I took my 12 year old male for his first acu/chiro treatment on Tuesday, and it's nothing short of REMARKABLE how this has helped him. He was treated about 3 weeks ago for an acute suspected injury to his back, mid L's just around the pelvis. He had lost stability in the rear and was knuckling a bit more on the left side. He responded well to short term pred and codeine, but my vet wanted him to go for the treatments. He has been uncomfortable and definitely hurting since his injury. This dog does not have joint problems, DM or any other neuro related issues and is in excellent health otherwise for an aged dog.
We have a certified long-practicing veterinarian in my area who only does Traditional Chinese Medicine now, with acu and chiro being her primary treatments. The appointment was 1 1/2 hours, where she took a complete history, discussed his personality and behaviours, etc. and explained everything clearly about his treatments and the parts of his body and how they relate to each other. He had chiropractic adjustments, one to his C3 area and a few in the lumbar area. He then had 12 acupuncture sites addressed. He LOVED this visit, he's a kind, calm and easygoing dog but he responded so well to the vet and the attention he was getting.
Since his visit, he is bright, willing to be more active, and his whole body language says to me, I FEEL GOOD! His face prior to this was pinched, his eyes dull, his sleep was restless. Now he walks around with his tennis ball, wags his tail and is ready to play most of the time, his ears are always right up and alert and his eyes, which always tell me a story, are large and luminous and full of spark. His stride is stronger, still some instability but he can steer around corners better and can back up slowly without collapsing. He can run a bit, and is willing to trot, the knuckling has gone away. He was always a strong and athletic dog, up till a month ago, and he's been frustrated by his inability to be himself. He's sure more himself now.
That's just his first treatment, and my goal with him was to try to offer him some comfort in his old age and to keep him happy and somewhat active. I asked the Dr. if she had a needle that would make him 5 years old again LOL! He's booked for his second treatment the week after next, and we will go for 3 or 4 regular ones and then reassess. But I am quite optimistic at this point given the changes I have seen since Tuesday morning. I would recommend that this avenue be explored for any dog who might be in pain, and to seek out a competent and trained person to do the treatments. So far, so good for us!
