Comments on: Acupuncture and the pain of long-backed dogs http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/09/acupuncture-and-the-pain-of-long-backed-dogs/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts led by Dr. Marty Becker. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:59:08 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: pdx1138 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/09/acupuncture-and-the-pain-of-long-backed-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-469825 pdx1138 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:20:44 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=7850#comment-469825 I've always wondered about this. I noticed it not only on Dachshunds but also on basset hounds. Good to know there is a treatment for them. I’ve always wondered about this. I noticed it not only on Dachshunds but also on basset hounds.
Good to know there is a treatment for them.

]]> By: Dr. Narda http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/09/acupuncture-and-the-pain-of-long-backed-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-468186 Dr. Narda Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:48:42 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=7850#comment-468186 Hi all, Nice comments, and thanks for your feedback! About chiropractic -- my feelings are mixed. I have heard about good outcomes and bad, including deaths in animals. I will elaborate a little bit more about the injury potential, because too often it seems like that gets overlooked in discussions with clients about chiropractic for animals. We definitely need research into the field in order to assess safety and effectiveness. Not just MORE research, as we usually hear regarding holistic modalities, but for chiropractic on animal companions and horses, etc., there's practically NONE. This is in contrast to acupuncture where we have a solid and growing body of evidence regarding its safety and effectiveness. In humans, there are widespread reports of serious neurological injury, including stroke and paralysis, following chiropractic. Because of these concerns, I generally will not recommend chiropractic for dogs with disc disease. SO much depends on the practitioner (and amount of force s/he uses and how much training and awareness s/he has about non-human anatomy, physiology, pathology, etc.), as well as what's really going on with the animal. As such, the more disastrous outcomes in animals have at times related to an incomplete understanding on the part of the practitioner about what the underlying disease process entails, or whether there are, in fact, contraindications to applying sudden, forceful movements to an animal's structure. Maybe there is an unstable spine, or a tumor in the back, or a disc about to herniate. In those cases, chiropractic thrusts applied to those locations could indeed cause trouble. I've written a few articles on chiropractic in animals. If anyone is interested, here are the links: http://csuvets.colostate.edu/pain/Articlespdf/When%20and%20Why%20Chiropractic.pdf http://csuvets.colostate.edu/pain/Articlespdf/Manual%20Therapy%20for%20Geriatric%20Patients.pdf http://csuvets.colostate.edu/pain/Articlespdf/Chiropractors%20as%20Primary%20Gatekeepers%20for%20Animals.pdf Hi all,

Nice comments, and thanks for your feedback!

About chiropractic — my feelings are mixed. I have heard about good outcomes and bad, including deaths in animals.

I will elaborate a little bit more about the injury potential, because too often it seems like that gets overlooked in discussions with clients about chiropractic for animals.

We definitely need research into the field in order to assess safety and effectiveness. Not just MORE research, as we usually hear regarding holistic modalities, but for chiropractic on animal companions and horses, etc., there’s practically NONE.

This is in contrast to acupuncture where we have a solid and growing body of evidence regarding its safety and effectiveness.

In humans, there are widespread reports of serious neurological injury, including stroke and paralysis, following chiropractic. Because of these concerns, I generally will not recommend chiropractic for dogs with disc disease.

SO much depends on the practitioner (and amount of force s/he uses and how much training and awareness s/he has about non-human anatomy, physiology, pathology, etc.), as well as what’s really going on with the animal.

As such, the more disastrous outcomes in animals have at times related to an incomplete understanding on the part of the practitioner about what the underlying disease process entails, or whether there are, in fact, contraindications to applying sudden, forceful movements to an animal’s structure. Maybe there is an unstable spine, or a tumor in the back, or a disc about to herniate. In those cases, chiropractic thrusts applied to those locations could indeed cause trouble.

I’ve written a few articles on chiropractic in animals. If anyone is interested, here are the links:

http://csuvets.colostate.edu/p.....ractic.pdf

http://csuvets.colostate.edu/p.....tients.pdf

http://csuvets.colostate.edu/p.....nimals.pdf

]]> By: Bill Beck http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/09/acupuncture-and-the-pain-of-long-backed-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-468001 Bill Beck Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:02:15 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=7850#comment-468001 I have heard some very good success stories with smaller dogs being treated with Accupuncture. I am surprised that it is not more commonly known, especially considering the back issues so many various breeds of dogs experience. Hopefully we see more holistic treatment providers for pets! I have heard some very good success stories with smaller dogs being treated with Accupuncture. I am surprised that it is not more commonly known, especially considering the back issues so many various breeds of dogs experience. Hopefully we see more holistic treatment providers for pets!

]]> By: straybaby http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/09/acupuncture-and-the-pain-of-long-backed-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-467973 straybaby Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:09:17 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=7850#comment-467973 How do you feel about chiropractors for long backed dogs? When one of the family Dachshunds started having back probs, my mom took him to our chiropractor. This was YEARS ago, but it really helped him, and also straightened out his back a good bit (he was becoming more "hump backed" as time went on) and his quality of life in his senior years seemed much better than we could have hoped. My mom would prob do either in this day and age, but back then, our chiro was a good "alternative" treatment, and iirc, he specifically trained in kids and pets. Yes, I went to him also, lol!~ Beat the heck out of what the "reg" docs wanted to do with my spine! {thanks mom!!} My current vet does acupuncture and holistic/eastern approaches along with traditional services. One of the reasons I love going there. And this is not some larger vet operation, but a smaller 'hood indie vet (I'm in NYC). I haven't needed the acupuncture treatments with my pets, but I like the approach of what they offer. I have been there when pet owners are "checking out" with their dogs that just had acu, and they seem so grateful for the treatment their pets receive. Me, I'm just happy they offer me treatments beyond the "standard". :) How do you feel about chiropractors for long backed dogs? When one of the family Dachshunds started having back probs, my mom took him to our chiropractor. This was YEARS ago, but it really helped him, and also straightened out his back a good bit (he was becoming more “hump backed” as time went on) and his quality of life in his senior years seemed much better than we could have hoped. My mom would prob do either in this day and age, but back then, our chiro was a good “alternative” treatment, and iirc, he specifically trained in kids and pets. Yes, I went to him also, lol!~ Beat the heck out of what the “reg” docs wanted to do with my spine! {thanks mom!!}

My current vet does acupuncture and holistic/eastern approaches along with traditional services. One of the reasons I love going there. And this is not some larger vet operation, but a smaller ‘hood indie vet (I’m in NYC). I haven’t needed the acupuncture treatments with my pets, but I like the approach of what they offer. I have been there when pet owners are “checking out” with their dogs that just had acu, and they seem so grateful for the treatment their pets receive. Me, I’m just happy they offer me treatments beyond the “standard”. :)

]]> By: Cait http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/09/acupuncture-and-the-pain-of-long-backed-dogs/comment-page-1/#comment-467902 Cait Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:59:08 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=7850#comment-467902 A friend's Cardi went down in the back several weeks ago. Accupuncture has made a HUGE difference in the early stages of his recovery. A friend’s Cardi went down in the back several weeks ago. Accupuncture has made a HUGE difference in the early stages of his recovery.

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