Acupuncture 

Dr. Erica received certification from the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) in 2013. Her belief in complementing conventional veterinary best practices with holistic services such as acupuncture is based on seeing positive results and successful treatment firsthand. 

Veterinary acupuncture works much like it does in humans: a very small, sterile needle is inserted in a specific location where nerve endings penetrate tissue planes or branch off from other nerves, triggering the release of a small amount of histamine. This release sets off an inflammatory cascade that improves blood flow and sends impulses to the central nervous system, spreading through the body and resulting in the release of endogenous opioids and even the blockage of some pain sensation pathways.

Common conditions that can respond positively to acupuncture treatment in animals include: 

• Arthritis and chronic pain/pain management

• Neurologic problems due to bulging or ruptured disks of the neck or back

• Vestibular symptoms of head tilt/circling

• Itchy skin, sneezing and coughing due to seasonal allergies

In addition, acupuncture often has almost immediate effects improving appetite and reducing nausea in many conditions. After foreign body surgery, needling can wake up an intestinal tract that has not had normal motility, promoting a bowel movement that will lead to an interest in food. Constipated cats with megacolon and cats with kidney disease that have a picky appetite also perk up after regular treatments.