Now Available: Veterinary Acupuncture in Dartmouth, MA
Southeastern Massachusetts now has a new treatment opportunity available for ailing pets at Anchor Animal Hospital in Dartmouth, an AAHA or American Animal Hospital Association accredited facility. While some might discount the ability of acupuncture to be effectively used as a pain management or alternative medical treatment tool, it is being embraced more and more throughout the American medical community as an effective therapy for both pets and people.
A Quick Fix
A pill for this, a surgery for that. We have been “trained” to look for a quick fix for everything from high cholesterol to pain management. More Americans today look for answers in a prescription bottle or prefer to undergo an hour under the knife than to “do the work” themselves. While they may require more frequent and longer treatments, there are many alternative pet therapies now available that will do a better and safer job of addressing the patient’s needs.
There are some medical conditions and patient situations where results are seen immediately, however in most cases, acupuncture therapy for pets won’t be fully realized as beneficial until after a series of treatments has been completed. That being said, there are many advantages to choosing a non-drug, non-surgical therapy for your pet to aid in natural healing and encourage healthy physical balance.
Is Veterinary Acupuncture Right for Your Pet?
While acupuncture therapy for pets isn’t the best solution for every patient or every situation, there are specific conditions that alternative pet therapies have proven to be successful. Some of the conditions that affect pets that can be treated by veterinary acupuncture include:
- allergies and/or asthma
- arthritis
- degenerative joint disease
- endocrine disorders
- hip dysplasia
- immune functions
- inflammatory conditions
- lick granulomas
- nerve injuries
- reproductive issues
- seizures and/or epilepsy
- spinal cord diseases
In addition to the conditions and diseases that are best treated by veterinary acupuncture, there are other things to consider that would help decide if alternative pet therapies are appropriate in your situation. Things such as the cost of treatment; the age or condition of the pet; failure of traditional treatments to alleviate or treat the problem; concerns about surgical or prescription drug therapies and their side effects; and an openness to consider alternative pet therapies and treatments.
Speaking With Your Veterinarian About Treatment Options
You should speak with your veterinarian to find out if veterinary acupuncture or other alternative pet therapies would be appropriate for your pet’s condition. The overall success of acupuncture therapy for pets is dependent upon your pet’s response to the treatment, the number and consistency of the treatments being given and the duration and intensity of your pet’s condition that is being treated.
Recent studies of veterinary acupuncture have shown that approximately 25 percent of patients receiving treatment have seen a major improvement in their condition; approximately 50 percent of patients experienced significant improvement with some symptoms still present; and another 25 percent saw no improvement or response to treatment whatsoever. These results are typical when compared to other types of alternative pet therapies and treatments. Sometimes it takes additional treatments or a combination of alternative treatments to fully alleviate pain or cure the condition.
Where to Get Veterinary Acupuncture in Southeastern Massachusetts
Dr. Kate Pietsch of Anchor Animal Hospital in Dartmouth became certified in veterinary acupuncture in May 2012 through Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Using her new skills and education to treat patients at home in Massachusetts, Dr. Kate is very excited about the possibilities for treatment now available through acupuncture therapy for pets.
The Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians (MAV) course required Dr. Kate to travel to Colorado once a month for one-week sessions for a period of three months with an extensive examination given at the end of the program. MAV is a scientific-based, critically-evaluated and very informed instructional course that focuses on acupuncture and related alternative treatment techniques, which include massage and laser therapy. The program guides students through a format that begins with neurophysiology, neuroanatomy and neuromodulation and then works to integrate ideas about scientific, medically-based veterinary acupuncture and other alternative pet therapies in with everyday patient services.
To find out more about the alternative pet therapies and veterinary acupuncture available from Dr. Kate through Anchor Animal Hospital, visit their North Dartmouth location on State Road or call 508-996-3731. Anchor Animal Hospital serves patients all throughout Southcoast Massachusetts and Eastern Rhode Island, including New Bedford, Fall River and Little Compton.