Many people are exploring treatments other than traditional medicine. This is also true in veterinary medicine. Northern Oaks Bird & Animal Hospital is excited to be able to offer holistic and traditional medicine to help our patients heal.
Acupuncture has been shown to help pets with pain, osteoarthritis, vomiting, cancer pain, endocrine disorders, and much more. Discuss your pet’s symptoms with your veterinarian to determine whether acupuncture may be beneficial for your pet. Adding this therapy will assist in keeping your pet as active and healthy as possible. Many owners worry that their pets won’t tolerate acupuncture. However, the opposite is true. Many quickly learn to love it.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to know how your pets can benefit from our alternative therapies.
Dr. Becka Byrd,MS, DVM, cVMA offers acupuncture services to our patients. Dr. Byrd received her Certificate in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture through the CuraCore Integrative Medicine & Education Center. She studied under Dr. Narda Robinson, a leading authority on scientific integrative medicine and former director of Colorado State University’s Center for Comparative and Integrative Pain Medicine. Medical acupuncture is a therapy involving the insertion of fine needles, with the option for additional electrical nerve stimulation. Medical practitioners developed medical acupuncture as an adaptation of Chinese acupuncture. Instead of relying on inexact metaphors to describe response to treatment, we employ knowledge of specific anatomy, physiology and pathology, in keeping with evidence-based medicine. Acupuncture, when combined with western medicine, allows for a more holistic treatment plan for your pet. Acupuncture can be used to manage a variety of conditions including musculoskeletal issues, IVDD (Inter-vertebral disc disease), inappetence, arthritic pain, digestive issues, neurologic problems and much more.
To proceed, an initial consultation and myofascial examination is required. You will also have the opportunity for your pet to receive his/her first treatment at the time of the consultation. Acupuncture has a cumulative effect and requires several treatments. Dr. Byrd recommends beginning with at least three treatments. Treatment time will vary based on the patient, technique, and condition being treated.