Disc Disease & Acupuncture

Acupuncture For Dogs With Disc Disease, including Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, Springer Spaniels, Poodles, and Pekingese
Research on Benefits of Acupuncture
Hope for dogs with disc disease is clearly described in The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) September 15, 2007 article on acupuncture. Many families have been told that their pets cannot recover from severe disc disease without surgery costing $4,000-6,000. Unable to afford surgery and afraid that their pets will not recover, families have chosen to euthanize pets with disc disease. Clearly, there are other options.

The research by Drs. Ayne Murata Hayashi, Julia Maia Matera, and Ana Carolina Brandao de Campos Fonseca Pinto shows that acupuncture should be considered before euthanasia, and perhaps before surgery. The study used two groups of dogs with similar levels of disc damage that ranged from mild to severe. Dogs in both groups were given regular veterinary care with pain medication and anti-inflammatory steroid injections. Dogs in one group were also given electroacupuncture, which sends electrical impulses through the acupuncture needles.

Results for dogs receiving regular care and acupuncture:

• 8 of 10 dogs with inability to urinate properly recovered full or partial urinary control.
• 24 of 26 dogs with inability to know where their feet are (proprioceptive deficit) recovered full or partial proprioception.
• 25 of 26 dogs developed full or partial ability to walk.
• 88.5% of dogs were successfully treated.

Results for dogs receiving regular care and no acupuncture:
• 6 of 12 dogs with inability to urinate properly recovered full or partial urinary control
• 13 of 24 dogs with inability to know where their feet were (proprioceptive deficit) recovered full or partial proprioception
• 14 of 24 dogs developed full or partial the ability to walk
• 58.3% of dogs were successfully treated.

Treatment occurred over a 1-2 month period with dogs most severely affected receiving the longest care. The rate at which dogs improved and were able to walk was significantly faster for those receiving acupuncture (10 days) than for those not receiving it (21 days). Recovery to walking within 10 days is the best that is achieved in dogs undergoing surgery, the “gold standard” of care for disc disease.

Dog Breeds That Develop Disc Disease
Dogs most likely to develop disc disease were involved in the study: Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, Springer Spaniels, Poodles, and Pekingese. Other dogs with long backs and short legs are also at risk for disc disease and should note these results. Wouldn’t it be wise to look for a holistic veterinarian who does acupuncture before emergency treatment is necessary.

Want To Read the Research?
For more information on the study, look in PubMed at www.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/ for “Evaluation of electroacupuncture treatment for thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease in dogs” by Ayne Murata Hayashi, Julia Maia Matera, and Ana Carolina Brandao de Campos Fonseca Pinto in JAVMA, Vol 231, No 6, September 15, 2007.