Incorporating acupuncture in veterinary practice: part 1
2003
Acorda, J.A. (Philippines Univ. Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines). Coll. of Veterinary Medicine)
Acupuncture, either alone, or in combination with modern veterinary medicine is being practiced in several countries around the world, most notably in the US, Australia, Brazil and some countries in Europe as well as Eastern Asia. Several acupuncture societies have been established and at least 28 journals dealing with acupuncture and other forms of alternative medicine have been published. Diseases and disorders in animals vary in the response to therapy. Some respond well to modern medicine while others, particularly, inflammation and chronic disorders respond better to acupuncture. Thus, there is a need to integrate acupuncture and other forms of alternative medicine to modern medicine. Acupuncture can be used to induce analgesia for surgical procedures in animals and to treat various forms of diseases and disorders, alone or in combination with western medicine. Acupuncture can be used to induce analgesia for exploratory laparotomy in ruminants. It also can be used to prolong anesthesia induced by xylazine and ketamine for surgical procedures in small animals. Acupuncture has been used to treat various mussculo-skeletal disorders, reproductive disorders, respiratory disorders and digestive disorders, alone, or in combination with drugs in both small and large animals. Factors that limit the widespread use of acupuncture include skepticism, refusal to retrain and difficulties of organizing acupuncture training. Although mastery of traditional acupuncture demands years of study under expert teachers, the basics of acupuncture can be learned in a few months of concentrated course-work and about a year of practice. Acupuncture, when incorporated in veterinary practice, can reduce the cost of treatment and expand the number of diseases and disorders in both small and large animals that can be treated by the practicing veterinarian
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