Acupuncture for Zazzles: Dr Karyn and Holistic Treatments for Cats

Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five funny cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.

Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years; even as early as 300 BCE when the Chinese emperor Huangdi wrote the text known as “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”, but possibly even earlier.¹ The 5300-year-old mummified remains of a man found in the Italian Alps showed tattoo marks and corresponding bone impressions that archaeologists believe may have served as markers for needle treatments, meaning that acupuncture is not only ancient, it can also have many origins.

Until recently, most Traditional Chinese Medicines were treated with disdain by the modern medical community, considered old and outdated. So what has changed?

Besides the thousands, if not millions, of anecdotal success stories, a greater understanding of how acupuncture works has allowed this non-invasive technique to find a place in primary medicine.

The Basics of Acupuncture

In the shortest possible terms, traditional acupuncture uses ‘dry’ needles placed at certain locations along the meridians to manipulate and unblock ‘Qi’ (pronounced ‘chee’) – the energy of the life force of the body. These meridians are associated with different parts of the body, although not all points along that meridian affect parts of the body.

We now appreciate that meridians may actually link back to tissue differentiation during embryonic development, while Qi may be another way of describing nerve pathways, tissue planes, and migration. of energy. From here, it becomes easier for dedicated scientists to appreciate how this ‘alternative’ therapy might work.

Adopting Holistic Treatment for Pets

After attending a veterinary acupuncture course, I became obsessed with using this method in practice. Although most of my acupuncture patients are of the canine variety, feline acupuncture may have greater potential for success. Cats have been found to respond more strongly to acupuncture, and there have been good results using it in the management of feline asthma.

I use acupuncture at home on my Labrador, Bailey, whose joints are feeling their age. Recently, I decided to introduce Zazzles, our shy tortie, to this treatment and I was amazed at the results! When we rescued Zazzy eight years ago, we discovered a fracture in one of his hind legs. He’s been handling it pretty well, but recently he started limping, so we decided it was time to start a pain management plan. Being a bit of a nervous girl, I wasn’t sure how she would react to this unusual form of stimulation, but far from being scared, she actually rolled over purring!

It’s too early to know how well the treatments will work, but at least I know it’s no problem to repeat them!

Don’t Try This At Home!

Obviously, acupuncture isn’t something you can do at home on your own pets, but you can try some acupressure and massage.

As the name suggests, acupressure involves applying targeted pressure to specific areas, like those used for acupuncture, to achieve similar results without needles. It’s a technique that anyone can use to help relieve stress, provide pain relief, and comfort their pets at home. Additionally, if you have a cat that suffers from respiratory issues such as asthma, there are a few pressure points you may want to try:

Massaging a cat is fairly straightforward, with very little difference between it and regular petting. The main thing to know is to apply firmer pressure on both sides of the spine with the palm of your hand, as well as focusing on the neck and shoulders. The only problem you’re likely to encounter is when you try to stop!

If you think your cat might benefit from acupuncture, talk to your veterinarian. Not all veterinarians and veterinary practices will offer this service, so you may need to shop around. Rest assured, far from being a stressful experience, most cats find acupuncture relaxing!