Acupuncture for Arthritis, Help for Chimpanzees With Arthritis

Acupuncture can help dogs and cats with arthritis, and it can help chimpanzees. A study published in Journal of American Association Laboratory Animial Science from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Bastrop, Texas showed that acupuncture helped ease osteoarthritis in aging chimpanzees.

As difficult as it can be to settle dogs and cats so that they accept needles, imagine the challenges of settling chimpanzees. Well, the researchers at the Michale E Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research in Bastrop, Texas were trained with positive reinforcement to accept acupuncture needles. Then the chimps were treated for knee (stifle) arthritis. The chimps with the most severe arthritis were significantly improved after treatment.

For the full research study, see Acupuncture as an Adjunct Therapy for Osteoarthritis inn Chimpanzees by Magden ER, Haller RL, Thiele EJ et al. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2013;52(4):475-80.