Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a complementary treatment which can be used alongside conventional medical and surgical therapy to prevent and treat disease.

The treatment involves inserting fine, sterile, stainless steel needles into specific points of the body to stimulate tiny nerve endings that carry impulses to the spinal cord and brain. This prompts responses within the nervous and endocrine systems. The effect of an individual needle is determined by where it is placed and which nerves are stimulated - hence the need for a thorough knowledge of veterinary anatomy and physiology.

In equine practice acupuncture is commonly used for the relief of musculoskeletal pain and is especially beneficial for treating any type of muscle soreness, particularly of the neck, shoulders, back and hindquarters..

Typical conditions that may benefit from western medical acupuncture are:

Muscular spasms throughout the body.
Cold backs - resentment of saddling, dipping on mounting and bucking when ridden.
Back pain - acute or chronic, with or without bony pathology.
Post back surgery e.g. kissing spine resection.
Supraspinous ligament injury.
General stiffness - inability to bend on one or both reins.
Sacroiliac pain.
Muscular neck pain.
Arthritis - with or without prior steroid joint injection (e.g. facet joints in neck, small hock joints, ringbone, etc.)

Horses can be treated at home or at the clinic as long as a quiet stable/area without bedding, preferably with a non-slippery surface is available.

By law, acupuncture can only be performed by a qualified veterinary surgeon who has undergone training in this technique. We have two qualified veterinary surgeons here at B&W, Anna Endrikat DVM CVA MRCVS and Charlotte Sinclair BVSc PhD CertEP CertES(Orth) FHEA MRCVS.