Acupuncture

 My dogs don't fall asleep, either. I've had varying results. It helps Emma, but she's so busy fighting the acupuncturist that it doesn't help like it should. We switched her to laser therapy, and she does MUCH better with that. Since she doesn't fight it, it helps more. Jewel LOVES acupuncture, LOVES the therapist, LOVES the massage, attention, touch me, look at me, wheeeee! And it works wonders on her. Emma is managing a pinched nerve, arthritic hips and knees. Jewel is managing mammory cancer.

Thankfully my dog didn't fight... he was just nervous and scared and kept shifting around and moving everytime she touched him in a new place. After awhile though he finally settled down and laid there, but his face was tense.

 I guess we'll see... the acupuncturist at our vet is going on maternity leave though so he won't get another session for a few months, unfortunately.

You might look for another acupuncturist in your area -- going *months* will be difficult and acupncture can help SO much.

 I've used it on several of my animals (6 so far) **and** I get it myself (for arthritis).  Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine really needs to be a whole package -- not *just* acupuncture.  The herbs are beyond compare for arthritis and can really help without as much of the damage as can occur with nsaids. 

If you go to http://www.tcvm.com -- that's the Chi Institute website -- and on the left hand side is a locator.  Plug in your zip code and then try your state as well and you may find someone pretty close to you.  It **is** worth it.

 Part of the thing with acupuncture is to reduce the inflammation -- and you do have to keep up with it (it's like you can't just take ONE ibuprophen or even a 'course' of it and "cure" arthritis -- it has to be maintained)

The benefits will increase as you continue it.  And typically dogs learn to relax more as time goes on and they get used to what happens and gain some trust in the vet. 

But not *all* dogs go to sleep.  It's best if they stay in one place (moving a muscle that has a needle in it can be uncomfortable) -- Billy would wander all over creation if I didn't lie down on the floor with him and **strongly encourage** (grin) him to STAY PUT!  But he's so danged friendly he thinks he has to keep track of everyone.

 Kee Shu gets needled and falls asleep before Dr. D gets done putting IN the needles (it really does NOT hurt unless they have to go close to a bone and then there can be a tiny bit of discomfort) and she will actually SNORE *lol*

Foxy never did fall asleep during needles.  Muffin the Intrepid did ALL the time. 

Moi??  I have to go *last thing* in the day because all I want to DO is sleep.  If I go in the morning I"m kinda toast for the whole day so it's better for me to go last thing in the day so I *can* go home and sleep. 

But  I've been using TCVM a long time for my animals *and* for me (and incidentally it was a vet up at the University of Florida Vet School who encouraged ME to get acupuncture for my arthritis all those years ago and he was right!!)  But typically I like a vet who does *only* TCVM rather than one of a large practice of vets who only does acupuncture "on request".

Why?  Because there are so many benefits of integrated methodology -- the help with diet and with all sorts of things is invaluable.  My TCVM vet works **with** my regular vet because I encourage them to share each others findings and all lab results are sent to both vets. 

But they are each good at different things - they have learned to respect each other greatly.  But I really want both of them to develop a full interest in my dog -- not just see them "occasionally".

Kee has a LOT of arthritis and would never have had th quality years she's had with us (she was a rescue from a really difficult background and she was elderly when she *came* to us almost 4 years ago).   She also had a huge problem with petit mal seizures which we have elminated completely with TCVM.

Holler if I can help in any way or if you need help using that locator.

 Callie

My vet is a holistic vet who I absolutely love. He's the nicest vet I have ever met, and oh... I just love them there! I've never felt so satisfied with and happy with a vet, so I don't really have any intention of changing. I did search the locator though and everything is almost an hour away. I guess I can do some research though and present it to my vet.

My dog had been injured as a really small puppy, and is now developing extremely severe, debilitating arthritis in the leg. It was never treated initially by whoever owned him before me (he was adopted from a shelter), so we don't even know what happened to him. We've consulted orthopedic specialists and there is nothing surgery could do for him except to amputate. We aren't quite there yet, but eventually the pain is no longer going to be manageable (he's on a few different meds and supplements right now and it's doing alright for him). So I'm trying to find ways to manage the pain for as long as possible before considering something as severe as amputation.

Thank you so much though for the information!

HOw about massage?  http://www.petmassage.com was a lifesaver for us with several dogs.  They have stuff you can order yourself to learn, but they will also put you in touch with someone local who works as a pet massage therapist.  REALLY beneficial.

Is there still cartilage in the joints in that leg?  I have a whole arthritis article that I can send you if you want -- email me (not a PM b/c it's an attachment) and I'm happy to send it to you.  There's really a lot you can do -- from homeopathics to herbs that can help. 

One of the BEST things is using essential oils (and e.o. blends) to bring down the inflammation topically -- truly can help a TON.  Again, it's something I use myself constantly (am sitting here typing with some on my left shoulder right now) and it is an incredible help in pain relief on a day to day level.

I've got a couple of favorite blends (Wood Lock and White Flower Oil) that are superb -- but you can go to your local health store and get either peppermint or wintergreen (the essential oils not a food flavoring) that work incredibly well and they are FAST (the more oil you use the more heat you get -- the more you RUB the more heat you get).

The oils don't gunk up dog fur like goopy things like BioFreeze or Mineral Ice do.