Injuries, genetic disorders, medical treatments, and old age can all create chronic pain for an otherwise healthy animal. Pain medication is an option to treat these problems, but it can have adverse side effects and potentially interact with other medicines your pet might need to take. Chronic pain management is tricky, but vital to the health and well-being of our beloved pets. If your pet is suffering from pain, reach out to us at Eastshore Vet, the best veterinary clinic in Madison, and we can assess your pet's health and create a plan of action for managing their pain.
Part of that pain management plan could include pet acupuncture. Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years in China to promote healing throughout the body. Acupuncturists insert needles into areas where blood vessels and nerve bundles intersect. Resulting enhanced circulation and hormone release help reduce pain. The body, human or animal, is capable of producing its own pain relief and anti-inflammatory substances, and acupuncture enables the body to release them.
Although most people see acupuncture as a treatment for human pain, professional veterinary organizations endorse acupuncture as a complement to traditional pain management. You should only work with a certified, experienced pet acupuncturist. Dr. Jill O'Callaghan, who has regular hours at Eastshore Vet, is a certified veterinary acupuncturist through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. She has been performing acupuncture on pets for over seven years.
Acupuncture is nearly painful for small animals. Larger animals may show signs of discomfort when the needle is inserted, but afterward they should be pain free. Acupuncture comes with very few side effects, especially compared with traditional pain management. Your pet may seem relaxed during or after treatment. Humans have reported tingling and numbness during acupuncture treatments, so your pets may express slight discomfort. Some novel acupuncture techniques utilize lasers, giving all animals a pain-free experience.
One of the best things about acupuncture is that it won't interact with any of your pet's other medications. Some animals may not be able to receive ideal pain treatments because of other medicines they're taking. Acupuncture can help your pets become pain-free for the first time in years.
Pain can come from a wide variety of medical conditions. While acupuncture cannot treat every issue in the world, here are a few things it has been known to help with:
Don�??t hesitate to reach out to us at Eastshore Vet, the best vet in Madison, if your pet is suffering from chronic pain. Our experienced veterinary staff is more than ready to help bring your pet back to her best health.
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