By Dr. Juan Gómez de la Torre, pet acupuncturist
Acupuncture, an alternative health practice, is an ancient medical art developed in China approximately 3,500 years ago.
This technique began based on the observation of natural elements, such as wind, heat, cold, water, among others. The earliest instruments the Chinese practitioners employed in their craft were sharp stones; during the following periods, they used fish bones to perform the treatments. Once metal alloys were developed, acupuncture practitioners used them to produce finer, more effective needles.
Originally, acupuncture was only applied to humans; later on, the practitioners realized that it could also be used in domesticated animals like horses, cattle and, of course, cats and dogs. So, animal acupuncture was developed and introduced as a mean to preserve livestock and pets.
One of the tenets of this alternative method is that all living bodies have Qi, which is the organic energy that flows through channels or meridians. When these channels are blocked, the acupuncturist should insert the needle to unlock the stagnation of the energy and release it. In practical terms, we can say that acupuncture consists of the insertion of needles at specific areas, called acupoints, to trigger a natural healing effect in patients.
There are 12 bilateral channels and two main unilateral channels in all living beings; these channels are connected by secondary channels. All of them are filled with energy, or Qi, circulating permanently. Each one is connected to an organ (heart, spleen, kidneys, etc.) or the viscera (stomach, small intestine, etc.). When the patient presents symptoms of an ailment, the acupuncturist identifies the sick channel and applies the needles accordingly to correct the flow of energy.
At present, acupuncturists resort to different healing techniques, such as laser acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, moxibustion, and hemo-acupuncture among others. Nonetheless, the use of needles remains as the method par excellence.
Acupuncture, as an alternative health method, can alleviate disease, especially chronic disorders. In the case of elderly animals, acupuncture is used to alleviate the symptoms to give them a better quality of life.
This alternative technique can also be use as preventive treatment. For instance, there are some dog breeds that tend to suffer specific ailments such as hip dysplasia or vertebral disc herniation, so, it is recommended to initiate treatment early to avoid further complications.
The benefits that acupuncture offers complement other more orthodox methods. It is a safe, non-invasive health alternative, with no secondary effects, which is gaining popularity among pet owners. There are numerous examples of pets that have successfully received this treatment, as in the case we can observe in the link attached to this article. Of course, our goal is to give our pets the best to ensure they enjoy the happy and full life they deserve.
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Dr. Juan Gómez de la Torre is a certified acupuncturist for animals with a certification issued by the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine and the China National Society of traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. He has more than 10 years fully dedicated to this alternative medicine practice. He has also completed the Balance Method Acupuncture technique. Dr. Juan can be reached via email at accu.pet@gmail.com.
