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Equine Acupuncture

By Stephanie Different techniques are used depending on

Meyer, DVM, CVA the desired response and disease process
being addressed.

Pilchuck’s Common Equine Conditions That

Certified Benefit From Acupuncture
Veterinary Acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of
Acupuncturist conditions including, but not limited to:
and Equine
Practitioner • Acute and chronic pain
• Musculoskeletal disorders (DJD,
Acupuncture Defined and How It Works Wobbler’s, lameness, exercise-
Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points on related conditions)
the body (called acupoints) using thin, sterile • Neurologic disorders (seizures, paralysis)
needles. This stimulation results in many • Dermatologic disorders
physiological responses and changes, including, but • Gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea,
not limited to: constipation, gas-colic)
• Respiratory conditions (heaves)
• Immune system stimulation • Behavioral disorders (anxiety,
• Pain relief aggression, fear)
• Decreased inflammation • Reproductive disorders (infertility,
• Muscle tension relief impotence)
• Increased circulation • Geriatric conditions that negatively affect
• Regulated blood pressure and our patients’ quality of life
gastrointestinal motility
• Hormonal regulation

There are different techniques used to stimulate

acupoints, including dry-needle acupuncture (the
most common), electro-acupuncture, aqua-
acupuncture, hemo-acupuncture, pneumo-
acupuncture, acu-pressure and moxibustion.

Dr. Meyer treating Luke for cervical degenerative joint disease.

Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital – Equine Services

Phone: 360.568.3111
www.pilchuckvet.com
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Equine Acupuncture, Continued

Current Research on Acupuncture

Benefits and Effectiveness
Published scientific clinical trials substantiating the
effectiveness of equine acupuncture is lacking in
comparison to human research. However, there are
numerous equine-specific publications applicable to
common conditions seen in our equine patients.

The American Journal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary

Medicine (an international, peer-reviewed journal on
veterinary acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine,
Tui-na and food therapy) is an excellent resource for
original scientific reports, clinical studies, reviews
and case reports.

When to Consider Acupuncture for

Your Horse
Acupuncture can be used for almost any condition
(see page 1). Acupuncture is commonly used to
relieve and manage pain, in geriatric medicine, and in
sport horse medicine.

There are very few reasons not to consider

acupuncture, as it has little to no side effects and is
virtually painless. There are not any specific diseases
 with Raleigh and her Great Dane, Gimli.
that cannot be treated with acupuncture. However,
we do exercise caution when treating weak or
geriatric patients.
Integrating Western Medicine With
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine may initially
sound like a foreign language to individuals who have
only experienced Western veterinary medicine
modalities. At first, it may seem that these two
medicine practices are very separate, but there is
actually a large area of overlap.
Western medicine is largely mechanical and focuses
on a disease process to determine its specific,
physical cause. Western medicine focuses on this
abnormality and strives to control the physiologic
processes (down to a cellular level) in order to
treat diseases.
Dr. Meyer
Chinese medicine focuses on maintaining balance
in the entire body – believing energy imbalance
and disruption of energy flow cause disease.
Both forms of medicine rely on an accurate
history and physical examination to make a
diagnosis, to develop a treatment plan or to
identify a pattern of imbalance (deficiency
or excess).
Western medicine and Chinese medicine are not
mutually exclusive and the integration of these
practices is often extremely beneficial. The goals
of both are the same: healing, maintaining a good
quality of life for our patients, and disease
prevention. This integrative approach to
diagnostics and treatments gives our animal
patients so many more options.

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Equine Acupuncture, Continued
What to Expect at Your Horse’s
Acupuncture Session
Your horse’s acupuncture appointment at Pilchuck
Veterinary Hospital will begin with a thorough
history (including past and current concerns or
problems). We will discuss your goals and
expectations, and explain what we can hope to
achieve with acupuncture treatment.
After examination of your horse, a typical
acupuncture treatment lasts 20-30 minutes and
often only requires two to three treatment
sessions, depending on the problem(s) being
addressed and treated.
Again, acupuncture has little to no side effects, and
the procedure is virtually painless. However, every
horse has a unique personality (or “constitution”),
and each patient will react differently. Most horses
do not require physical restraint or sedation for
treatment. The majority of horses are very relaxed
during the treatment session, while others can be
more reactive. The treatment plan will vary
depending on the patient’s response.
Other Integrative Services Offered
Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital has veterinarians
professionally trained in Western medicine
(including board-certified surgeons and a board-
certified internist), acupuncture, Chinese herbal
medicine and chiropractic.
  Appointments:
In-hospital and ambulatory appointments
are available.
Please call 360.568.3111
to schedule an appointment.
Pre-paid multiple-treatment packages
(three-session and five-session) are
available at discounted prices.
 
“Veterinary acupuncture has been used for over
2,000 years. With an increasing amount of
public awareness, availability of professionally
trained veterinary acupuncturists, and published
and ongoing clinical trials, we are gaining a
better understanding of how acupuncture works
for specific disease processes and conditions.
Our animal patients have so many more options
these days. Having veterinarians professionally
trained and certified in modalities such as
Western medicine, acupuncture, Chinese herbal
medicine and chiropractic make Pilchuck
Veterinary Hospital a unique practice. The
greatest benefit is to our patients. Seeing the
positive results in our patients from this
integrative approach to diagnostics and
treatments is very exciting.”
– Stephanie Meyer, DVM, CVA
More About Stephanie Meyer, DVM,
CVA, Equine Practitioner and
Veterinary Acupuncturist
Dr. Stephanie Meyer received her DVM degree in
2006 from Texas A&M University. She then
completed a one-year rotating internship in large
animal medicine and surgery at Pilchuck
Veterinary Hospital in 2007.
She joined Pilchuck’s equine ambulatory and
integrative medicine staff in 2011 after completing
a three-year residency in 2010 in large animal
internal medicine at the University of Florida.
Although extensively trained in Western medicine,
after recognizing the benefits that Eastern
medicine and acupuncture had on her own horses,
Dr. Meyer pursued certification as a large animal
acupuncturist at the Chi Institute in Ocala, Fla.
Since becoming certified in December 2010, she
has completed an advanced diagnostic and
treatment acupuncture course and is currently
pursuing certification in Chinese herbal medicine.
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