Musculoskeletal
- Arthritis, hip dysplasia
- Tendon/ligament disorders
- Lameness with no apparent cause
- Chronic or acute back/neck pain
- Sports medicine (canine athletes) – Acupuncture can speed up recovery from injuries as well as keep athletes balanced to prevent or reduce the chance of injury.
“Acupuncture may be able to help — either as a primary treatment or alongside conventional veterinary care.
Neurological
- Intervertebral disk disease (acute & chronic) – acupuncture can drastically speed healing time in acute cases.
- Wobblers
- Hind end weakness/wobbliness
- Cognitive dysfunction – acupuncture can help slow progression, especially if started early on
- Spinal trauma, head trauma
- Seizures – In mild cases of epilepsy, acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be effective in controlling seizures without medications. In moderate to severe cases of epilepsy, it can help reduce the amount of medications needed. Unfortunately, it is not as effective in controlling geriatric-onset seizures, but may help in some cases
- Laryngeal paralysis, facial paralysis
- Vestibular disorders (including idiopathic)
- Peripheral nerve injuries (Brachial plexus avulsion, tail pull injuries, etc)
Ophthalmological
- Glaucoma – acupuncture has been shown to reduce intraocular pressure in glaucoma animal models
- Conjunctivitis or any other inflammatory condition – decreases itching, inflammation & speeds healing
- Corneal ulcers – speeds/promotes healing, pain control
Behavioral
Acupuncture reduces anxiety and anger, as well as promotes relaxation.
- Separation anxiety, thunderstorm phobias – Mild cases can be controlled with acupuncture alone. In severe cases, acupuncture can be used as an adjunct to traditional medications and can help reduce dosages needed and/or help pets that are not completely controlled on medications.
- Aggression – Patient response is highly variable and depends on the underlying aggression disorder.
Cardiac
In combination with traditional western medications:
- Congestive heart failure, valvular diseases, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias
- Acute cases of CHF should always be treated with traditional Western emergency medications!
Acupuncture can help increase the strength and stamina of the heart muscles, reduce fluid accumulation, and arrhythmias. Acupuncture can increase the quality of life and, in many cases, increase the length of life.
Pulmonary
- Asthma, chronic bronchitis – acupuncture can reduce airway inflammation, ease breathing, and control panic and anxiety that accompany the inability to breathe.
- Allergic rhinitis, upper respiratory infections
- Pneumonia – Acupuncture is most often used as an adjunct with traditional Western medications. It can boost the immune system & shorten the course of infectious diseases.
Gastrointestinal
- Abdominal pain/colic, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Megacolon
Acupuncture is typically used in conjunction with traditional Western medications. Acupuncture can decrease dosages of medications and/or provide benefits for patients who are not controlled with Western medications.
Acupuncture has been shown to normalize gut motility to restore smooth muscle function and stop vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Acupuncture can also reduce gastrointestinal pain and stimulate appetite.
Renal (Kidney)
- Chronic renal (kidney) failure – acupuncture can help increase appetite and energy level and slow the progression of disease. In some cases, it may help to reduce azotemia.
- Urinary incontinence – spay-induced, geriatric, neurologic, etc
- Cystitis – Feline idiopathic cystitis
- Urolithiasis – can help control inflammation and pain. In some cases (infection-induced struvite stones), acupuncture & Chinese herbs can help to decrease size of stones faster in conjunction with traditional western treatments.
Endocrine
In combination with traditional western medications:
Acupuncture profoundly affects the endocrine system to restore balance in many different endocrine disorders.
- Diabetes Mellitus – Acupuncture can help improve control and clinical signs of Diabetes Mellitus. Electro-acupuncture has been shown to improve the response to insulin and glucose tolerance in diabetic animals.
- Cushing's disease
- Thyroid disease
Immunological
Acupuncture has immunomodulatory effects. Experimentally shown to increase T-lymphocytes & natural killer cells. Acupuncture can reduce overactivity of the immune system or stimulate immune function.
- Autoimmune disease
- Immunodeficiency syndromes
- Allergic disorders
- Infections – acupuncture can be used to prevent infection in animals that seem to become sick easily, i.e. "poor doers"
Dermatological
Acupuncture decreases itching and inflammation, allowing skin to heal. It can be used for a variety of skin conditions.
- Atopy (environmental allergies) – Acupuncture can help decrease the amount of medications (steroids or other) needed to control signs. Response varies and depends on how severe the condition is. In mild cases, we can control allergies with herbs and acupuncture alone. In more severe cases, an integrative approach including Western medications is best.
- Auto-immune diseases (pemphigus, lupus)
Other
- Hemorrhage
- Fever reduction
- Post-op pain
- Cancer patients – Can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy to increase quality of life and life span. Acupuncture can help with pain and gastrointestinal side effects of chemotherapy.