Acupuncture
At Minster Veterinary Centre

24 Hour Emergency Care Available

What Is Acupuncture?

Here at Minster Veterinary Centre we are able to offer our patients many therapies including acupuncture. Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of problems in both humans and animals. There are now multiple publications on the benefits this treatment can have on animals.

Veterinary acupuncture is the process of placing very fine needles into specific points on our patient. The needles are so fine a lot of the time they are not even felt. These needles stimulate multiple systems in the body, including the nervous, immune and hormonal systems. The outcome of this is a change in the body’s natural chemicals that have a beneficial effect on how your pet feels.

Acupuncture has evolved from the ancient art of placing needles into locations on the body to alleviate pain. It has been practiced by the Chinese and other Eastern cultures for thousands of years and may be used to treat a wide variety of illnesses. A combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine (aiming to restore equilibrium) and Western Scientific Acupuncture (aiming to stimulate the body’s repair mechanisms in the nervous, immune, hormonal and cellular systems) can be effective at treating many chronic disease processes.

What Can Acupuncture Be Used For?

In our pets, acupuncture is mainly used to help relieve pain caused by musculoskeletal problems, namely arthritis.

But it can also be used in the treatment of a variety of other problems such as respiratory, digestive, neurological and skin issues. Acupuncture can also be used to aid in wound healing and the rehabilitation of tissues after injury.

Acupuncture treatment should follow an accurate diagnosis and appraisal of all treatment options. Conditions associated with inflammation and pain are most commonly treated with acupuncture. A 70% response rate is generally seen in animals.

Small Animal Conditions include:

Musculoskeletal Conditions:

Hip dysplasia
Arthritis
Intervertebral disc disease
Soft tissue sprains/strains

Skin Conditions:

Lick granulomas
Allergies
Wound healing problems

Nervous Conditions:

Traumatic nerve injury
Epilepsy
Certain types of paralysis

Respiratory Conditions:

Feline asthma
Chronic rhinitis

Gastrointestinal Conditions:

Non-specific vomiting and diarrhoea
Inflammatory bowel disease

Urinary Conditions:

Incontinence
Feline lower urinary tract disease (cystitis)

Who Is Allowed To Administer Veterinary Acupuncture?

Legally in the U.K, veterinary acupuncture can only be administered by an appropriately qualified veterinary surgeon. Our vet Amy Clayton completed her Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists training course in 2017 and has been practicing ever since.

Amy first became interested in acupuncture after seeing the benefits one treatment had on her own dog, Eric, who has elbow dysplasia. Eric had regular acupuncture treatments since 2017, which Amy feels helped to keep him comfortable and mobile for so long. Acupuncture can be used in conjunction with more conventional medicines and as a sole treatment.

A full assessment, diagnosis and discussion is needed to tailor a treatment plan to the individual patients needs.

How Do The Appointments Work?

The initial consultation will involve a full assessment of the patient and location of points specific to your pet’s condition. Thin sterile needles will then be inserted into these specific points. These needles will be left in place for 5 – 20 minutes. Most patients accept acupuncture treatment without destress and even become more relaxed, which can last 24 hours. Occasionally pets can become euphoric. You can remain with your pet during the whole treatment session.

On average each patient requires 4 weekly sessions initially to determine if acupuncture is beneficial to them. After this top-up sessions can be used when needed. Each patient will have a treatment plan tailored to their individual needs.

Acupuncture is extremely safe when practiced by a trained veterinary surgeon. Occasionally a patient’s clinical signs may deteriorate for 1-2 days. This suggests that fewer points should be used the next time, but long term these patients are likely to respond well.

What Does It Cost?

Laser Session Costs

Assessment and Initial Treatment Session £100

Follow Up Sessions £75

If you are interested in discussing acupuncture as a treatment option for your pet, please call our Southwell surgery on 01636 812133 or our Bingham Surgery on 01949 833506. The initial session usually lasts between 45 minutes to an hour and additional sessions last approximately 30 minutes. A minimum of 4 treatment sessions a week apart is recommended initially, but this can be modified to your pets requirement.

The initial appointment which involves a full clinical assessment, in depth discussion and the acupuncture, costs £100. After this the cost is £75 per treatment. The treatment is performed in a consult room and you are able to stay with your pet.

Acupuncture tends to have a calming effect on most patients and they are not concerned during the treatment process.