|
Acupuncture for It was a heartbreaking sight: The only way Heidi was able to move around was to drag herself with her front legs. The 6-year-old dachshund had been partially paralyzed when she'd fallen from a couch and ruptured a disc in her back. In addition, she was so overweight her stomach scraped the ground.
animals catches on
The ancient Chinese healing
Preparing your pet
technique finds growing acceptance
among vets and petsBy Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi
Special to the Star-BulletinKauai-based veterinarian Dr. Ihor Basko recalls the case 27 years ago that made him a believer in acupuncture: "I treated Heidi twice a week, and after 25 treatments, she began to move her toes, then her legs. I asked the owner to put the dog on a macrobiotic diet of brown rice, vegetables and fish to help her lose weight. The dog lost eight pounds, and with another 10 acupuncture treatments, she was able to walk again with about 80 percent function restored."
Heidi's owner, who also had back problems and was partially paralyzed, subsequently started acupuncture treatments herself, and after six months she was off painkillers and out of her wheelchair. She began going on strolls with her dog, and although Basko says the two looked like drunken sailors on the street, they were able to walk on their own power -- something neither of them had been able to do in years.
Stories touting the miracle of acupuncture abound. A Chinese healing art that dates back to 2697 B.C., acupuncture is based on the premise that there are hundreds of energy points throughout the body that regulate healing, regeneration and repair. These points lie along energy channels called meridians that are connected to the kidney, liver, heart, muscles, tendons and other vital points.
Using needles to stimulate a specific point or series of points rouses the immune system, which releases cells, enzymes, hormones and endorphins (natural painkillers) to the affected area.
For his furry patients, Basko uses sterile needles measuring 1/2-inch to 6 inches in length. He inserts them anywhere from an eighth of an inch deep on a cat to nearly 6 inches deep on a horse. Exactly where and how deep the needles are placed depends on the animal's anatomy. Basko notes, "A lung, liver or a kidney can be easily punctured in untrained hands."
AN INCREASING NUMBER of medical professionals is acknowledging acupuncture's effectiveness in animals as well as humans. Basko regularly uses acupuncture; herbs and nutritional supplements; vitamin injections; exercise; massage; laser therapy; and nutrition to treat a wide range of animal ailments, from arthritis and epilepsy to allergies and heart problems.
"Acupuncture works," he said. "You will find veterinarians who complain how unscientific and non-technological acupuncture is, that it's almost primitive Asian mumbo jumbo. But you don't need science to see a dog is feeling better and not limping (after acupuncture treatments)!
"We are so dazzled by miracle drugs and new advances in diagnostic testing and surgical procedures," he says. "We've come to believe the solution lies in a pill -- a drug for all seasons and all reasons.
"Many veterinarians have forgotten the basics of healing because they have been seduced to believe that new technology or some new drug will cure their patients. But we should not discard effective healing arts such as acupuncture, which is one of the oldest treatment disciplines in recorded history. Much of this ancient wisdom and insight to healing is important and relevant in today's business of medicine."
While working for an eye specialist veterinarian in Los Angeles in 1973, Basko took night classes in Eastern/Oriental philosophy, which introduced him to alternative healing techniques. At the time, he was very dissatisfied with the treatment of geriatric animals, which primarily revolved around steroids, pain-reducing drugs and hope. The lack of quality medicine in this area spurred him to find better solutions to treating the problems of elderly pets.
"I discovered that acupuncture could really help older animals by not only controlling pain, but also increasing circulation, healing internal organs and extending the quality of their life without side effects," he said.
Debra Harrison, a Big Island-based licensed acupuncturist, agrees. She has been practicing acupuncture and herbal medicine for 12 years. Animals currently account for about 50 percent of her business. "It was a natural progression for me because I've been around animals my entire life," she said. "I had a grooming and pet care service, I trained dogs and horses, I taught riding lessons. I was working with animals professionally before I ever got into acupuncture."
She's seen animals in so much pain, they have to be held during the first acupuncture treatment to prevent them from running away. "But when they discover acupuncture makes them feel better, the next time is a piece of cake," she says. "Once the needles are in, they relax and usually fall asleep. I keep the needles in between 20 and 30 minutes."
THE MOST CHALLENGING part of working with animals is not performing the treatment, but handling the animal, according to Harrison, an experienced equestrienne. Trust and confidence are key. "Horses sense whether you're confident or not right off the bat, and they won't cooperate if you're not confident," she says.
"If you go up to a horse with equipment and you're unsure about how to use it, even a good horse will give you a bad time. He's going to sense you're nervous and think, 'Hmmmm, something's not right here. What's going on? I better be cautious because this person isn't calm.' Can you imagine what'll happen when he feels needles being poked into him?
"That's why there aren't a whole lot of people doing acupuncture on horses in Hawaii. A lot of veterinarians choose not to work with horses. They learn about them in school, but they would rather treat small animals that are easier and less dangerous to handle. If a horse steps on you, he could break your toes. He could spook, jump and slam you into a wall. In order to work with horses, you have to 'know' them."
In recent years, dressage horses have represented the bulk of Harrison's animal patients. "In dressage, movement is important; horses' competitiveness depends on their fluidity," she explains. "If we don't keep them supple, they'll start stiffening up, and when we ask for smooth movements and transitions, we're not going to get them."
Lynn Jendrowski, who has trained horses for more than 20 years, is an advocate of acupuncture. She and her Dutch warmblood, Haagen Dazs, are now training to compete for a spot on the team that will represent America at the World Equestrian Games in Spain in September.
Dazsie's twice-monthly acupuncture sessions with Harrison have been part of his conditioning, but, says Jendrowski, "He doesn't have any major problems, so I do it primarily as maintenance, to keep everything circulating properly. Dressage horses are athletes, and like any athlete, their muscles can get sore and tight. If we want them to perform to the best of their ability, we've got to take care of them."
She has, however, noticed the dramatic results acupuncture has had on Louis, a thoroughbred that she trains. "Louis sometimes gets a very tight back, and when a horse's back is stiff you feel it throughout his whole body," Jendrowski says.
"Now he totally relaxes when she does the acupuncture. His back loosens, and when I ride him, he feels like an entirely different horse. Louis would not be able to do the maneuvers he does today without the acupuncture. It's really worked wonders!"
Getting right to the point
Following are animal acupuncture practitioners:
>> Dr. Ihor Basko can be reached at All Creatures Great & Small Veterinary Clinic, 6001-B Kaapuni Road in Kapaa, Kauai. Call 822-4229. >> Kapalama Pet Hospital, 551 Dillingham Boulevard. Call 841-2861. The initial office visit ($155 to $165) lasts about 90 minutes and includes acupuncture treatment, massage, laser therapy and vitamin injections. Follow-up hour-long visits ($100 to $150) include acupuncture, vitamin injections, and herbs and supplements. Dr. Basko makes house calls in Honolulu from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday and on Monday mornings. >> Debra Harrison, licensed acupuncturist. She works out of the Animal Clinic in Kaimuki and makes house calls in East Oahu and in Honokaa and Waimea on the Big Island by appointment. Hourlong sessions start at $65. Call (808) 885-0404 on the Big Island and 395-6810 or 864-2152 on Oahu.The Animal Clinic is at 3270 Waialae Ave. Waimanalo office: 41-1610 Kalanianaole Highway, Suite 100
Honokaa office: 45-3551 Mamane St., Suite A-3
BACK TO TOP
|
Preparing your pet
Dr. Ihor Basko offers the following tips to those considering acupuncture treatments for their pets:
>> Animals respond best at home. If the treatments can't be performed at their home, they need to go to a clinic that has a "homey" atmosphere. At Basko's clinic on Kauai, dogs are treated in a garden setting outdoors on a lanai; cats are treated in a living room atmosphere. "We talk to the animals, and gently pet and massage them until they get comfortable with us, then we insert the needles," says Basko. "I watch the animals' expressions. Sometimes I have to limit my treatment to four needles on nervous pets; others get the whole treatment of up to 20 or more needles." >> At Kapalama Pet Hospital, animals are placed on yoga mats covered with a towel. "They are more comfortable on this than a cold stainless steel table," Basko maintains. "We give them treats and pet them until they calm down, then we work with them." >> According to Basko, after the pet is relaxed, the insertion of needles is painless. "Stress and tight muscles can make the treatment more painful, and that is why I like a calm, homey environment -- not the ER type of chaos that most clinics seem to have." >> The more treatments an animal undergoes, the better the chances his ailments will be resolved. The body takes three months to replace old cells with new ones. That is the minimum time to wait for significant improvements, although symptoms should clear up after three to six treatments. >> Choose an experienced professional. The certification process by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society ensures that veterinarians have completed at least 200 hours of lectures, 20 hours of internship and five case studies that will make them more qualified to perform this medical art and specialty. After certification, it takes at least 10 years of experience to be proficient in treating animals properly.
Click for online
calendars and events.
