Acupuncture for Pets
House Call Acupuncture for Pets
Seeing is believing. These pets are enjoying their acupuncture treated provided by Dr Sandra Truli Springer. Dr Truli (as she’s known to her patients) is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA.) CVAs are granted to licensed veterinarians only. The Certification is rigorous and includes 130 hours of continuing education, 30 hours of internship with experienced acupuncturists, and formal Clinical Case Reports.
Needles in neck and legs are hooked up to the electro-acupuncture machine to treat paralysis
Acupuncture for Miniature Schnauzer Intervertebral Disc Disease and Hemiparesis
This Miniature Schnauzer was suddenly paralyzed on his right side by a bulging intervertebral disk in his neck but he could still feel pain stimuli in his toes. Standard medical advice was painkillers and 4-5 weeks of cage rest. After 3 acupuncture treatments spaced 3-4 days apart, he is standing up, sitting, and sometimes rocketing across the living room before tripping on the right side.
Acupuncture is clinically proven to help speed recovery from intervertebral disc disease and to help with pain relief.
You can see how he lays on his side for the treatment. Normally, he is super playful and silly. He feels so relaxed from the acupuncture that he settles and sleeps for his treatments. One-third of acupuncture patients sleep through the treatment.
See the pink needle in his hind foot?
Acupuncture for Sudden Onset Bloody Diarrhea in a Miniature Poodle Puppy
This little guy had bloody diarrhea. He is usually a rambunctious, playful puppy. He fell asleep during his acupuncture treatment. His condition resolved with one acupuncture treatment consisting of one needle placement.
One-needle acupuncture is a new technique to veterinary acupuncturists in the United States. Dr Bruce Ferguson introduced Topographic Acupuncture to veterinarians studying at the Chi Institute in Reddick, Florida in Spring, 2017. Dr Truli is one of the first veterinarians in the United States to learn Topographic Acupuncture from Dr Ferguson.
This advanced system of acupuncture takes physical examination findings, symptoms, and history of the pet to determine which one to three acupuncture points on the body will be most effective at relieving many or all of the pet’s symptoms.
How can this be? Well, the acupuncture points are organized along lines of fascia and connective tissue. Approx 85% of the acupuncture lines also follow pathways of nervous system structures like nerves and spinal cord. But not all of them! They are interconnected in specific, known patterns. Knowledge of those patterns, combined with the physical examination allows a specially trained and experienced veterinary acupuncturist to treat your pet with very few needles.
How do you know it is working? Your pet may relax, yawn, fall asleep. sigh, stretch out, and we can see the relaxation and pain relief. Restricted joints, like hips that do not flex and bend will bend or extend, often within minutes of the start of treatment. Dr Truli can demonstrate for you in your house call where your pet is experiencing lack of proper mobility or flexibility or pain, apply the acupuncture needles, and then demonstrate return to normal or near-normal function. This system of Topographic Acupuncture is especially useful for sensitive, fast-moving, older, or pediatric patients as it is not over-whelming to them.
Electro Acupuncture for Doberman Neck Pain
Acupuncture for Doberman Pinscher Neck Pain
This older Doberman Pinscher suffered severe neck pain for months. He walked with his head down and resisted his daily walks around the neighborhood. He was not a candidate for neck surgery and medical management with painkillers, anti inflammatory meds, and muscle relaxants did not help. Acupuncture brought a sigh of relief after one treatment. By 3 treatments, he could run and play. He now enjoys acupuncture treatments every 4-6 weeks to keep his neck pain away.
“I love this picture because he’s looking at me sideways,” says Dr Truli.
You can see the acupuncture electro machine clearly in this picture. It is a weaker electrical output than a TENS unit. The electricity feels like mild gentle stream of warmth and relaxation just running through your arm or leg or wherever we direct the treatment. Many medical conditions respond better with the added electro acupuncture than just dry needle acupuncture. Conditions like inter-vertebral disc disease (IVDD) and paralysis usually need the electricity to stimulate the optimal healing, pain relief, relaxation, anxiety reduction.
“We can almost always treat a dog or cat patient with acupuncture. You will be amazed and surprised how calming it is, even for hyperactive pets. Sometimes, especially for hyperactive pets,” says Doc Truli.
House Call Acupuncture for Pets in the Tampa Bay Area
Dr Sandra Truli Springer, VMD, CVA, CVFT, CVTP
Call or text (813) 714-7863
or email DrTruli@VetVMD.com
Read more about Topographic Acupuncture:
Topographic Acupuncture at Pacific Rim College
Topographic Acupuncture at Chi Institute
for humans: I Ching Acupuncture: The Balance Method by Dr. David Twicken DOM, LAc
