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Acupuncture Experience?
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Scottsburg, IN
Member Since:
5 February 2010
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18 November 2015 - 9:51 am
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Hi everyone.  I have a question for anyone who's had experience with acupuncture.  Have you ever seen adverse effects?  I started getting acupuncture treatments for my old Roxy girl a few months back for her arthritis pain.  The treatments really seem to have worked well for her pain issues, but at the exact same time we started seeing an improvement in pain we also started seeing her gait get messed up.  Her usual tripawd hop she had for over 5 years was gone suddenly and her back right leg seems like it doesn't much want to work correctly.  Her vet said there is some kind of neurological deficit there.  I find the timing suspect and am curious if this type of thing has been anyone else's experience?

Thank you,

Leslie

On The Road


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24 September 2009
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18 November 2015 - 12:21 pm
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Hey Leslie, good to see you here but sorry to hear about the issues.

I'm not a vet so take this for what it's worth but I do think it's a coincidence and not an acupuncture side effect. What is the vet's plan for looking into it?

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Green Bay, WI


Member Since:
18 May 2014
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18 November 2015 - 1:17 pm
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Hi Leslie, I don't have experience with accupuncture, but I do with chiropractice care for dogs. One if Nitro's vets does both of these things, (along with chinese herbs). His chiro adjustments have literally saved his life, what with his new gait and all. Just throwing this out there. Good luck.

Paula and Nitro

Nitro 11 1/2  yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms.  Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"

http://nitro.tripawds.com

"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
18 October 2009
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18 November 2015 - 1:44 pm
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Hi Leslie,

Love to hear that the treatments are helping the arthritis.  I have lots of experience with neurological issues and arthritis but I have not tried acupuncture.

Quad pug Tani had proprioceptive deficits of varying degrees her whole life due to hydrocephalus.  It got worse as she got older. Is that what your vet called it?  Is she knuckling or dragging her back foot?

One thing that I think helped Tani was massaging or at least touching her feet that were the problem.  I would make her flex her foot and push off my hand.  I did this usually while she was laying down and for short periods because she had a low tolerance for being touched.

I would also talk with the acupuncturist and see if they have ever seen anything like this.  It could also be that she has pinched a nerve in her back or hip or she is out of alignment for some reason. Tani was seeing a vet that did both chiropractic and acupuncture and we decided that chiropractic would be best for her.  You might have a chriopractic look at her and see if she needs and adjustment.  I really didn't think chiropractic would help Tani's arthritis or foot dragging, but it really did.

Keep on hopping Roxy!  Way to kick mast cell cancer to the curb!

 

Karen

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Scottsburg, IN
Member Since:
5 February 2010
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18 November 2015 - 5:55 pm
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Thank you for your responses guys. 

Jerry, Roxy's regular vet spent quite a bit of time with her yesterday walking her around and doing a complete physical.  We tried gabapentin and she's on tramadol.  Her only other suggestion was to try a different pain med, just to help her cope.  I think she's moving more toward the end of life care, which may very well be necessary.  But I'm not giving up yet.  She said from a western medicine perspective she didn't think there was anything else she could do.  But she acknowledged that the acupuncturist may be able to do more.

Paula and Karen, I have decided to try the chiropractic route if her acupuncturist thinks its a good idea.  We talked about this option when I first started taking her to the acupuncturist, Dr. Lanz.  Dr. Lanz said she has a chiropractic colleague that we could bring into our appointments.  I've emailed her to see if she still thinks this is a good idea. 

Karen, Roxy's right back leg is slightly knuckling over every now and then, not every single step.  The main thing is her stance is extra wide now and she seems to have gotten pretty week in her hind end.  She won't do steps anymore and can't spend much time standing up.  Dr. Lanz showed me the points on her back feet to work with to try to improve the situation.  I've been working on those.  It's encouraging to know it helped Tani.  I've also been doing some strength exercises, getting her to sit and stand.  Her regular vet, Dr. Hollis, didn't give it any certain name, she just said that back right leg is definitely experiencing a neurological deficit.  she's not sure if it's primary or secondary.  I'm hoping for secondary since it sounds like maybe that's the lesser of two evils.  Dr. Lanz told me a couple weeks ago she's had some positive results with helping even paralyzed dogs get some of their feeling back in the hind end, depending on cause and how long it had been going on.  So I'm hopeful that she may be able to help my Rox.  I asked Dr. Hollis if it was cruel to keep Roxy alive at this point, and she agreed it's not, that Rox is still enjoying life.  My fear is causing her undue suffering for my own selfish reasons. 

Oh the things we do for our pups.  My first goal is to make sure she has the life she deserves, nothing less.  My second is to make sure I have no regrets when her time is up.  That's the reason I'm trying so much.  Regrets would bury me right along with her. 

I will try to keep you guys updated over the weeks. 

Leslie

Green Bay, WI


Member Since:
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18 November 2015 - 6:27 pm
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Leslie - you nailed it with your last couple of sentences! My mantra throughtout this journey is to have no regrets when I look back on it. Keeping our paws crossed that you are able to find a plan that offers Roxy some relief. 

Paula and Nitro

Nitro 11 1/2  yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms.  Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"

http://nitro.tripawds.com

"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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18 November 2015 - 8:28 pm
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lesliec said
I have decided to try the chiropractic route if her acupuncturist thinks its a good idea...

We always strongly recommend consulting with a certified rehab vet tech (CCRT or CCRP). Have you made an appointment yet?

The Tripawds Foundation is still offering reimbursement for a limited number of rehab consultations through The Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Raleigh, NC
Member Since:
29 April 2013
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19 November 2015 - 10:47 am
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Lack of proprioception is typically an indication of a neurological deficit.  This is often caused by spinal stenosis in dogs.  It doesn't respond to most NSAIDs because it is a nerve injury and not arthritis.  This is how we treat it in greyhounds but I'm not sure about boxers.  It doesn't hurt to show your vet anyway.

http://www.grey.....acral.html

Other things that are done are physical therapy, laser therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and chiropractic to help with the symptoms and stop muscle atrophy.

BTW, Nixon hated accupuncture and would dive away whenever the needles targeted his liver or gall bladder (He passed to cirrhosis, not cancer) but Cookie loves accupuncture so much, she throws herself at the vet when she sees the needles come out and immediately presents her permission spot on the head.  If there ever was a dog to use as a demo for accupuncture, it is Cookie. 

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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19 November 2015 - 11:40 am
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Ingrid you ROCK, it's wonderful to see you here! Thanks for the feedback (funny image of Cookie getting excited over acupuncture needles!).

Drop us a line with an update about your pack when you get a chance. Hope things are good.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Scottsburg, IN
Member Since:
5 February 2010
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19 November 2015 - 2:01 pm
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Thank you for the great advise everyone.  Jim, I will look into the certified rehab vet tech tonight.  I've never heard of them. 

Ohmynixon, so very grateful for that article.  I've made an appointment with Roxy's vet for tomorrow afternoon to discuss it.  Roxy doesn't mind acupuncture, just like with most things, she seems to ignore it.  big-blink That's my girl. 

I'll keep you updated. 

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