Episode 54: The secrets behind veterinary acupuncture

Many clients are filled to the brim with questions surrounding veterinary acupuncture. Among the most common is: Does it hurt? According to Christopher Shapley, DVM, a specialist in veterinary acupuncture and herbal medicine, the simple answer is no.

"The needles are so thin and inserted so easily that it is a virtually painless experience," he tells Adam Christman, DVM, MBA. He adds that pain typically only lasts for less than a second in areas that have high stagnation or exhibit more pain. After that, the experience is refreshing.

Shapley also addresses the recent influx of clients seeking both acupuncture and herbal medications for their pets and explains how alternative therapies are becoming more accepted by pet owners and within human and animal medicine.

“Even in human medicine, we’re moving [from] ‘I have pain, take a pill,’ to ‘I have pain, I want alternative treatments.’ That same feeling is going to their pets,” says Shapley.

Listen below to learn more about Shapley’s expert knowledge about acupuncture, plus his insight on why more pet parents are leaning towards herbal medications and integrative therapies.