Anecdotal Evidence
Susan Thorpe-Vargas has a doctorate in immunology with a lab and chemistry background. During the course of her career she once came across fifteen horses suffering from chronic back pain.
These horses could not even function normally even though they had been undergoing treatment for a long time. These horses were then treated with acupuncture.
Treatment lasted for a duration of twenty minutes and was given around seven to nine times a week. At the end of the treatment she found that thirteen of those horses started normal activities without any pain whatsoever.
Another anecdote involves Andy the eleven year old Siberian Husky. Due to old age he suffers from lower back pain. He is taken for a run by his personal trainer once a week and even strengthens his hind leg in the doggy pool. That’s not all; he is given a massage and a hot spa treatment regularly.
He is one of the many dogs in Japan who are pampered by their masters. Andy’s mistress Aya Ashiya who is 50 dotes on her pet. She gives him a treatment of aromatherapy and acupuncture on a regular basis to keep him as healthy, comfortable and fit as possible.
Pet owners in Japan as in other parts of the world will actually do anything to keep their pets happy and healthy.
Another example of the gaining popularity of acupuncture treatment for pets especially in Japan is the case of the long haired Chihuahua who is eight years old. This pet goes to the Kamakura Genki Animal Hospital for acupuncture sessions twice a week.
He started this treatment after he was stuck with a severe back pain. This dog along with his owner travels two hours by the local train for these acupuncture sessions.
Rancho Bernardo the horse was diagnosed to be afflicted with a pus filled lesion in his brain. Antibiotics could not cure this infection and the doctors gave up on him. This was almost a given up case when fate brought him in contact with the equine acupuncturist Dr.Liz Wilbur.
Dr.Wilbur’s first session with the horse involved watching the horse for all the symptoms of the disease and questioning the owner about the pet’s medical history, treatments given so far, apetite, energy level, etc.
This was followed by inserting a variety of needles into specific acupoints. The horse immediately started relaxing with the body’s own healing mechanism taking over as a response to acupuncture.
Treatment continued for five months combining antibiotics with a Chinese herbal formula along with acupuncture. After six treatments spanning five months, the horse completely recovered and his gait returned to normal.
Acupuncture has been practiced on animals for centuries. Initially the Chinese used their acupuncture therapies to treat horses and thereafter they started experimenting on other domestic animals such as dogs, cats and birds and veterinary acupuncture is a widely prevalent practice today.
