Equine Acupuncture

Weitz Equine is excited to now be offering acupuncture services for our patients. Having completed intensive training through Curacore Vet in Colorado, Dr. Melissa has learned the science behind how acupuncture can neuromodulate the nerves, muscles, skeletal system, and myofascia within the equine body.

Acupuncture is a therapy that was developed thousands of years ago in ancient China. At the time, the philosophy involved creating a balance within the body based on Qi, or body energy, and using the acupuncture points as well as herbal medicine, to balance the system and treat various physical maladies.

Modern medicine has observed beneficial effects for patients, both human and animal, who receive acupuncture therapy in addition to western medicine. Over time, there has been an accumulation of research supporting the benefit of acupuncture and especially electro-acupuncture for particular conditions. The World Health Organization describes 60 clinical applications for acupuncture, and over half of these correlate with mitigating pain in the body. We know acupuncture is especially useful for minimizing pain and inflammation.

Acupuncture involves a thorough myofascial and trigger point examination which guides the therapeutic placement of the needles on the horse’s body. In appropriate cases, small electrical leads can also be applied to some of these points to create a gentle current between two points and enhance the stimulation effect of the needles. Most horses tolerate and even relax during acupuncture therapy, although at times, sedation may be necessary. It is important to know that acupuncture is not a “one and done” therapy; typically, a minimum of
3 sessions may be necessary for a clinical effect. In some conditions, ongoing maintenance treatment may be beneficial.

Conditions for which acupuncture may be especially beneficial include:

• Neck stiffness
• Back pain
• Pelvic pain
• Chronic pain associated with arthritis of the lower limbs
• Nerve paralysis
• Reproductive disorders
• Disorders of the immune system such as skin or respiratory allergies

Call our office today to get your horse’s first acupuncture appointment scheduled.