Accupuncture For Anxiety?

[JAJ2010]

Now other people are telling me about their crying dogs during acupuncture. If she's uncomfortable or cries we will be out of there quicker than you can blink. I thought it was supposed to be a painless relaxing thing and the needles really thin. Second guessing myself now....

[krissn333]

Have you ever had acupuncture yourself?

 

You do feel the needles but only for a split second. However, I always have some placed on my forearms and if I move my hands and flex that muscle, I can feel that there's a needle in my arm. Confusing to a dog, of course, but, both Carrie and Ace learned to just lay there.

[JAJ2010]

I've never had it done.... I'm not fond of needles in my body. I'm very fun to get an IV into. LOL I'm going to do more research tomorrow. It'll either help calm me down or freak me out more. :-)

 

Glad to hear both of your pups are fine with it

[Wendie]

My high anxiety boy has been receiving acupuncture since January for hind end issues. He's a nervous wreck out of the house (panting, pacing, shaking, etc) and for most acupuncture sessions, he stands there and shakes a little - which is NORMAL "clinic" behavior for him. He occasionally yelps at a needle poke but this is the same dog that will yelp because he stepped in dog poop, had a mosquito bite him, or had a blanket touch him wrong He's been less and less stressed at each session and has even laid down for 2 out of the last three sessions!

 

She always starts out with giving him some rescue remedy and putting needles into the stress points to help him calm down, which does seem to help.

 

If someone is telling you about their dog bleeding or constantly screaming, stay far far away from that doctor. Our experience has been NOTHING like that at all.

Edited July 12, 2013 by Wendie

[JAJ2010]

Good to hear! She's pretty non yelpy unless she wipes out on the deck and comes up bleeding. I'm m going to think positive! It shouldn't hurt her at all. I'm glad your anxious boy can cope with it.

[krissn333]

If your acupuncture vet does TCM, ask about "Hindquarter Weakness", it really helped Fletcher, but you have to get it from your vet.

 

I was just on this site: http://www.tcvmherbal.com/ and did their lookup. There are no doctors listed in our area in either Iowa OR Illinois. This is something I really want to pursue for Carrie though...any advice? Could I just talk to OUR acupuncture vet about it and maybe he can call one of the vets listed? Aargh I wish things were simpler.

[cleptogrey]

i'll share what a human goes thru an acupuncture treatment, i've been going to acupuncturist for the past 16+ years

of course one is always anxious in the begining, i presume dogs may be as well, but a good practioner will calm the dog.

 

first points are measured and pressed, one is asked which point they can feel more(that's where the needle will go in). a good practioner will be able to feel the "spot" and not have to ask, thier hands read your body.

the insertion is quick, super fine needle(i've had some loooong ones inserted into my hip or buttoch), needles for facials or used on ears are around 1/4" long

i sincerely doubt that the acupuncturist will manipulate the needle, that's one technique of stimulation.

if the patient feels uncomfortable, the practioner wil either wait a minute and the feeling subsides or will remove and reinsert the needle.

sometimes electric stimulation is set up from one end of the meridian to the other. i doubt they will do that w/ a dog

 

meridians are labeled according to the major organs and each organ has it's season and generally a tune up each season for each organ is in order. but eastern chinese medicine looks at the entire patient and goes to the root of the problem, be it liver, spleen, kidney, heart. the body produces either heat - wind heat (too much) or damp cold- that's when one is deficent. pulses are checked, tounge is looked at(color and texture tell a lot).

 

it takes around 20 minutes for treatment, that's how long it takes for your blood to flow thru your body. if you are moving energy you want to move it thoroughly. sometime burning moxa is used on points to stimutate them even more(that's the stinky stuff). ( i have moxa scars from one excellent acupuncturist stimulating immune points)

 

generally i come out of treatment w/ major energy. if a foggy head or headache is being worked on then sometimes i'll get a whammy of a headache but it finally is out of my system. it's worked wonders for what i thought was a pinched nerve- really kidney chee(sp??) cupping is great for uri,acid reflux, anxiety- it helps, you name it, it works. how????? go know, but it's been around for 5k years. the herbs are really excellent.

[krissn333]

Carrie gets electric stimulation. IMO it helps a lot!

[JAJ2010]

Thanks cleptogrey that helps a lot with my worry! As long as Sunshine isn't in pain from it I'm going to commit to 4 treatments and see what it's like after that.

 

Although I'm going to have to look up moxa scars! LOL

You could probably even do electric stim at home! They have those machines for under $100....

[Guest grey_dreams]

We never had any yelping, blood, or obvious discomfort. I wouldn't have been happy if any of that happened. Zuki was nervous at first, and wanted to roam the room with the needles in, but he calmed down rapidly and then laid down for most treatments.

[cleptogrey]

Thanks cleptogrey that helps a lot with my worry! As long as Sunshine isn't in pain from it I'm going to commit to 4 treatments and see what it's like after that.

 

Although I'm going to have to look up moxa scars! LOL

You could probably even do electric stim at home! They have those machines for under $100....

moxa is used according to the training of the practioner. as i said it is used for additional stimulation. the old time teacher of my very first acupucturist used tiny mounds of it directly on the point and would ignite it. one needed to feel at least a good number of stimulations done that way. my allergies were really bad at that time in my life and she had a lot of trouble or shall i really say, i had no reponse to the stimulation at the time. so, many many repeated moxa burns occurred. they are tiny little marks on that point. being so out of wack i never was bothered by it. today many practioners are using a moxa which is manufactured, not the loose stuff- they insert the needle thru the bit of moxa(the diameter of a cigarette, 3/8" long and ignite. it never touches the skin. IMHO, not as effective. my first acupuncturist opened a school and was the acupuncturist for the ny jets, she was wonderful, it's a shame cancer got the best of her.

btw- when i have treatment now i feel the stimulation IMMEDIATLY(sp??), can feel the flow of energy and movemement of chi really fast. it's amazing how one's body becomes intune w/ it. in china treatment is daily. i go for tune ups, it's fantastic once you break the ice. i wouldn't do the electric stimulation, it's all hooked up into a prescribed treatment.

[JAJ2010]

Wow! I doubt they will light anythingnon fire with a dog. I had no idea they did ask of that with humans though. There's a lot more to this than I first thought! I wonder if this would help my allergies... I'm to the point of taking a steroid and an antihistamine every day (usually twice) I'll have to look into it if it goes well for the pup. LOL

[dante2zoe]

Dante had accupuncture for hindend weakness. His skin would crawl once in a while, but that was it. He would usually just lie down. Afterwards, though, he would be hungry and thirsty! It did help him and he appeared to be stronger.

 

Good luck!

[krissn333]

Carrie always has to pee right when we're done

[Remolacha]

 

I was just on this site: http://www.tcvmherbal.com/ and did their lookup. There are no doctors listed in our area in either Iowa OR Illinois. This is something I really want to pursue for Carrie though...any advice? Could I just talk to OUR acupuncture vet about it and maybe he can call one of the vets listed? Aargh I wish things were simpler.

I would talk to your acupuncture vet about it, he may be able to order it even if he isn't on their list. If you want him to do a consult with one of the vets on the list, Dr LaCombe is our vet, 602-418-6545

[krissn333]

Thanks!

[JAJ2010]

So an update! We had our first appointment last Wednesday and it went well. I only had to hold her still for the needle that went in her head. Sunshine didn't want the vet to get that up close and personal. Nothing a little neck rub didn't fix.

 

No blood, no yelping, she actually relaxed after the needles were in for about 10 minutes. Pics are here

 

http://chuckleatchaos.com/acupuncture-for-sunshine/

 

We have our second appointment tonight. This past week her belly issues have been worse and her anxiety.... I can't place it. It's been worse, but it's definitely different. She's more reactive but seems bolder and fearful all at the same time. She's not hiding behind me when scary things approach, but she's clearly still terrified. Can't really describe it. It's puzzling since we've worked for years to make her safe place right by mommy.

 

I bought a block of 5 sessions so we should know for sure by then if it helps or not.

And she was not happy about the needles that went into her front legs. The first 3 wouldn't go in and bent. So the Dr used a sturdier one and put it in at the end when she was more comfortable with it.

[dante2zoe]

The needles my vet used did not have plastic ends and he forgot and left one in Dante! I found it after we got back to my office and Dante was napping on the floor behind my desk chair. I kept it for the longest time . . .

[krissn333]

There are points for tummy issues too - but beware...the time we used those points, Miss Carrie had to poop right away after her session was over

 

I always take her right outside when she's done and come back in to pay....lesson learned

[JAJ2010]

LOL the Dr did do the tummy points and anxiety ones. I'm hoping to see more improvement after this treatment. We always potty before going in and after we leave. She's impressively solid with her potty training, especially since it took years to get her trained!

 

Poor Carrie, how embarrassing!

The needles my vet used did not have plastic ends and he forgot and left one in Dante! I found it after we got back to my office and Dante was napping on the floor behind my desk chair. I kept it for the longest time . . .

When I picked up or dog needs needles went everywhere! LOL this Dr puts one in on each side so if they move and one pops out they still have the other one on the spot

[Remolacha]

I am glad the first session went well! Hope it helps

[Guest grey_dreams]

Thanks for updating. Hopefully the treatments will help. FWIW, often times any kind of shift can manifest as a worsening of symptoms before things get better or different. Maybe something like that has been going on for Sunshine this week. Please keep us updated

[JAJ2010]

Well her second treatment had different spots based on the behavior feedback I gave. Sunshine was much less thrilled about the needles today. Not sure if it was because of the different spots or if she was just more anxious today. She does not like them anywhere in her front legs. The needles in her back were also not loved. The one needle wouldn't come out of her back. Dr said it was her muscle grabbing into it? Had to tug to get it out. Dr is going to call me after 3 days to get an update so she can research her next treatment plans. She keeps telling me behavior things are the hardest things to treat. It seems like she's really interested in experimenting with it though, so that's encouraging!

Sunshine came home ravenous! LOL

Thanks for updating. Hopefully the treatments will help. FWIW, often times any kind of shift can manifest as a worsening of symptoms before things get better or different. Maybe something like that has been going on for Sunshine this week. Please keep us updated

I'm really hoping that's what's going on. The Dr did warn me that it could get worse before better, but she said a few days of worse. Wasn't expecting a while week! We have another appointment scheduled next Wednesday.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

I've taken 3 dogs in for acupuncture treatments for neurological and muscle problems, and I myself am being treated weekly with acupuncture for ulcerative colitis. It doesn't work for all cases, but when it does, it is wonderful.

 

Do try to make sure your dog doesn't shake herself after the needles are put in It sends the needles everywhere and the vet has to start again from the beginning!

[cleptogrey]

often my symptoms will be worse after treatment- as my acupuncturist always sez,"it's like unpeeling an onion. one needs to peel off the outer layers before they get to the core. the treatment may bring out exaggerated symptoms, but that's good, your getting to the core." maybe i'm a masochist?

 

the plastic tube is a guide, some practioners use it, some don't.

 

how often are the treatments? the closer the better.

Edited July 26, 2013 by cleptogrey