Acupunctue on animals

Here's what I think... People say that acupuncture is a bunch of crap and that the people who feel better are only experiencing things that way because they want to believe it's fixing them.  Ok, fine. 
 
So, when dogs get acupuncture, they have no idea what the heck it's for, just that they have to get stuck with needles and stay calm/still for 20 minutes.  SO, when those dogs come out remarkably better in the days that follow - you can actually measure the progress and see how much better a spot heals, or the struggle to walk or get up is cut in half...  Think the dog is making it up, too?  Nah.  I think it works, and the fact that it works on dogs is proof enough to me that it's not a belief, but a reality.  Won't cure things, but something is happening to make things better!

Exacty! I've told many people that the vet does acupuncture and they are like "are you joking?" The think it's some new age thing that is just silly. It's NOT! I've seen it work and I know it does work.

Of corse I've seen dogs who stoped the treatment and have gone the other way. Some owners think the dog has gotten so much better they decide to stop taking their dog in for acupuncture and the dog starts to have problems agean. It's really something that has to be keept up with.

Essentially acupuncture aids 'healing' -- and it's also marvelous for pain management.  But if you remember how 'electric' the body is (think of how the neurons in the body are simply electrical synapes where the current jumps from one place to another enabling a message to be sent to the brain or whatever) then it makes a lot of sense when you understand that there is an 'energy highway' thru the body just like there is a lymph system and a blood stream.  There is a mappable "system" of energy pathways just like the bloodstream is mappable.
 
I've used acupuncture on my animals for about 5 years now and on ME for slightly longer. It was one of the vets up at the University of Florida who got ME to try acupuncture for me.  Read any treatise on degenerative myelopathy and Dr. Roger Clemmons of UF is gonna be mentioned.  He's a neurosurgeon -- literally a brain surgeon and spinal surgeon for dogs.  But because he knows how 'electric' the body is acupuncture makes sense.
 
They teach acupuncture at the University of Florida at Gainesville.  All the neurovets are very supportive of it and use it. 
 
Because I've used it for myself I can tell you it doesn't hurt, I can tell you my 'personal' experience.  I'm one of those people who can't take typical NSAIDs -- they make me violently ill (sick to my stomach).  But I've also had rheumatoid arthritis since I was a kid -- so you can see that's a problem.  Acupuncture helps enormously and anyone who says I'm stupid or lying or "easily led" is gonna get the full blast of my temper cos trust me -- I understand PAIN.  (and I'm not yelling at you but believe it or not there are people who have told ME it's all just psychosomatic and not many have lived to tell that stupid tale again *grin*). 
 
But a dog isn't going to be influenced a great deal by how someone has said "this will work" or how socially acceptable, or not, something is. 
 
I've got two who go monthly for acupuncture.  I've had a total of FIVE treated by it.  My mostlie sheltie lived probably 4 more years than he would have without it -- he had sciatica in *both* rear legs -- so trust me -- he knew pain too.  Acupuncture and massage kept him pain free.  He literally died 2 months before his 19th birthday -- just plain OLD age.  And shelties typically don't get that old. 
 
I've seen acupuncture done to help cancer therapy (amazing way to stimulate the immune system).  And now it's being done on Billy to help stimulate the body to continually pump out new blood and to help the immune system find it's way thru immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.  Hes' been getting some acupuncture for almost 2 years to help with allergies. 
 
Yeah -- it works in a BIG way.  But like Dr. Clemmons said to me "All you have to do is watch acupuncture being done on a horse ONCE.  That's all it takes -- because you can see a needle inserted at the shoulder ACTUALLY stimulate a neural response and you can see that electrical charge actually travel the full distance of the body to the back leg.  You can SEE the skin ripple as the electrical response to the insertion of that metal needle touches that place where the current is and then trace it as it goes the full length of the body.  Once a vet has SEEN that happen, generally they understand more easily how incredibly well it works."

My friend's mom does accupuncture (on humans, not dogs). I tried it once, I was already skeptical and that experience didn't help much. It didn't do much for me so I doubt it would do much for my dog. But I have heard of some people that seem to have great experiences with accupuncture...maybe its coincidence?

I also believe in acupuncture and other holistic treatments such as massage and acupressure.  My dal was having nurological issues in his spine toward the end of his days.  We did several months of acupuncture and while it did not cure him, he did move around better after treatments.  I think having the treatments helped make his last months here more comfortable.  I have also had my horse massaged and acupunctured.  I noticed the biggest improvement after her massage, much better movement and much more relaxed.  I plan on getting Dasher massaged as he gets a little older and is showing on a more regular basis.  Some of my agility friends also swear by a vet that does chiropractic work.