Veterinary Acupuncture Courses

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You MUST be a licensed veterinarian or third/fourth year vet student (documentation must be provided) to attend our course.

Acupuncture is one of a variety of therapies that may be used to treat animals. Simply stated, acupuncture (acus, needle; punctura, puncture) is the stimulation of specific points on the body that have the ability to alter various biochemical and physiologic conditions to achieve the desired effect. It is a means of helping the body heal itself. Acupuncture has been used successfully for nearly 4000 years on humans, as well as animals. As a matter of fact, it is still the treatment of choice for one quarter of the world’s population for many problems. It is now being utilized by an increasing number of veterinarians, alongside Western medicine, for various disease conditions. It is not a panacea, or cure-all, but in certain disease conditions it works well.

Acupuncture bridges a gap between medicine and surgery. In the Western world acupuncture is used primarily when medications are not working, are contraindicated because of possible side effects, or when surgery is not feasible. In China, it is often used as the primary treatment before conventional medicines and surgery.

In small animals, including exotics, and large animals, primarily equines, acupuncture is most commonly used for: musculoskeletal problems (e.g. arthritis), skin problems, nervous disorders, reproductive disorders, respiratory problems, poor immunity and internal medicine problems such as heart (cardiac) and kidney (renal) disease, etc.

Acupuncture is now known to affect all major physiologic systems. It works primarily via the central nervous system, affecting the musculoskeletal, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems. However, acupuncture does more than just relieve pain. Acupuncture also increases circulation, causes a release of many neurotransmitters and neurohormones (some of which are endorphins, the “natural pain-killing” hormones), relieves muscle spasms, stimulates nerves, and stimulates the body’s defense system, among many other beneficial effects. The particular method in which it works depends on the conditions being treated and the points used. Usually more than one mechanism of action is involved when each individual acupuncture point is ‘needled’.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, disease is an imbalance of energy in the body. Acupuncture therapy is based on balancing the energy, correcting the flow of energy, and thereby healing your pet.

Acupuncture for animals is one of the safest therapies available when administered by a veterinarian who has received post-doctoral education in veterinary acupuncture. Side effects are rare. Occasionally an animal’s condition may deteriorate temporarily before positive results can be seen. However, if the body’s own system of healing is allowed to work and no chemicals are administered, complications rarely, if ever, develop. If an animal is extremely weak due to advanced disease, the veterinarian may choose only a small number of acupuncture points in the beginning and gradually increase the number of points, if needed, as your pet improves and gains strength.

Acupuncture is a natural form of treatment that enlists inflammatory and healing mechanisms to maintain homeostasis and manage disease processes. Unlike some pharmaceutical treatments, there is no masking of a serious problem. Acupuncture techniques can be used for diagnosis as well as treatment.

The main disadvantage of acupuncture is the owner’s misunderstanding of what to expect from its use: the belief that the pet will miraculously improve, that all conditions can be treated with acupuncture, and that the animal will only need one treatment when several treatments are usually necessary to achieve (and sometimes maintain) the desired result. Other potential disadvantages include the chance that the pet will overuse an injured limb (because of decreased pain as a result of the acupuncture) resulting in a more serious injury and misapplication of acupuncture needles can result in eye injuries, pneumothorax, infectious arthritis, and broken needles.

The chances of these negative effects occurring in clinical practice are extremely remote. They are included here for the sake of completeness and to serve as a reminder that no treatment modality is completely risk free.

Before acupuncture treatment is performed on an animal, the veterinarian should perform a comprehensive physical medical and acupuncture examination.

"I know I have a life time of learning left in western and eastern medicine, but I know with the completion of this course / certification I am set up to be more successful in helping my clients and their pets."
K.C.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the course, the instructors, and my classmates.  I learned so much more than expected.  I was able to start needling after the first session and see results immediately."
L.P.
"The IVAS course was a phenomenal learning and professional connection experience. I treated my first patient with acupuncture the same day I got home from the first onsite session!"
W.K.
"Definitely challenging and much more material than I expected. If you are interested and can devote the time needed to learn a new paradigm I highly recommend it!"
L.S.
"This course and all involved were amazing! They are willing to go out of their way to help each student. Through this course I've learned an incredible skill that I now use daily. It has made me a better veterinarian."
V.W.
"The IVAS acupuncture certification course was well-presented throughout, with plenty of opportunity for hands-on learning with skilled and experienced clinicians. This course changed my perspective of my patients, myself, and my practice of medicine forever."
M.E.
"The learning environment was excellent and the course information was well organized for individuals that have not had any acupuncture experience or knowledge."
J.G.
"I would recommend this course as a veterinarian wanting to learn and integrate acupuncture in the common practice. The professors were extremely helpful and I felt very encouraged to learn and apply my knowledge learnt throughout the course."
G.C.
"Wonderful instructors that care about sharing their knowledge regarding TCM & acupuncture. If you want to understand why you are using certain points & all the aspects of how acupuncture can help patients, take this course!"
R.S.