The Efficacy of Arthritic Canine Dry Needle Acupuncture

Huntingford Michael^*
*Correspondence: Huntingford Michael, Arbor Pointe Veterinary Hospital, Animal Pain Center, 42043 Ford Rd, Canton, MI 48187, USA, Email:

Introduction

The use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dates back more than 2000 years. It is predicated on the idea that health is a state of equilibrium and that disease results from an imbalance of energies within the body. One of the subspecialties of TCM and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is acupuncture (TCVM). It is a very powerful technique for treating pain. Veterinary acupuncture is increasingly being used on tiny animals to treat pain. When traditional methods fail to relieve a patient's pain, it is employed as a backup plan, as an alternative, or when a client is looking for a drug-free technique to lessen pain. Acupuncture is listed as a non-drug treatment for small animal pain in the most recent canine and feline pain management guidelines created by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Pain Council [1,2].

Description

The growing number of scientific publications published on the subject is proof that research into the scientific underpinnings of acupuncture is expanding. Out of these roughly 4000 studies, 41% are concerned with acupuncture's ability to relieve pain or analgesia, and the majority either dealt with people or lab animals. Nevertheless, it is possible to incorporate these ideas into practical veterinary practise. There have been some recent clinical studies in companion animals showing the effectiveness of acupuncture at mitigating pain. Some veterinarians are hesitant to include acupuncture into their offices because they think it is based on an outdated methodology, despite the growth in research and acceptability among pet owners. However, the vocabulary can be converted into physiological and biological principles that can be understood by the conventionally trained veterinarian. TCVM acupuncture does employ metaphorical language to describe patterns of disease, therapy, and pathology. As a scientifically based, medically acceptable method of treating pain in companion animals, acupuncture has advanced [3].

Anatomical sites known as acupuncture points or acupoints are stimulated during acupuncture to produce a local, segmental, and overall physiological response that is mediated by neuromodulation. Acupoints are concentrated areas of free nerve endings, lymphatics, tiny arterioles, venioles, and mast cells that are connected by neurovascular bundles called acupoints. Numerous acupuncture sites are usually found in locations with dense somatic afferent innervation and innervation. The insertion of a tiny filiform needle, the application of heat (moxibustion) or pressure (acupressure), the use of laser light, friction, and cupping are all methods for stimulating acupuncture sites. Additionally, practitioners may decide to inject certain medications into the acupoints to prolong the activation of the points. B12 injections and the insertion of gold beads into acupuncture points are two examples of this. During a treatment, acupuncture needles may be manually stimulated by twisting or moving the needle, or they may be electrically stimulated (EA). In order to perform EA, an electrode must be fastened to two acupuncture points. A little electric current is then passed via the electrodes. It is said to offer a more intense and longlasting stimulation [4,5].

Conclusion

The use of acupuncture is extremely safe. In most cases, adverse effects can be prevented by selecting patients carefully. Avoid sticking needles into skin that is diseased or irritated. When treating individuals with bleeding issues, avoid using needles. Things that might lead to early labour in pregnant animals should be avoided. When an animal has a pacemaker or a tumour, EA should not be administered over the affected area. It should also not be applied across the skull when an animal has a seizure disorder. Needles shouldn't be inserted in fractured or severely injured places. Even though it's uncommon, a damaged acupuncture needle could potentially harm someone if it migrates. Gold bead implantation into acupuncture points around the hip for the treatment of canine hip dysplasia has been the subject of numerous studies and clinical case reports. Although a German evaluation indicated that some of the research may have been faulty, some of these experiments produced encouraging outcomes. One study used objective outcome measures, but there was no discernible difference between the placebo group and the group receiving gold bead implantation

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

1. Epstein, Mark, Ilona Rodan, Gregg Griffenhagen, and Jamie Kadrlik, et al. “2015 AAHA/AAFP Pain Management Guidelines for Cats and Dogs.” J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 17(2015): 251-272.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

2. Lane, David M., and Sarah A. Hill. “Effectiveness of combined acupuncture and manual therapy relative to no treatment for canine musculoskeletal pain.” Can Vet J 57(2016): 407-414.

Google Scholar, Indexed at

3. Liu, Ching Ming, Fang Chia Chang, and Chung Tien Lin. “Retrospective study of the clinical effects of acupuncture on cervical neurological diseases in dogs.” J Vet Sci 17 (2016):337-345.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

4. Silva, Nuno EOF, Stelio PL Luna, Jean GF Joaquim, and Heloisa D. Coutinho, et al. “Effect of acupuncture on pain and quality of life in canine neurological and musculoskeletal diseases.” Can Vet J 58(2017): 941-951.

Google Scholar, Indexed at

5. Dewey, Curtis Wells, and Huisheng Xie. “The scientific basis of acupuncture for veterinary pain management: A review based on relevant literature from the last two decades.” Open Vet J 11(2021):203-209.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at