Explainer | Why China pet owners are embracing acupuncture to treat their cats and dogs
- Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) needle techniques improve circulation, reduce inflammation, boost immunity, just like in humans
While traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments such as acupuncture have long been applied to humans, their use on pets has only recently gathered momentum.
In specialist pet wellness centres, practitioners are increasingly applying the method to dogs and cats to cure diseases and offer a variety of health benefits.
A typical animal acupuncture session costs about 200 yuan (US$28) and provides benefits such as improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation and pain, and enhancing the immune system.
In June, a golden retriever in Yantai, Shandong province, eastern China, that was suffering from facial paralysis because of over exposure to air conditioning, showed a remarkable improvement three days after having such treatment.
Animal acupuncture has a rich history dating back to China’s Spring and Autumn period (770-481 BC) when vets studied the techniques and applied them to horses.
Today, the practice has evolved to successfully identify nearly 100 effective acupuncture points for cats and dogs, compared to more than 2,000 in the human body.
The therapy always begins with a diagnostic process involving four traditional examinations: observation, smell, questioning, and pulse-taking.
Vets assess the pet’s health by observing its nasal mucus, gums, saliva, and tongue coating, as well as smelling for abnormal odours and inquiring about the pet’s daily routines.
