Acupuncture for Dogs & Cats, Benefits for Radiation Therapy for Cancer

When dogs and cats develop cancer in the mouth or head that requires radiation to control the spread of tumor, the salivary glands can stop producing saliva. This dry mouth (xerostomia) is debilitating because your pet will
• have difficulty swallowing
• won’t feel like eating, and
• is susceptible to increased oral pain and infection.

Research published in Brazil shows that acupuncture minimized the effect of radiation and patients treated with acupuncture produced more saliva than those not treated.

If you’d like to read the original research, check Braz Oral Res. 2011 Apr;25(2):180-5. AP for the prevention of radiation-induced xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer. Braga Fdo P, Lemos Junior CA, Alves FA, Migliari DA. Dept of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, Univ of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

If you’d like acupuncture for your dog or cat who is undergoing radiation therapy for cancer, come see us for holistic veterinary care at Waterworkz Paw Spa in Burnaby. We’ll do everything we can do help your pet, including acupuncture.