PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Portland veterinarian Dr. Brenda Brown of Cedar Mill Veterinary Hospital says that many cats and dogs have experienced successful pain management at the hospital through pet acupuncture. According to Dr. Brown, she successfully uses acupuncture to relieve post-surgical pain, and to treat arthritis and neurologic diseases, as well as other conditions. She says that this ancient Chinese medical procedure has been used on animals for thousands of years, and that current medical research shows that acupuncture stimulates pain relief functions within the nervous system. Dr. Brown says that they use it as a complementary treatment along with traditional veterinary care.
According to the Portland veterinarian, pet acupuncture helps a wide variety of patients. "We particularly use it for senior care for cats and dogs because it helps them age more gracefully. Many of our senior patients suffer from arthritis, hip dysplasia and gastrointestinal problems, and this helps manage the pain and inflammation associated with those conditions. It isn't a stand-alone treatment, but it is very helpful for keeping pets more comfortable, particularly after orthopedic surgery. Many pet owners are eager to avoid the side effects of pain drugs, and they've found that acupuncture is a natural, effective alternative."
Dr. Brown relays that insertion of the long, thin, FDA-approved needles into specific points in the pet's skin can stimulate endorphin production, which relieves pain naturally. Dr. Brown adds that acupuncture also seems to stimulate adenosine production, which also soothes injured tissues by reversing inflammation levels. According to Dr. Brown, this may explain why it is so successful in senior care for pets, particularly those with inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
Dr. Brown says reports of the history of acupuncture go back at least 3000 years in China, and that the first recorded instances of recorded veterinary acupuncture date back to around 2000 B.C. when it was used to treat Chinese army horses. Since those times, acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment for both humans and animals across Asia, with the practice entering the United States in the 1970s.
According to Dr. Brown, pets that receive acupuncture seem to feel no discomfort from being needled. "Acupuncture is usually quite soothing because it helps to relieve their pain and inflammation. Along with therapeutic laser and other alternative, holistic treatments, it actually stimulates the body to start using its own healing processes, which makes it a very attractive option for relieving many types of pain in pets."
Cedar Mill Veterinary Hospital provides routine preventative care, pet surgery, laser therapy and acupuncture for cats and dogs of all ages, with a particular focus on holistic and senior care. Their website is http://www.cedarmillvet.com.