We go weekly--and it helps tremendously. Sam has arthritis and dysplasia in his hips and back, and also has a ton of trigger points up and down his spine. The acupuncture has really lessened those and help keep him (relatively) loose.

We still take 100 mg tramadol twice daily and 5 mg of prednisone, however, so we are not med free.

We buy our sessions in a package deal, and I think it ends up being around $60/visit.

I havent started acupuncture for my tripod, but my Great Dane who has nuro issues has benefited tremendously with treatment his also includes a chiropractic for $60.00 per visit she also used electrodes while preforming the acupuncture and that really adds a lot to the effect of the treatment. All in all it dose amazing things and my amputation boy has his first visit the 31st of August.

Good luck and cheers

Dari and Sloane

tjmcbipper said
How long till results could be seen?  Would doing, say two weeks, be enough to gauge the results?  I understand what the laser is doing (its supposed to actively restore the joint by stimulating/increasing circulation), but the needles, not so much.  Its it *just* pain relief or are there any restorative properties?

How did you gauge the 'success' of the treatment?  Better walking?  More weight bearing ability on the bad limb?

I'm open to trying it... but kinda happy with how TJ is doing now, so I'm 70/30 with staying with the cold laser unless the consensus is that its 5x better than laser+meds (because that's what it would cost).

Well, for Sampson, we saw results immediately--but some animals need longer. And, of course, as with anything, some just don't find it effective. Pretty similar to people, really...with the exception that dogs aren't subject to the placebo effect (for good or for ill). It either works, or it doesn't work.

As far as the how it works...like many things in alternative medicine, it's not entirely 100 sure yet. The eastern/alternative medicine practitioners believe it regulates the flow of chi. Western medicine researchers are currently investigating biomechanisms, such as acupuncture activating the opiod receptors in the brain; it stimulating the hypothalamus and pituitary; and it altering the secretion of neurotransmitters and neurohormones. 

As far as "restorative" processes...I'm not sure what you mean, entirely. In terms of OA, a damaged joint is a damaged joint. When articular cartilage is destroyed, that loss is permanant. You can't regrow or restore it naturally. Some supplements/therapies are thought to help preserve it, to slow the damage, or to help lubricate the joint. And some therapies can provide a substitution for the AC. But in general, it's like the keys in the burning lava theory--once it's gone; it's gone. And while there are studies/papers on laser therapy as a means of functional improvement and possible repairs, there really hasn't been a definitive answer about its efficacy and how much of it is placebo...so in regards to restoring things with laser, it's about on the same level as acupuncture, I guess, re: "proof". That being said, OA of the knee, in particular, seems to be one of the more widely regarded areas of success with acupuncture, so...

How did we gauge success? Increased appetite with less medication. Reduction in trigger point size and number. Greater ease of mobility. Increased enthusiasm and enjoyment of daily activities. Engagement in surroundings. As I've mentioned before, our issue isn't really that Sampson has cancer...it's that he has OLD. He has OA and dysplasia. And then he had old, which made those worse. And then he lost a leg. Which made it worse again. For us, success is something that mitigates the discomfort he has, and allows him to enjoy life--even if it's at a slower pace.

I do think we have different goals, so that plays a role...

Have you shopped around for better prices? We have three local vets that are certified in acupuncture and all have different prices. We got a package of 6 for $200.
As Sam's mom said, we all have different goals, ours being pain relief and help with mobility. Atlas is not on pain meds but is on anti inflammatories and the acupuncture works much better for him then the cold laser did. But they are all different. We saw an immediate respnse in Atlas energy level. he was sore after the first treatment and then bam! he was full of energy the second day and running around with much better mobility. Like cold laser, Acupuncture also stimulates circulation and blood flow. Some dogs do respond after the first treatment so maybe it's worth a shot at least once, who knows it might be the magic needle for TJ that it has been for many others. Maybe not, but you won't know unless you try.