The acupuncture treatment is an ancient Chinese practice that is employed to heal different medical conditions. In cats, acupuncture treatment has been used since the 1970s. This type of holistic treatment consists of the insertion of needles in certain points of the cat’s body. The therapy of acupuncture states that each point controls a region of the body, so by inserting a needle, the pain or illness will be removed.
Acupuncture Basics
Acupuncture is an alternative treatment that may be chosen for pets. According to acupuncture, which is an ancient Chinese science, each region of the body has a specific corresponding point. These points will be stimulated by inserting hypodermic needles. Even if this may sound painful, it isn’t. Only cats that are seriously underweight may feel some pain. In this case, the cat should be sedated.
Acupuncture will not treat the symptoms of an illness, but will focus on the root of the illness and will stimulate the body to heal itself.
Diseases That Acupuncture May Treat
Acupuncture may be applied in a number of diseases including:
- Kidney problems or chronic renal failure
- Liver disease
- Joint problems and arthritis
- Muscle pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Respiratory diseases
- Asthma
- Old age problems
- Anxiety and stress
- Lack of appetite
Acupuncture is an alternative medicine practice and may be used as a sole treatment or in addition to medication therapy. It is also recommended in chronic diseases or diseases that have no definitive cure.
Acupuncture Longitudinal Points
In acupuncture, the longitudinal points, also known as meridians, are essential. They should be detected in order to be able to apply the treatment. In cats, the longitudinal points are located at about the same coordinates as on the human body. The most commonly used acupuncture points are 44 and are located all around the cat’s body. If you get familiar with the acupuncture points, you can use them as guidance when you massage your pet.
How Acupuncture is Performed
Acupuncture will be performed employing hypodermic needles that are typically 0.02 mm in width. These needles are inserted in the longitudinal points and kept in place for a few minutes.
In most cases, the cat won’t feel any pain, so no sedation will be needed. An acupuncture session can significantly calm your pet. After the needles are extracted, the cat won’t feel any pain and typically there will be very little or no bleeding. The pressure applied on these points that correspond to the ill areas of the body should stimulate the body to heal itself.
A single session of acupuncture will not be sufficient to treat your pet. Depending on the cat’s condition, he will need between 4 to 8 acupuncture sessions.
Acupuncture treatment is not recommended for underweight cats, as it may be very painful if performed without sedation. Also, if your pet is intolerant to needles, you should look for different types of treatment.