Acupuncture for Animals

Nebraska Animal Medical Center is pleased to  announce that Dr. Linda Hall, Board Certified Veterinary  Practitioner, is now offering acupuncture  at NAMC and alternative medicine as an adjunct to western medicine. Dr. Hall  was Acupuncture Certified by Colorado State University.


WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?

Acupuncture is an ancient method of rebalancing the body to allow it to heal itself. The methods include use of very fine needles, minute amounts of natural compounds and/or electro stimulation. The main principle is to stimulate various 'points' along what are called meridians. All  meridians influence one another and most closely follow the pathways of our described nerve tracts. As you will recall, nerve tracts are accompanied by both veins and arteries, thus allowing delivery of helpful substances and removal of detrimental ones.

 

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HOW ACUPUNCTURE WORKS 

That depends on whether you take the 'Eastern' or 'Western' view.  From an Eastern philosophy, health is all about identifying how the body is out of balance. These imbalances lead to weakness in various organs and therefore to symptoms we call disease.  By stimulating or sedating the appropriate points of various meridians we allow the body to regain it's harmony. It may sound odd to some, but really is exactly what Western medicine believes. If we have a patient with chronic vomiting we use medications and change of diet to allow the stomach to stop responding negatively to some insult.  If we identify a damaged cruciate, we use nutriceuticals (glucosamine),  anti-inflammatories (carprofen), rest and/or surgical restabilization. All of these 'devices' also allow the joint to stop being unstable, inflamed, painful. There are Western studies which show that acupuncture increases endorphins (the body's natural pain reliever) and decreases enkephalins (the body's  natural inflammatory compound). Naturally. if we stop pain, inflammation and/or disuse of one part we allow other parts to be healthier, i.e.. calming an angry gut allows not only the gut but also  the pancreas, liver and stomach to function  better.  If we correct a cruciate, we relieve excess stress on the opposite hind limb and lower back.
 

WHAT CONDITIONS ARE COMMONLY TREATED?  

From an Eastern view, any thing and everything.  For our purposes, I will be using acupuncture as an adjunct to Western medicine in most cases. Just as we don't "just" treat pancreatitis with fluids, we won't only be using acupuncture in acute cases. Having said that, I most commonly treat orthopedic problems, disc disease, chronic GI, and skin problems. A partial list of problems, that acupuncture can be used to treat, include: Arthritis, pre- and post-op pain and swelling, mega colon, allergies, digestive disorders, muscle strain, and metabolic problems.
 

HOW IS ACUPUNCTURE DONE AND HOW OFTEN?

Treatment is based on the condition being addressed, the patient, and the stage of treatment. An initial exam is always needed, then the first treatment-this first visit -may potentially take 20-40 minutes. It needs to be done in a quiet, calm area. I do prefer that the owner stay with their pet, keeping them relaxed until it is time to remove or change the needles. I do not ordinarily stay in the room the entire time, but rather leave the pet and owner to a calmer atmosphere. If the pet is absolutely not able to stay calm during treatment, I will change the treatment plan. Subsequent visits are usually done twice weekly for 2 weeks, once weekly for 2-4 weeks, then monthly to tri-monthly. The first 4-6 treatments must be done with attention to interval, thereafter we can adjust more easily. Because regular treatments are essential to a pet's well being we offer a savings on prepaid treatments
 


If you have questions concerning acupuncture and whether or not it could benefit your pet,
please call 402-423-9100 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hall .