck, North Dakota, where the swimming options are not so great for dogs and the weather is much colder. It was clear that Luca would need more help. It got to the point where he was in visible pain and unable to sit or stand well.�
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\nLuca�s veterinarian, Mark Ekerberg, DVM, of the Missouri River Vet Clinic in Bismarck, examined Luca, took X-rays and found that the dog had severe arthritis in his knees.
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\n�I agreed to give acupuncture a try,� says Morse-Dell. �The whole experience was very calming. Dr. Ekerberg put a rug on the exam table and Luca sat there while the needles were inserted. Luca yawned and laid down. I was warned that he may be in some pain that day and the next, but within a few hours he was running around the backyard like he was a new dog.�
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\nLuca initially underwent a series of six treatments, 20 minutes every two weeks. Morse-Dell now follows up with a 20-minute session every three or four months. �Luca usually lays very still for the treatment, yawns often and occasionally shakes a few needles out but seems to enjoy the experience,� Morse-Dell says.
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\nThe principles behind acupuncture for animals are the same as when this ancient healing art is used on humans: To regulate the movement of life force, or qi, through invisible channels called meridians by placing fine needles at specific points on the meridians. Acupuncture needles come in various sizes; the same sizes used on humans are used on bigger dogs, while smaller needles are used on small dogs and cats. In addition to companion animals, including horses, acupuncture has been found to be effective in a wide variety of species, including cattle, elephants, monkeys and rabbits.
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\nAn Old Dog
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\nDenise Sullivan, a physical therapist in Colorado, was about to have her 12-year-old German Shepherd put down when he could no longer get out of bed. �I called a local equine vet hoping he could perform the sad deed in our home in his own bed instead of on a cold metal exam table,� Sullivan, 49, recounted. �The vet implored me to bring Ado in so he could try acupuncture as a last resort. We were skeptical, but desperation led me to try it.�
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\nAdo hadn�t moved for two days when he was brought to the veterinarian�s office. �The vet had us straddle Ado across a chair so all of his limbs rested on the floor with the chair seat supporting his belly,� Sullivan recalls. �He placed needles down the length of Ado�s spine, his third eye [between and slightly above the eyes] and a few spots near the tailbone. Surprisingly, Ado did not even flinch. We spoke nervously to the vet for about 15 minutes and waited.�
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\nWhen the vet removed the needles, Ado remained standing and then walked to the car on his own. They continued weekly treatments. �By day five or six of each week, you could tell there was a weakening in his legs,� says Sullivan, �but these treatments gave him a second wind and dear Ado�s wheels held out for another year.�
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\nRead full article here: https://www.energytimes.com/pages/dep...istic1110.html\r\n

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\r\n "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~Immanual Kant~
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