US pet owners, vets turning to acupuncture to treat animals

The ancient science of acupuncture is fast turning out to be a big money spinner for vets who are using it to treat animals in the $49-billion dollar US pet industry. For a myriad of ailments including arthritis, neurological problems, inoperable tumors, chronic pain in cats and dogs vets are applying acupuncture to treat them. And, the results are encouraging.

Across the US, around 1000 vets are using acupuncture therapy on animals.  Acupuncture is recognized as a valid treatment by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA).

The 146th AVMA Annual Convention that took place earlier this month included not only lectures on the history and applications of acupuncture therapy, but demonstrations using live animals as well. It mentioned that the earliest record of its veterinary use dated back to an Indian document on elephant acupuncture in 3000 BC.

According to Washington state vet Dr. Patti Schaefer, the results on pets from acupuncture treatment was so encouraging that it prompted some pet owners to get treated with it themselves.

Jordan Kocen of South Paws vet surgery in Fairfax, Virginia said that he used Chinese herbs, homeopathy and acupuncture as alternative treatment to conventional medicine. He said that the treatment was similar to the treatment on humans as same types of needles are inserted in the same places. He also revealed that 80 percent of the cases have shown improvements.

This has made him a very rich man as well with around 1,500 clients who pay $95 per consultation. And pet owners are not complaining.

Sally Rabb, owner of an 11-yr-old Saint Bernard who has suffered epileptic fits since the age of two says;

"We can see a change in him after he had his treatment. He can't get out of the car fast enough, he likes to come here."

As the awareness on the effectiveness of alternative therapies grows, it is opening new avenues for these systems. There is a huge market all over the world for such effective therapies. The growing success in the veterinary sector in the US is testimony to the fact.