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Are you curious about alternative therapies for your furry family members? Have you ever wondered whether acupuncture has any benefits for dogs? The world of pet health can be a maze of conflicting information, leaving pet parents unsure of the best treatment options for their beloved companions. In this blog post, we're diving deep into the controversial topic of acupuncture for dogs, exploring the evidence, debunking myths, and shedding light on the truth behind this ancient practice.
You may have heard testimonials from pet owners or even vets about the wonders of acupuncture, but what does the scientific evidence say? Is acupuncture truly effective for our canine friends, or is it a case of wishful thinking and the power of suggestion? Join us as we uncover the reality behind acupuncture and its potential to optimize the health and comfort of your furry family members.
Whether you're a seasoned pet parent or new to the world of pet health, this blog post aims to provide insight, provoke thought, and encourage constructive conversation. So, grab a cup of tea, settle in, and let's explore the world of acupuncture for dogs together.
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If you’re spending a lot of money, surely you want to be spending it on something that has been proven to work rather than something that is either unproven or has been proven not to work.
Understanding Acupuncture
Let's dive right into the heart of the matter. My personal view on acupuncture in dogs is that it remains an unproven treatment with the bulk of the evidence pointing to a lack of benefit.
I understand that the world of alternative treatments often sparks strong emotions, and it's essential to have open, civil discussions, even when opinions vary.
Placebo Effect: Humans vs. Pets
In the world of human medicine, the placebo effect has been well-documented, with the power of belief possibly contributing to perceived benefits from treatments like acupuncture. However, it's important to note that our beloved pets can't experience the placebo effect in the same way humans do.
This crucial distinction shapes my stance on using acupuncture as a primary treatment for our furry companions.
Caregiver Placebo Effect: The Veterinarian's Dilemma
As a veterinarian, I'm particularly attuned to the caregiver placebo effect. When pet parents seek alternative treatments such as acupuncture, they can inadvertently convince themselves of positive changes in their pets' condition, even when objective evidence is lacking.
It's a natural inclination driven by love and concern for our animal companions, but it's essential to maintain a critical eye and rely on treatments with proven efficacy.
And vets are not immune either. We want our patients to benefit from any intervention we recommend and it is just as easy for us to see improvement which isn’t actually present.
The Science Behind Acupuncture: Separating Fact from Myth
Drawing from both human and veterinary contexts, the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture remains elusive. While endorphin release from acupuncture may offer short-term relief, the long-term therapeutic effects raise significant questions. As a veterinarian committed to optimal animal care, I continually emphasize the importance of science-backed approaches to address our pets' health concerns.
Exploring Alternative Therapies: A Comprehensive Approach
In embracing an integrative approach to veterinary care, I advocate for a multifaceted strategy that incorporates proven therapies. Rather than solely relying on acupuncture, pet parents can explore treatments such as massage therapy, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and proven supplements from reputable sources.
This multifaceted approach, encompassing various modalities, offers a holistic means of supporting our pets' well-being.
Navigating the Landscape of Alternative Treatments
Acupuncture stands amid a broader landscape of alternative treatments that prompt critical evaluation. Homeopathy, crystal healing, and flower therapy are among the many modalities that completely lack robust scientific support. When considering these options, it's vital to prioritize treatments with documented benefits and resist the allure of unverified or disproven methods.
The Role of Evidence in Pet Care: A Call for Informed Decision-Making
In an era characterized by an abundance of healthcare options, it's crucial for pet parents to approach treatments with a discerning mindset. As a veterinarian deeply invested in animal welfare, I encourage engaging in thoughtful research, seeking professional guidance, and making informed decisions aligned with evidence-based practices.
Our pets deserve nothing less than the best care grounded in scientific validity.
Looking Ahead: A Multimodal Path to Pet Wellness
With the goal of empowering pet parents to optimize their furry family members' health, I emphasize the value of a multimodal approach. From weight management and pharmaceutical interventions to lifestyle modifications and targeted supplements, a comprehensive strategy promises to enhance the well-being of dogs and cats facing chronic conditions like arthritis.
And to me, that sounds like a much better approach than acupuncture.
Full Transcript →
The following is an AI generated transcription:
Dr. Alex: The more that we do without relying on a single treatment, the more chance we have of really optimizing the treatment, optimizing the chance of potentially cure depending on what condition we're dealing with, or long term management and long term comfort in the case of arthritis.
voiceover: Welcome to the Call the Vet Show, the podcast that helps pet parents understand and optimize the health of their furry family so they can live the full and happy life you want for them. And here's your host, veterinarian doctor Alex Avery.
Dr. Alex: Hello. Welcome back to another episode of the show. I'm bringing you another question today. And I guess, I don't know about you, but as I've got, older, I'm a little bit more willing to maybe express my opinions or I am more fully formed in the opinions that I have, which can be a bad thing because it can then be potentially harder to to change your mind about something that you've got a long held view about, and maybe I'm going to challenge you with that today. But, how that relates to this question, you'll find out because I can imagine this is or it can be a fairly controversial topic. It can be a fairly controversial view depending on, where you hang out if you like. And it's really in an answer to a very short and to the point question from Jan who we also heard from, possibly in the last episode. I'm kind of recording these as a batch.
Dr. Alex: I'm not quite sure which order I'm going to release them in, but possibly last episode, maybe the one before that. But, anyway, here, without further ado, is a short question from Jan.
Jan: And now on with the show.What are the benefits of acupuncture in dogs?
Dr. Alex: So a wonderful question. Thanks for sending that in, Jan. And, one that I may have in the past shied away from because the world of online content of podcasts, of blog posts, of videos, it leaves you open to a lot of negative comments, a lot of abusive comments, and and certainly from a YouTube point of view. The comments can be a little bit of a cesspit and and really all of the trolls come out of the woodwork. And to be honest, I'm not really very interested in being abused online. People want to have a conversation with me about the topic, absolutely fine. I do not expect everybody to agree with me, but, you know, we can at least keep things civil, and we can have a discussion about the topic without actually descending into, personal insults and and other problems. But, I'm not going to shy away from this one.
Dr. Alex: Acupuncture. So my take on acupuncture is that it is an unproven treatment in dogs where the balance of evidence suggests that there is little to no benefit. That's in dogs. Actually, in people, the situation is very similar. The difference in people is that we have what you'll all be familiar with is the placebo effect, and that is the benefits that comes from a treatment modality, in this case, acupuncture, without actually being the result of that treatment. It's more a result of the belief that the treatment is going to be working, that personal inherent belief, and the power of the mind is an incredibly powerful thing. It can absolutely make us feel better which is wonderful. So a a a treatment that has a positive placebo effect actually can be doing you a a positive benefit or can be giving you a positive benefit, but couple of things here.
Dr. Alex: One is that our pets cannot have the placebo effect. So your dog or your cat doesn't know that by sticking lots of little needles, into their skin, that is supposed to I don't know why Jan is wondering about acupuncture, but that is supposed to, for example, relieve your long term pain. They don't know that, so they can't then believe that that is happening and then feel less painful. But the other big thing is that us as caregivers, we can experience something called the caregiver placebo effect which is where you're taking your dog to an acupuncturist to treat their long term pain. You believe that that is an effective treatment. You are paying money. You're going through the process. You're the in your dog in a reduction in lameness.
Dr. Alex: You might think that their gait's changed. You might feel that they are a little bit more active even when those changes aren't present. So we are tricking ourselves, and I don't mean that in a bad way. That's not, it's not a blame game here. This is a natural experience. This is a natural effect that happens to vets as well. So I need to be really careful because I could be giving a treatment that's actually making little benefit to or giving little benefit to a patient of mine, but because I am invested in my patient's well-being, you know, clearly, I want my patients to get better with the treatments that I'm giving, I need to be really careful that I am not seeing improvements which actually are not there, and that can be very easy to do especially in things like chronic pain conditions or maybe changes in appetite or stool consistency or whatever it is, itch levels. That would be another another common one.
Dr. Alex: This is a really important concept to understand, and, actually, I'm planning a a a course. I don't have a name for it or a good, a good selling blurb for it yet. It's hopefully coming out, towards the end of April all about how we can be certain that what we're doing is benefiting our pets, how we can do our own research effectively without being taken in by snake oil sellers, how we can make sure we're getting the best fact bang for our buck. And I think it's a really it's gonna be a really valuable course. Now it's probably not one that many people think that they want or many people will choose to, purchase. I'm not a marketer, so packaging these things up in a a way that gets people excited is a bit challenging, but it's something that's gonna be incredibly important for any pet parent out there and actually will benefit, everyone when they're looking into their own health and any other things that they come across in life. But, anyway, that's kind of by the by. When it comes to acupuncture, I'll get back on topic.
Dr. Alex: Sorry. Sorry for that wee little, segue. When it comes back to acupuncture, the benefit in people is very similar to the benefit in dogs is that the evidence really isn't there. The other reason that we'll get that placebo effect in people is because a lot of these alternative treatment modalities, they have a a maybe more personal approach. They're slower. There's a lot more history gathering that the the treatments themselves take longer, so there's a lot more personal interaction. It's a more intimate approach. People feel listened to, and they feel heard, which are all wonderful things and and ideally would be things that would happen, in in all situations regardless of what actual treatment modality is used, but but that can make a real difference to how people are feeling and so the benefits that's being seen and how the same is true with, acupuncture in our pets.
Dr. Alex: It takes a long time. It's much more involved than just giving some some pills or prescribing a supplement or whatever it may be. And so we can feel that this is being a lot more beneficial than it is. But when it comes to the scientific evidence, looking at that, comparing it to control groups, you know, very little to no benefit. The other benefit that we can get in the short term, and this is something that we can actually get, is that we can get endorphin release. So being stabbed by lots of little needles can release endorphins. These are the you know, can make you feel good. If you think of it, you go for a a an exercise, you go for a long run, a gym session, you have a lot of endorphins, released into your body, and that makes you feel good.
Dr. Alex: So we can absolutely get a short term benefit from acupuncture from that point of view, but that's really not why we're using it. We're not using it for a short term, a short term benefit that lasts for an hour or so after the treatment's given. We wanted to have a long term effect to treat the actual thing that we're wanting to treat, and endorphins are not doing that. Now this then open ups opens up the whole can of worms of different alternative treatment options. I certainly believe in an integrative approach. I believe in tackling conditions from all different aspects as do most vets regardless of what you might hear, but there's lots of alternative treatment options that fit into the same category as, as acupuncture or or even worse. They've been absolutely proven to have absolutely no benefit. There is no room for wiggle there.
Dr. Alex: There's no room for discussion. The the evidence is is so overwhelmingly against these treatments having a benefit, to to believe otherwise, it is just against, yeah, all the evidence, and I can't really put it any more strongly than that. You know, so what are we thinking of here? Homeopathy, I mean, that's a bugbear of mine. Absolutely been shown to have no benefit, over and above the placebo effects in people. We've already talked about how pets can't have that. Reiki crystal healing flower therapy. So rescue remedy is a big one here. I've actually got a post on rescue remedy in cats that if you're using it or if you're interested in rescue remedy, it talks a bit a little bit about how that came into being.
Dr. Alex: And when I researched it, it really opened my eyes. But, again, no evidence there. And there's, you know, there's new treatments all the time, alternative treatments that people tout as the next big thing, but either there is no evidence about them, so it's then people's opinions and experiences. And, again, in my course, I'm going to talk about the flaws, in that. But there's no evidence to say they work. There's no evidence to say that they don't work. That's the case with a lot of new treatments, especially in the alternative world. So with that in mind, why not use therapies that have been proven to be better than placebo? Alternative therapies that have been proven to have an actual benefit when they have been evaluated in a scientific way.
Dr. Alex: I'm thinking here things like massage therapy, physiotherapy. You know, that's become really common in the human world, and we have an injury, and often it's the physio is the 1st person we'll go to rather than the doctor. Physiotherapy absolutely can be hugely beneficial to, canine and feline patients. Hydrotherapy, heat therapy, proven supplements from reliable suppliers. Now the supplement conversation is one for another day and is is far too big to segue into here, but there's lots of supplements that have proven to have a benefit. And really, we need to focus on that multimodal approach to the treatment of any of our long term conditions. And I'm assuming that that's what we're talking about when we're thinking of acupuncture as a potential option. So multimodal means using all of the different options in our arsenal.
Dr. Alex: So for arthritis, that could be weight loss. It could absolutely be pharmaceuticals with painkillers, and that offers the best chance for our dogs and cats to be as pain free as possible, especially in the short term while all of the other changes that we're we're making are kicking in It's exercise modification. It's changes that we make in home in the home with nonslip mats, with ramps. It's diet. It's supplementation. It's physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, massage therapy. There's lots of different things that we can do, but the more that we do without relying on a single treatment, the more chance we have of really optimizing the treatment, optimizing the chance of potentially cure depending on what condition we're dealing with or long term management and long term comfort in the case of arthritis.
voiceover: Helping your pet live the happy, healthy life they deserve.
Dr. Alex: So I probably went on a little bit longer than I intended to with that answer, of such a short question. Yeah. I do tend to get on a little bit of a a role when it comes to things that I believe strongly in, especially when it comes to people, wasting their money or being effectively kind of conned out of their money with treatments. Because a lot of these alternative treatments, you know, they they do come at a significant cost as well. And if you're spending a lot of money, surely, you want to be spending it on something that has been proven to work rather than something that is either unproven or has been proven not to work. Anyway, I'm gonna stop now. So I hope you found this interesting. If you want to have a conversation, a civil conversation like I say, then I'd love to hear what you think, about this.
Dr. Alex: This is going to go up on YouTube. So, actually, the podcast, if you didn't know, the podcast is on YouTube and, Google Music, I think it's called now. So you can find this on YouTube if you prefer to, yeah, consume your podcast on YouTube or the, Google platform, then, I'm always found in the comments below. That's probably where I'm most active in the comments. Anything negative, I either ignore. If it's a personal attack, I actually block that person and delete the comment because, I don't have time for that, and I'm not going to engage with those people. But if you disagree and you want to have a civilized conversation, I'm always up for for a chat. And I love to hear, different people's viewpoints because ultimately, you know, we all grow as people if we could hear different viewpoints and we can hear where people are coming from.
Dr. Alex: You know, your history and my history, exposure to different, different things, is very different, and we can all learn from each other regardless of whether we agree or disagree and of just being kind of very, polarized with our opinions, and not being prepared to listen to other people really isn't helping anyone. So I said I was gonna stop now, so I will. Until the next episode, I'm veterinarian doctor Alex. This is the Call the Vet Show because they're family.
voiceover: That's it for this episode of the Call the Vet Show. Be sure to visit call the vet.org to join the conversation. Access the show notes, and discover our fantastic bonus content. We'll see you next time.
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