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natural pet
ACUPUNCTURE FOR ANIMALS
Needles Work Wonders on Pets by Julie Peterson
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eedles make most pet parents cringe, but those used for acupuncture don’t hurt animals, they help. They are what traditional Chinese veterinary medicine has used for thousands of years to enhance blood circulation, balance the nervous system and promote release of pain-relieving hormones in animals ranging from rabbits to horses. “It’s a holistic approach that pinpoints the issues, unlike medicines that must go through the entire body,” says C.J. Schnier, coach for the University of Wisconsin women’s polo team. The five thoroughbreds and a quarter horse on her Verona, Wis-
consin, farm have a standing appointment every three weeks with a veterinarian that performs acupuncture for their injuries, arthritis, colic and immune systems. Since the founding of the Boulder, Colorado-based International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 1974, the number of certified animal acupuncturists has grown from 80 to about 1,800, making the specialty more accessible worldwide.
Treating the Ark
Beyond the usual four-legged friends, acupuncture helps animals such as reptiles, rabbits and livestock as a complement to Western medicine or other body work
It’s a holistic approach that pinpoints the issues, unlike medicines that must go through the entire body. ~C.J. Schnier
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