The reason I treat pets using acupuncture

Growing up we had this cat. We called him Sargie. Why "Sargie," you may ask? Sargie was born to a stray momma who decided to birth her kittens under my aunt's back deck. Momma was a manx (no tail) as well as most of the kittens. Because having no tail is a deformity of the spine, there can often be other problems located anywhere else on the spine.

As a kitten, Sargie was very slow in developing. While his brothers and sisters were walking around, romping and playing, Sargie wasn't. We wondered if he would ever walk, be able to get to his food, water and litter box. He was about a month behind the others in getting going, but when he finally did, he did what looked like an army crawl. You've seen the movies with the guys at boot camp crawling under the barbed wire... that's how Sargie got around as a kitten. Because he was now able to get to his food and litter box, we decided we didn't care how "normal" he was, he could have a great life in our family. Soon enough Sargie was walking normally. It seems that it just took him some time to gain the strength to walk correctly.

Sargie was a GREAT cat. He was extremely loving (even to the dogs, whom he LOVED to rub up against). He was so laid-back that he even allowed momma-less Humane Society foster kittens to suckle on him! This earned him the nickname "Unkie Sarge."

When Sargie was about 8 years old we started noticing that he seemed stiff and was cranky with the other pets in the house. We took him to our vet to see what was going on. It turns out he had pretty advanced arthritis because of his deformed spine. Upon x-rays, we found that he had missing vertebrae, some that were fused and some that were just deformed. All of these abnormal changes were causing Sargie a lot of pain. It was suggested that we get him started onglucosamine and chondroitin to slow the advance of the arthritis.

The vet also suggested that we let him do acupuncture on Sargie.

This was after our family had had some significant life changes because of acupuncture (see my story here) so this sounded reasonable. However, we never expected the results that we saw!

After going home from Sargie's vet appointment where he received his first-ever acupuncture treatment, he was a new cat! He was once again playing with the other cats rather than growling at them! He was rubbing up on the dogs once more! He was back to normal!

We took Sargie back for acupuncture treatment every week for about a month, then every other week for about 4 more visits, and then as needed for his pain. On average, after his pain was under control, we took him in about every 3-6 months for what we called "Sargie's Tune-Up."

After seeing these results, and my path came clear that I was going to become an acupuncturist, there was no way I was going to miss out on treating pets as well! They respond so much quicker than their human counterparts. Is it because they're more sensitive? Do they have less stress? Do they not internalize the stress? I'm not sure exactly why they respond so well to treatment, it's probably some combination of the above ideas. I do know that I love having the opportunity to help pets be their happiest and healthiest!

Photo Courtesy of The US Department of Defense

Reiki for your fur babies!

I met Ming a while back on Twitter. It was a natural match, she's a pharmacist who has discovered the power of Reiki and uses it to treat pets!

What is Reiki? Well here's how Ming describes it: "Reiki (pronounced Ray-key) comes from the Japanese Rei and Ki meaning spiritually guided life energy. Reiki for pets is a form of spiritual healing that helps harmonize the mind, body and soul of your pet. It can be used as a treatment for relaxation as well as a tool for releasing negative emotions and limitations. Reiki is not a religion."

She has had great results working with pets from all over the world (yes, Reiki can be performed at a distance!). Because this is a spiritual medicine, she doesn't need to be present for your pet to feel SO much better! Check out her website for some examples of the incredible work she has done! www.ReikiFurBabies.com

There are so many ways to help our pets (and ourselves) become the healthiest they can be and not every method is perfect for every complaint. Maybe your pet would enjoy some Reiki today?

Acupressure you can do on your pet at home!

Most pets like acupuncture, but everyone loves acupressure! Acupressure is like very specific petting, which pet wouldn't love that? Today I'm going to give you a few safe, but effective points that you can massage on your pets at home! Leila, my cat, LOVES to have these points massaged!

Before starting any acupressure on your pet, make sure that both you and your pet are in a relaxed state. Talk to your pet, tell them how good this is going to feel and how awesome they'll feel afterward! Always start VERY gently - barely touching the pet - gradually increasing pressure to no more than just the natural weight of your hand. Remember, this is subtle stuff, it doesn't take much to get your pet's energy activated! If your pet doesn't appreciate the acupressure, don't force the issue. It's possible that the points aren't quite right for your pet, or that they're sore. It's amazing how great pets are at knowing what's right for them!

1. Bai Hui (pronounced "by way") is located on the top of the head half way between where his or her eyebrows would be and the base of their skull where it meets the neck. This point is located between the ears. Bai Hui is great for helping calm your pet. If things have been stressful at home, or you just want to help make sure your pet is relaxed as possible, give this one a try! Massage this point using small, gentle circles.


2. Back Shu points (pronounced "shoe") are a set of points that are located all along the spine of your pet. These points are located about 1/2" to 2" (depending on the size of your pet) from the center of the spine on both sides. I like to think of these points as the dorrbells to the internal organs. When you massage these points, it's like saying to the internal organs, "Hello! I'm here and we'd like for you to come out and do your work! Help Leila be as healthy as she can!" Massage these points by stroking from between the shoulder blades down along their back to the base of their tail.


3. The insides of the ears contain what's called a micro-system. The entire body is represented in points located on the inner surface of the ears and rubbing them will activate all the systems of the body. Maybe this explains why some dogs LOVE to have us rub the insides of their ears? (Hopefully they don't have too much ear wax!) Feel free to gently rub all over the insides of the ears, avoiding the ear canal of course, and see how your pet appreciates it!


These are a great way to relax and improve the general health of your pet and it's a great way to bond to boot!

Treating Allergies with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs

According to a study published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Acupuncture might ease hayfever symptoms. Though this study was done with humans, I've found that I get GREAT results with pets as well! In fact, I find that pets in general respond much quicker to energy medicine than their human counterparts.

Tilly is a Boston Terrier - English Bulldog mix who came into my office with REALLY red, itchy skin. She was entirely covered with inflamed skin. She'd needed to be on prednisone since she was a puppy because of her grass allergies. According to Tilly's owner, the prednisone helped a little bit, but Tilly was still so miserable.

We treated Tilly with Acupuncture and a Chinese herbal formula that matched her presentation perfectly. When Tilly came back the next week, her itchy skin had disappeared from most of her body! All that was red anymore was her belly and under her chin! To tell you the truth, I was surprised that she got such huge relief that quickly! Usually allergies, especially those present since childhood (or puppyhood in this case!) take time, sometimes as long as 2-3 months, to see results. Over the next couple of weeks we were able to get Tilly complete relief! Now I only see Tilly a couple of times a year for a "tune-up."

If you or your dog suffer from allergies of any kind, consider acupuncture and Chinese herbs!