Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments such as acupuncture have been used in humans for ages, but their use in pets has only recently gained traction.
Increasingly, in specialized pet wellness centers, practitioners are applying this therapy to dogs and cats to treat ailments and provide a range of health benefits.
A typical animal acupuncture treatment costs about 200 yuan (US$28) and has benefits including improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation and pain, and strengthening the immune system.
In June, a golden retriever in Yantai city, Shandong province, eastern China, who had suffered facial paralysis due to excessive exposure to an air conditioner, made a remarkable recovery three days after receiving treatment.
Animal acupuncture has a rich history dating back to China’s Spring and Autumn period (770-481 BCE), when veterinarians studied the technique and applied it to horses.
Today, the practice of acupuncture has evolved to identify nearly 100 effective acupuncture points on cats and dogs, compared to over 2,000 on the human body.
Treatment always begins with a diagnostic process that includes the four traditional tests: observation, smell, questioning, and pulse taking.
Your veterinarian will assess your pet’s health by checking their nasal discharge, gums, saliva, and tongue, smelling for any unusual odors, and asking about your pet’s daily routine.
In humans, the pulse is usually taken at the wrist, but veterinarians often take the pulse on the inner thigh in cats and dogs, and on the tail in larger animals such as horses and cows.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment can begin.
First, we gently immobilize your pet with a special device and locate acupuncture points in the skeletal and muscular structures.
The needles are then quickly inserted and electrical stimulation is applied via an electronic acupuncture device.
Many pets remain calm during the session, some so relaxed they may fall asleep. Overall, dogs tend to be more cooperative than cats.
One of the practitioners, Wei Jiayu, shared the most successful case of curing a paralyzed corgi on the micromedia platform Yiti.
The owner chose acupuncture instead of surgery due to the cost.
After six acupuncture treatments, the dog was able to hop like a rabbit, Wei said.
This method has become popular among pet owners due to its affordability and effectiveness.
A TCM enthusiast surnamed He told Chengdu Daily that he would like to try acupuncture on his British shorthair cat.
“My cat previously had symptoms of epilepsy and a vet visit could cost thousands of yuan and surgery tens of thousands of yuan. Traditional Chinese medicine is more economical and an acupuncture treatment only costs 100 to 200 yuan each,” she said.
TCM for pets has sparked curiosity on social media.
“Chinese medicine is so profound. It’s amazing how they can even pinpoint the acupressure points on a dog’s face,” said one online observer.
“This is really surprising. Could this be the focus of our future new careers?” asked a student of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Humans.
