Electro-acupuncture and Chinese herbs for treatment of cervical intervertebral disk disease in a dog

J. Vet. Sci., 2007 · DOI: · Published: January 1, 2007

Alternative Medicine Neurology Veterinary Medicine

Simple Explanation

This study investigates the use of electro-acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to treat cervical intervertebral disk disease (IDD) in a dog. The dog, which was non-ambulatory due to the condition, showed significant improvement and recovery of ambulation after treatment. The findings suggest that this combined approach may be a viable alternative treatment option for dogs with cervical IDD when surgery is not immediately desired.

Study Duration

12 weeks

Participants

One non-ambulatory dog

Evidence Level

Case Report

Key Findings

1
The dog experienced ambulation recovery after 15 days of treatment with only electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
2
Marked improvement was observed after only 10 treatments.
3
Six months of follow-up demonstrated that the dog was stable and had no recurrence of symptoms.

Research Summary

A non-ambulatory dog with tetraparesis was diagnosed with intervertebral disk disease and treated with electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. The dog experienced ambulation recovery after 15 days of treatment, with marked improvement occurring after only 10 treatments. Six months of follow-up demonstrated stability and no recurrence of symptoms, suggesting the treatment's effectiveness.

Practical Implications

Alternative Treatment Option

Electroacupuncture and Chinese herbs can be considered as an alternative treatment for cervical IDD in dogs, especially when surgery is not immediately feasible.

Motor Rehabilitation

The combination of electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine may be responsible for motor rehabilitation in dogs with cervical IDD.

Pain Management

The treatment can help manage pain associated with cervical IDD, potentially reducing the need for conventional pain medications.

Study Limitations

1
Single case study limits generalizability.
2
Lack of a control group makes it difficult to definitively attribute the improvement solely to the treatment.
3
Subjective assessment of improvement based on clinical observation and owner reports.

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