Acupuncture for Pets

Pain relief. Accelerated healing. Improved quality of life.

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Acupuncture Services Dog

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical therapy that has been practiced for thousands of years in people, and is now enjoying widespread use in pets. During your pet’s acupuncture session, our veterinary acupuncturist will insert hair-thin needles into specific points of their body where nerve bundles and blood vessels intersect. When stimulated, these acupuncture points trigger a specific healing response.

At Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital, we’re proud to offer the most innovative and comprehensive care available to care for your beloved pet. A treatment plan that works well for one pet may not work well for another with a similar condition, so we often pair conventional Western modalities with traditional Chinese therapies, to ensure your four-legged friend receives the most effective treatment plan.

With acupuncture, our goal is to encourage your pet’s body to heal itself, while Western medicine helps treat conditions through pharmaceuticals and surgery. By partnering Eastern and Western medicine, we can provide the most well-balanced treatment plan with the fewest side effects. Whether we incorporate laser therapy, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, pharmaceutical therapy, or surgery into your pet’s treatment plan, rest assured each component will work synergistically to provide the best, most effective, healing of your pet’s acute or chronic condition.

Acupuncture Services Dog
Acupuncture Services Dog

At Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital, we’re proud to offer the most innovative and comprehensive care available to care for your beloved pet. A treatment plan that works well for one pet may not work well for another with a similar condition, so we often pair conventional Western modalities with traditional Chinese therapies, to ensure your four-legged friend receives the most effective treatment plan.

With acupuncture, our goal is to encourage your pet’s body to heal itself, while Western medicine helps treat conditions through pharmaceuticals and surgery. By partnering Eastern and Western medicine, we can provide the most well-balanced treatment plan with the fewest side effects. Whether we incorporate laser therapy, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, pharmaceutical therapy, or surgery into your pet’s treatment plan, rest assured each component will work synergistically to provide the best, most effective, healing of your pet’s acute or chronic condition.

Acupuncture can help heal a wide, varied array of pet’s conditions. Any condition that creates pain, inflammation, or an imbalance in bodily functions can likely benefit from drug-free, non-invasive, veterinary acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is especially useful for pets who cannot safely take medications, or to minimize prescription dosages and associated side effects.

Common uses include:

  • Intervertebral disc disease
  • Degenerative myelopathy
  • Neurologic conditions
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia
  • Orthopedic problems

  • Gastrointestinal issues
  • Anorexia
  • Skin allergies
  • Feline asthma
  • Organ dysfunction
  • Urinary issues

  • Intervertebral disc disease
  • Degenerative myelopathy
  • Neurologic conditions
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia
  • Orthopedic problems
  • Gastrointestinal issues
  • Anorexia
  • Skin allergies
  • Feline asthma
  • Organ dysfunction
  • Urinary issues

Acupuncture FAQ

Your pet’s first acupuncture treatment will consist of a traditional physical exam, an assessment using Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine techniques, and a discussion about treatment options. If your pet is an ideal acupuncture candidate, we can proceed with dry needling, electroacupuncture, or aquapuncture, depending on their needs.

Most pets feel virtually no pain as the needles are inserted through the skin, or once they are in place. They should relax and may become sleepy during their acupuncture session. Occasionally, your pet may feel tingling, numbness, or mild cramps that cause an odd sensation, however points are purposefully selected to minimize this.

Although acupuncture can create vast healing changes in your pet, three to five sessions may be required before you see a significant improvement. Acupuncture treatments are cumulative, meaning they become more effective with each session. Once we achieve the desired or maximum effect, we often taper treatments to a less-frequent maintenance schedule.

Acupuncture FAQ

Your pet’s first acupuncture treatment will consist of a traditional physical exam, an assessment using Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine techniques, and a discussion about treatment options. If your pet is an ideal acupuncture candidate, we can proceed with dry needling, electroacupuncture, or aquapuncture, depending on their needs.

Most pets feel virtually no pain as the needles are inserted through the skin, or once they are in place. They should relax and may become sleepy during their acupuncture session. Occasionally, your pet may feel tingling, numbness, or mild cramps that cause an odd sensation, however points are purposefully selected to minimize this.

Although acupuncture can create vast healing changes in your pet, three to five sessions may be required before you see a significant improvement. Acupuncture treatments are cumulative, meaning they become more effective with each session. Once we achieve the desired or maximum effect, we often taper treatments to a less-frequent maintenance schedule.