Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Second Edition. Edited by Chris Zink and Janet B. Van Dyke.
© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Summary

Reducing pain, providing the best possible quality of life for patients, and restoring and

maintaining normal form and function is the focus of veterinary rehabilitation therapy.

Acupuncture is the insertion of thin, sterile needles into specific points, based on ana-

tomic structures, which leads to physiological responses. These physiological

responses are due to stimulation of the nervous system, and lead to a release of

endogenous substances such as beta-endorphins, dynorphins, enkephalins, serotonin,

epinephrine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), cortisol, and various hormones.

Approximately 360 acupuncture points have been described, having various impacts

on pain relief and on organ systems. Acupuncture points can be stimulated via dry

needle, electroacupuncture, aquapuncture, acupressure, laser acupuncture, moxibus-

tion, hemoacupuncture, pneumoacupuncture, and gold implantation. The selection of

acupuncture points is critical to the success of treatment, and is based upon the clinical

condition, patient temperament, and treatment goals. Acupuncture has clinical applica-

tions in rehabilitation and sports medicine including pain relief, performance and

endurance enhancement, and nerve regeneration.

Veterinary manipulative therapy, also referred to as veterinary spinal manipulative

therapy and animal chiropractic, is a valuable manual, neurological receptor-based

somatic therapy. It is a potent modality for maintaining overall health and mobility,

focusing on restoration of function as well as relief and management of pain. The

American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR) recog-

nizes chiropractic as an integrative veterinary therapy related to veterinary sports medi-

cine and rehabilitation.

This chapter describes the evidence basis for acupuncture and chiropractic and dis-

cusses the precautions, contraindications, and limitations for the use of these integra-

tive modalities.

The Role of Acupuncture

and Manipulative Therapy

in Canine Rehabilitation

Carolina Medina, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CVCH, CCRT,

Christine Jurek, DVM, CCRT, CVA, CVC, and Rosemary J.

LoGiudice, DVM, DACVSMR, CCRT, CVA, CVSMT, FCoAC

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