Acupuncture Therapy

Acupuncture is a type of veterinary treatment that has been used for 1000 years.  It can be used to treat laminitis, tendonitis, anhidrosis, heaves, fever, diarrhea, and many other conditions in horses.  Acupuncture can enhance performance by providing pain relief, improving micro-circulation, and reducing inflammation. 

Treatment is based on placing needles into points located on one of the 14 meridians of the body.  Horse’s (and people’s) meridians carry a flow of energy called Qi (pronounced chee), and when Qi becomes blocked, pain or illness results.  When the needles are placed in the appropriate areas, the meridians are opened up and a more healthy state is created.

Acupuncture can be used for any condition.  Often, the horse is sedated and the needles are placed, or fluid is injected into the points along the meridians.  This stimulates the points and causes Qi to flow.  With most conditions, several treatments are needed.

There are 12 main meridians that are used most frequently to treat horses. They are the lung, large intestine, stomach, spleen, heart, small intestine, bladder, kidney, pericardium, triple heater (governing vessel and conception vessel), liver and gall bladder.

Ting points are points at the beginning or end of each meridian that are located on the coronary band (cornet) at the hoof.

Treatment points are points on the meridians that can be stimulated by acupuncture needles, injecting the point with fluid (saline, B12, DMSO) or stimulating the point by low level electrical currents.

Diagnostic points are special points on the meridians that indicate an area that is painful.

Qi is the energy that controls harmony in a living body and flows along the meridians. Each organ processes the Qi as it comes in the the body to energize body functions.

Acupuncture is a good alternative for treatment of arthritic conditions because it is less invasive than joint injections and can reduce pain without the use of bute (phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) or steroids.  This is just one example of an equine ailment that can be treated with this ancient medical art.