Acupuncture is a hallmark of Traditional Chinese Medicine that has helped humans deal with chronic and acute health imbalances for thousands of years. I am happy to offer this integrative and minimally-invasive therapy to dogs and cats as an alternative or supplement to their current treatment. What sets acupuncture for dogs and cats apart from other therapies is its ability to unleash the body’s self-healing mechanisms and restore balance to all internal systems.

If you’re interested in acupuncture for your pet, call (843) 720 6740 to schedule a consultation or use our online form.

What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a process in which I insert very small needles at specific acupuncture points (acupoints) on the body. Your pet has 14 energy channels flowing through their body, and the acupoints are all located within these. Animals have over 700 acupoints, areas where nerve endings, lymphatic vessels, and mast cells are dense and abundant.

Stimulating the acupoints helps to release serotonin, endorphins, and other chemicals to relieve pain and heal damaged tissue. At its core, acupuncture is able to help the body heal by triggering a host of physiological changes.

Is Acupuncture Painful?
While the procedure does involve needles, acupuncture should cause little to no discomfort in your pet. Some pets may even become relaxed and a little sleepy while they’re being treated. I am happy to offer other options for pets that are fidgety or cannot tolerate needles, such as laser acupuncture and aquapuncture, which are more comfortable for sensitive patients.

What Can be Treated with Acupuncture?
Because acupuncture is drug-free and causes few, if any, side effects, it can be used to treat a very wide variety of health conditions, including:

  • Arthritis
  • Muscle pain and spasms
  • Joint and back pain
  • Nausea
  • Soft tissue and orthopedic injuries
  • Post-surgical care
  • Cancer
  • Cushing’s disease
  • Liver and kidney disease
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • …and more