Acupuncture, Chiropractic And Electrotherapy - What's Old Is New Again For America's Pets

Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Article Date: 22 Jul 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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The earliest known writings about herbal medicines date back to 2800 B.C. in China, and many people believe that electromedicine goes back to the time of Aristotle. But while many complementary or alternative modalities may not be new, these alternative measures are still not well understood by many Americans.

At the 145th annual convention of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in New Orleans July 18-22, veterinarians and others in attendance will explore these unique modalities.

Dr. Drew W. Spisak, co-owner of Options for Animals, says that veterinary chiropractic care is starting to earn more respect and understanding in this country. In addition to teaching the history of chiropractic medicine, Dr. Spisak will help practicing veterinarians determine what acupuncture is and how to recognize if an animal needs it during his session on Small Animal Chiropractic from 1 - 5 p.m. on July 20.

In humans, chiropractic treatments are most commonly associated with back and spinal issues, and it's the same in small animals. Dr. Spisak says he treats many long-back breeds of dogs, such as Dachshunds and Basset Hounds, and also older dogs.

Dr. Ed Boldt Jr. of Performance Horse Complementary Medicine Services will introduce veterinarians to equine acupuncture and chiropractic care from 8 a.m. to noon on July 21 in his session - Equine Acupuncture and Chiropractic: Evaluate, Delegate, or Do It Yourself?

In his field, Dr. Boldt says that complementary care options are already well accepted. "My practice is primarily performance horses, including dressage horses and roping horses. A lot of issues are performance issues. I use these techniques to alleviate some of the discomfort the horse is experiencing," Dr. Boldt explains.

By the end of his four-hour lab, Dr. Boldt says that those in attendance will have a basic understanding of both acupuncture and chiropractic in equine medicine and will be able to use some rudimentary techniques to treat and diagnose in their own practice.

Dr. Douglas E. Knueven, who will present Introduction to Canine Acupuncture - Points and Process from 1 - 5 p.m. on July 21, says that acupuncture for small animals is not as popular as it is in equine medicine, but it is growing. "It's really getting more and more popular," Dr. Knueven explains.

By the end of his lab, Dr. Knueven says he hopes that veterinarians will take what they've learned and start applying it in their own practices. "They'll be learning the basics of acupuncture and how it works. There will be a lecture, and then there will be some live dogs to learn from. Veterinarians will get a chance to work with acupuncture needles," he explains. "They're actually going to be putting acupuncture needles not into the dogs but into themselves so they can experience what acupuncture feels like."

Daniel L. Kirsch, Ph.D., chairman of Electromedical Products International, Inc., and a designer of electromedical equipment, will introduce veterinarians to electromedicine from 1 - 5 p.m. on July 21, Microcurrent Therapy for Treating Pain and Stress in Five Easy Steps. Electromedicine includes cranial electrotherapy stimulation to treat problems like depression and behavioral issues in pets and also microcurrent electrotherapy for pain and bodily injuries.

In veterinary medicine, electromedicine is relatively new. This will be the first time that Dr. Kirsch has spoken at an AVMA meeting, but he says that the use of microcurrent therapy to treat animals is growing.

"Veterinary applications are probably the fastest growing segment of the electromedical market," he explains. "There is a movement toward pain control in animals, and I think that is important."

Pain control in animals is in an interesting state today, he says. Many pet owners have a strong bond with their animals, so pain control is becoming a more popular option.

"As a general rule, if you think a problem would hurt you, it will probably hurt the animal," Dr. Kirsch explains.

For more information about the AVMA annual convention in New Orleans July 18-22, visit http://www.avmaconventionmedia.org.

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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and its more than 76,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.

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