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Acupuncture


Guest Sheba

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How do I go about finding someone to do acupuncture on a dog? My vet has diagnosed Loobie's random yelping/ twitching episodes as some kind of back/ neck problem - options are muscular/ slipped disc or bony spurs on her spine. Without x-rays there's no definite answer and there's not a lot of point in the x-rays anyway as the only thing he can offer is something like rimadyl if it flares up (though I don't think rimadyl agrees with her). She's not 5 yet and I don't want to resort to long term pain killers, plus realistically it's not that bad - the episodes seem to be controlled mainly if I make sure she's kept warm enough.

 

I want to try acupuncture, but I think the vet isn't keen. When I suggested it he said we'd need x-rays first to know a proper diagnosis as he wouldn't want to allow treatment when he didn't know what it was for. To me, that's not necessary - it's the symptoms that are treated and that can be done without knowing the cause. At least, that's my experience of acupuncture on the horses.

 

2 questions - where do I find someone who will treat her? Second, can I get her treated without a referral? I've done it before with various treatments for the horses when I think legally there should have been a vet involved, but surely it's up to me who treats my dog and how - otherwise it's the vets that dictate what can and can't happen. If they have a different view of alternative therapies it's a tad limiting. And expensive!

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Whereabouts in Lancashire are you? Our vets in Mossley, near Ashton Under Lyne do acupuncture. Not sure if you have to take your pets there in the first place though :unsure: Could be worth a phonecall though :unsure: Their number is 01457 837900 :)

 

I know Dawn (Gnasher) takes Gnasher to acupuncture and it's helped him quite a lot :)

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I'm sure for acupuncture for an animal you do need to get a vet referral and the acupuncture would also have to be carried out by a vet who is trained in acupuncture. I'm not quite sure how vet training for acupuncture works, whether the length of training/depth of knowledge varies.

 

I'm not sure if your vet is able to go above your wishes and refuse to refer you, when the referall would be to an equally qualified vet :unsure:

 

Is there another vet at the practice who would be more open to acupuncture that you could see for a referral instead? I agree it's not fair when their beliefs prevent you from seeing another vet when you believe it would help. However there's a difference between him not being keen and his refusing to refer you, so I'd be tempted to be quite pushy.

 

This might be helpful Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists

 

Would something like McTimoney Chiropractic be worth looking into do you think? Again it has to be vet referral I believe, but I think people qualify to practice this without having to be a vet.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Only just spotted this!!

 

My lad has been having acupuncture treatment for around 18 months now - he is in a similar situation as he is only six. I did have a problem at the end of last summer when my vet went in to hospital himself for a hip operation and I needed to find another vet. I tracked down another vets (through a helpful DP recommendation) and called them and had no problem at all seeing them - I told my normal vets but they did not seem all that bothered (or even interested :laugh: ) although that may be bacause he was already having acupuncture. He does have bony spurs in his back but just gets general needles along his back and this time when his neck seemed to be bothering him too he had extra needles in his neck.

 

I do remember years ago taking my old dog to see a homeopathic vets for which I needed a referral - my normal vets at the time were not at all keen and told me I was wasting my time and money - I pointed out that it was my time and money and I could waste it if I wanted to and I got my referral letter :laugh:

 

Hopefully you will soon get sorted.

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Thanks guys :) Found someone off that link who's very close, so I'll give them a ring and see if they'll see her without my vet referring her. I think he would do a referral, but only after doing x-rays. And I've no intention of either paying for them when I don't need to or putting her through a vets stay to get them done. She's spooky enough without having to go through something like that!

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