FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

From time to time we get various questions about our services. This page was designed to help answer some of those questions.

Q: What types of medications do you use?

A: We do not routinely use conventional drugs for most conditions. We can usually do an adequate job using Chinese herbal combinations. In fact, many times there are Chinese herbal combinations to treat conditions where no conventional drugs exist. For instance, there are herbal combinations that can treat viral infections as well as bacterial infections--antibiotics can't do that. This is not to say I don't believe conventional medicines are all bad. For instance, if I am treating a hypothyroid dog for arthritis, I certainly wouldn't recommend stopping the conventional thyroid medication. If he would happen to be on pain control medication--that's a different story and I would try to discontinue that.

Q: How often do I have to bring my pet for treatment?

A: There is no rigid set schedule for treatment intervals and this will vary with different conditions treated. Routinely I would treat once weekly until results are observed (usually 2-6 weeks) then start increasing the time interval by double with each return visit until we find how long your pets' condition can go between treatments. The maximum intensity of treatments would be 2-3 times per week in acute severe conditions. On the average you can expect anywhere from 2 months to 4 months between treatments once results have been achieved. The severity of the condition and what the condition is will be determining factors.

Q: What does it work on?

A: This is an impossible question to give an exact answer. Acupuncture and herbs can be used to treat any condition, but the percentage of success will vary with the condition being treated. Common conditions that you can expect fairly high success rates on include things such as immune problems as auto-immune diseases and allergies, hip dysplasia, interverterbral disc disease, veterbral spondylosis, and general arthritis. The list goes on with any musculo-skeletal problem. Most people tend to lump acupuncture into the pain control department but that simply isn't true. Chronic kidney disease and some other organ problems will often respond to the alternative approach. This is interesting as there really are no conventional treatments that will actually regenerate kidney function, but this approach can. Other conditions that can respond but many people don't think about are things like epilepsy, infertility and reproductive problems, abnormal emotional problems, lick granulomas and almost any kind of infectious process just to name a few.

Q: Are there any side effects?

A: Although it is possible with acupuncture to physically damage the patient through improper needling of a few points, it is almost unheard of with a competent practitioner. One thing I keep telling my clients is that the worse thing that has happened to me in the years I have been using acupuncture is nothing. That is to say that no results is the worse thing I have seen--not once any side effects. We can almost say the same thing about Chinese herbal combinations. Side effects can occur if dosing is improper or, more often, if an inappropriate formula is used. The side effects are minimal compared to many conventional drugs and have no long-term damage to the body. They usually manifest as mild gastrointestinal signs such as loose stools. The reports of toxic chemicals and heavy metals are greatly overstated and almost impossible to see side effects with.