Acupuncture and Chronic Pain Management
Is your pet a candidate:
Pain in our pets is unavoidable as they age, what is avoidable; is how much pain they will experience in their life. If you notice your furry friend slowing down on walks or exhibiting other painful behaviors such as panting and restlessness, acupuncture may be a viable treatment for your pet. Many clients wish to try acupuncture for their pet as a way of lowering the current dose of pain medications their pet is on, or simply to aid in a breakthrough or flare-up of pain.
Acupuncture is available for both dogs and cats. For the safety of all parties involved, it is best suited for people-friendly, well-behaved patients.
What it’s used for:
Acupuncture has a wide range of therapeutic indications
for chronic conditions:
- Osteoarthritis
- Hip Dysplasia
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)
- Lumbosacral pain
- Cervical Pain
- Post-orthopedic surgery recovery
and for acute conditions:
- Pancreatitis
- Hotspots
- Acral lick lesions
- Post-surgical analgesia
- Slow healing wounds
How it works:
While acupuncture has its origins in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dr. Lax is trained in a modern evidence-based medical approach centered on providing pain relief, via a myriad of physiological pathways. Acupuncture directly blocks pain signaling from the brain, promotes the release of anti-inflammatory factors, and promotes the release of “feel-good” endorphins like serotonin and dopamine. Acupuncture needles can also target “trigger points” (more commonly referred to as “knots” or “nodules”) to provide direct pain relief.
Side effects:
Acupuncture has very few side effects, but the most common is drowsiness immediately following treatment. Every patient differs in their sensitivity and response to treatment, however, so you may find that your pet is bouncing off the walls! Other side effects are uncommon but include slight bleeding or soreness from the site of the needle.
If you feel your pet would benefit from acupuncture, please call the office to set up an appointment with Dr. Zach Lax.