What is Integrated Veterinary Medicine? Why are people searching for an Integrated Veterinarian?
While it’s quite well-known that acupuncture can help alleviate the ailments of many humans, few people understand what acupuncture can do for animals as a complimentary or an integrated veterinary service. Veterinary acupuncture is a medical option that can help restore your animals’ health and ease pain.
What Is Veterinary Acupuncture?
Traditional Chinese Veterinary Acupuncture (TCVM) has been practiced in China for at least 2,500 years. Interest and activity spread to other Asian countries including Japan and Korea about 1,500 years ago. During the past 25 to 30 years, there has been tremendous growth and development of veterinary acupuncture in Europe and the United States. Acupuncture has been used for treatment of diseases in horses, cattle, dogs, and cats.
Acupuncture may be defined as the stimulation of a specific point on the body referred to as an “acupoint.” Physiological changes in response to acupuncture point stimulation is the basis of clinical treatment.
Some of these responses include release of endogenous opioids, immune system stimulation, blood pressure regulation and body temperature regulation. Thus, many techniques have been developed to stimulate “acupoints” such as dry-needle, moxibustion, electro-acupuncture, aqua-acupuncture, hemo-acupuncture, acu-pressure, and pneumo-acupuncture. the stimulation of a specific point on the body referred to as an “acupoint.” Physiological changes in response to acupuncture point stimulation is the basis of clinical treatment.