Acupuncture for Pets at our West Loop location
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a treatment derived from ancient Chinese medicine whereby fine needles are inserted at certain points in the body to stimulate nerves under the skin and muscle. This results in the release of pain-relieving endorphins that have beneficial effects on inflammation and promote healing.
Are there any risks?
Acupuncture is generally very safe when performed by a qualified practitioner. The risks are minimal but can include bruising, bleeding, or infection at the needle site. Animals that are pregnant or have clotting disorders should be avoided.
How do I prepare for my appointment?
Patients should be clean and dry - this reduces the risk of infection at the needle site. Additionally, a heavily matted coat can interfere with placing the needles. If your pet tends to be nervous at the vet, then we recommend giving anti-anxiety medication prior to the appointment to help them stay calm and relaxed. It is important that your pet is still and settled throughout the treatment. Please let us know if you have any questions about this or need any refills.
What happens during the appointment?
If this is the first time your pet is having acupuncture, we offer a longer appointment so a full history can be taken, and a physical examination can be performed. On many occasions a pet may have more than one condition so we can use the acupuncture to treat multiple areas. For this initial appointment we recommend that you are present so we can discuss the exam findings and treatment recommendations. After the consultation and exam, you have the option of staying in the area while the treatment is performed or scheduling a pick-up in a few hours. We will provide a soft bed for your pet to lie or stand on during treatment. There are different types of acupuncture that may be recommended based on your pet’s symptoms. The classic is called dry needling in which fine needles are placed at specific acupoints and trigger points. Often 12-16 needles may be used. We count the needles in and out at the end of the session. The session time can very a bit but is normally 20-30 mins long with time allowed at the beginning and end for settling. Sometimes we will use electroacupuncture in which the needles are hooked up to a device that delivers low voltage electrical stimulation to help increase the nervous stimulation of the points. This can be especially helpful for musculoskeletal issues. Other times we will perform injections of vitamin B12 into acupuncture points to provide additional stimulation. For some conditions applying heat to the needles can be very beneficial. The type of acupuncture used will depend on the imbalance being treated.
What should I expect following a session?
Following a session your pet may be sleepy. You can feed, water, and exercise as normal. We try to remove all the needles but very rarely (esp. if your pet has long hair) a needle may be picked up off the floor. If you do find a needle, please let us know so we can dispose of it for you. Each animal is different, and you should not expect to see anything miraculous. That being said, many people will see an improvement after the first session. If you don’t that’s ok! The benefit from acupuncture is often seen with time and is accumulative. Often at least 4 sessions are needed to really appreciate the benefits.
What is the maintenance?
We recommend a course of acupuncture initially. This involves 4 sessions weekly. At the end of the course your vet will discuss if you feel acupuncture has been beneficial and what the recommendation is going forward. We generally recommend maintenance sessions at least once per month for more chronic conditions.
Book an Appointment
If you are interested in pursuing acupuncture as a healing option for your pet, please contact us to schedule a consultation.
West Loop:
(312) 421-2275
Streeterville:
(312) 766-5959