"When we learned after an annual examination that our 13 year old Siamese, Koji, was showing the early signs of kidney failure, we were understandably depressed. But Dr. Hoffman told us that by changing her diet, by giving her a medication to help her kidneys work better and by administering subcutaneous fluids daily, we could give her a better quality of life and help her live longer. We changed her diet and gave her a pill everyday, and we have been doing the daily “beauty treatments” for over a year. Thanks to Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Dohse."
-Teena C.
Acupuncture may be defined as the insertion of needles into specific points on the body to cause a desired healing effect. This technique has been used in veterinary practice in China for at least 3000 years to treat many ailments and balance the body’s energy.
Acupuncture is used all over the world, either by itself or in conjunction with Western medicine, to treat a wide variety of maladies in every species of domestic animal. Modern veterinary acupuncturists use solid needles, hypodermic needles, bleeding needles, electricity, heat, massage, and therapeutic lasers to stimulate acupuncture points. Acupuncture is not a cure-all, but can work very well when it is indicated.
In Western terms, acupuncture can assist the body to heal itself by affecting certain physiological changes. For example, acupuncture can stimulate nerves, increase blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms, and cause the release of hormones, such as endorphins (one of the body’s pain control chemicals) and cortisol (a natural steroid).
