Veterinary Acupuncture and Pain Management

05/07/2024

Acupuncture in human medicine as well as veterinary medicine can be a divisive topic. Learning more about how it works and which cases may benefit is important to ensure that patients who may benefit from this adjunctive modality are given access to it. Our view is that acupuncture is a very useful addition to your multimodal management of your chronic pain cases, especially in those cases who suffer adverse effects to pharmaceuticals.

In this webinar, Dr Isi Iff guides you through how acupuncture works, referencing a number of studies which illustrate those various benefits. She also discusses cases where acupuncture has made a difference to managing that patient’s pain.

To learn more about acupuncture, follow the link to our website below.

https://www.zeropainphilosophy.com/webinars

05/06/2024

A little heads up… I will be taking a break in September. Make sure you plan your future appointments when you are next in 😊

05/06/2024

Thank you all for keeping me busy and entrusting your beloved pets into my care. Unfortunately due to my current very high caseload, I am unable to accept any new clients. I have to keep my plates spinning and ensure I can continue to deliver a high standard of care to my exisitng patients. We will be operating a waiting list so we can get people in as soon as an opening becomes available. The waiting time may be upto 3-4 months. Any referrals that are already being processed will still go ahead. Many thanks for your understanding.

02/05/2024

Short break to recharge the batteries. Back at work on Wednesday 8th May 😊

09/02/2024

Ball launchers have become a popular accessory for dog owners who want to keep their dogs active and entertained. However, these devices can have negative effects on your dog's health and wellbeing.

Ball Launchers Can Cause Obsession:

Some dogs become obsessed with fetching a ball, which can lead to behavioural problems. They may become aggressive or anxious when they are not playing with the ball launcher, making it difficult to enjoy time with your pet. It's important to recognise the signs of obsession and to limit your dog's use of the ball launcher.

Ball Launchers Interrupt Natural Behaviour:

Dogs are naturally curious and enjoy exploring their surroundings through sniffing and relaxing. However, when they become obsessed with fetching a ball, they may lose interest in these natural behaviours. This can lead to boredom and frustration, causing your dog to become less active and less healthy.

Ball Launchers Can Cause Joint Problems:

Repeatedly launching a ball puts a lot of stress on your dog's joints, especially if they are a high energy breed. This can lead to joint problems such as arthritis, which can be very painful and expensive to treat. It's important to limit the amount of time your dog spends playing with a ball launcher and to give them plenty of rest breaks.

While ball launchers may seem like a fun and easy way to keep your dog entertained, they can have negative effects on their health and wellbeing. They interrupt natural behaviour, can cause joint problems, and lead to obsession. If you want to keep your dog healthy and happy, it's best to limit their use of ball launchers and encourage them to engage in natural behaviours such as sniffing, scent work, exploring and simply relaxing.

08/02/2024

The loss of a pet is always hard. Many of us just can't face thinking about when the day will come, but come it will and having help and support in making that difficult decision can make the process easier. This is a lovely site that is 100% dedicated to pet loss and the processes and feelings that surround it.

Sometimes being prepared can make the whole experience smoother and easier to negotiate, rather than to be faced with making decisions at the last minute, when emotions cloud our ability to think clearly about what we might want for our pet and ourselves, both at the time and afterwards.

We owe it to them to not let them suffer and make the end a peaceful one 💜

https://www.facebook.com/TheRalphSite/

Pet loss support from like-minded people who "get it". Private Facebook group, website and blog.

01/02/2024

What better way to enjoy your 13th birthday than a bit of relaxing acupuncture and laser for the old bones 😊. Happy birthday Lily xx (little brother Archie comes for moral support… or the treats perhaps!)

19/12/2023

26/10/2023

Handy little tool now available to assess your dogs individual parasite risk. This promotes a more responsible use of parasite treatments rather than a blanket approach of treating for everything. You can even print out a report at the end to share with you vet.

Use our risk checker to get a personalised report for your dog

22/09/2023

Arthritis does not just affect old dogs. Look out for the signs that may suggest something is wrong

We’re on a mission to spark more conversations about arthritis in dogs!

We want to make sure more dogs receive the diagnosis they need to ease their suffering, by making it easier for owners to spot the signs.

Our aim is to help dog owners like you learn about canine arthritis and how it could be impacting your dog’s life.

03/09/2023

Today I made one of the most difficult decisions a pet owner has to make. Discussions around “end of life” care are ones that, as a vet, I have had on a many occasions, helping to guide owners to make the decision when the time comes. It is never easy but so important. It is the final act of kindness we can give to our beloved pets when they come to the end of their journey. We have to put our own feelings aside and do what is best for them. We must not let them suffer. My boy was 13 years old and passed away peacefully at home with us all by his side. Believe us when we say, as vets, we really do understand what you are going through 💔

02/09/2023

This also applies to controlled drugs used in pain management such as gabapentin and tramadol. These will no longer be able to be prescribed without a physical examination and the guidance remains the same about only prescribing a month at a time.

On September 1st we are seeing new prescription recommendations from the RCVS - Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons come into action!

We are asking for our loyal clients' patience and understanding while veterinary practices across the country try to change their protocols to reflect the new requirements from the RCVS.

In many cases protocols will be very similar and might not impact you at all, but you may notice some slight changes to your practices protocol in prescriptions and we ask that you remain understanding while this is implemented.

One of the biggest factors that may impact you as a client is that anti-parasitics (flea, worm and tick treatment) are going to be in the same band as antimicrobials and important drugs meaning that there needs to be a physical assessment and a physical examination before the *new* prescription of an anti-parasitic. This could result in slightly more regular, in practice, checks than you are currently used to. NB 'new prescription' refers to a different drug, different dose, different frequency than your pet is currently on, or when your current prescription comes to an end.

The RCVS have said that:

"We realise that there are differences in opinion within the profession regarding the inclusion of antiparasitics in this part of the guidance.

There are a range of factors set out in the guidance to be taken into consideration when prescribing POM-Vs, and we understand that the opinion of some is that these can simply be applied to antibiotics and antiparasitics to ensure responsible prescribing.

However, it is our view that these medicines should be treated differently to other POM-Vs because the risk of uncontrolled use is greater, for example, resistance and environmental impact.

As such, the change requires a physical examination in order to positively impact prescribing behaviours and change attitudes to these medicines."

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/under-care-new-guidance

08/08/2023

Its been a long time since I posted - a sign of being busy - which has to be a good thing!!

Have you ever wandered how chronic musculoskeletal pain can effect your dogs willingness to travel in the car or how it can impact on their comfort while travelling? Have you noticed any change in them in this respect? Are they less settled than normal or more reluctant to get into the car?

Car travel can be uncomfortable. The acceleration, deceleration and cornering of the vehicle will put additional pressure on muscles and joints as the animal attempts to stabilise itself. When you are already in pain every small movement can exacerbate the pain. It is not unusual for dogs to lay in the footwell where they feel more secure or use the doors / back of the seats for support.

I had a perfect example of this recently when I went to visit the lovely "Fletcher" who has been diagnosed with arthritis in both his elbows and one of his hips. On chatting to his owner, she mentioned that he seemed agitated when he got onto the back seat from the passenger side of the car and would not settle until he got out of the car and got back in from the drivers side. Interestingly it is his left hip that he has arthritis in and when he gets in from the passenger side the righthand side of his body is supported by the back of the seats leaving him to have to use his left side to stabilise himself which he clearly finds uncomfortable.
His owner invested in a hammock for the back of the car to give Fletcher the additional support / security he needed and while she tries to ensure he continues to get in on his preferred side, on the occasions when he hasn't he has been a lot happier!!! Such small and simple changes can make such a huge difference.

Fletchers owner ensures that his bodyweight and exercise are strictly controlled. Various adaptations have been made around the home to make life easier for Fletcher and reduce the risk of further injury. His is on a good pain management regime including the use of pain relieving drugs, acupuncture and laser and he attends regular hydrotherapy.

He continues to enjoy life to the full and is very relaxed for his treatment, as you can see ☺️

09/05/2023

It’s a dogs life!

Many of my clients will have heard me mention the use of a dog “buggy” to enable their elderly / less mobile dogs to continue to partake in family activities. It allows them to get out and about and enjoy the sights, sounds and sniffs of the outside world and do as much or as little as they want. It enables owners who perhaps enjoy a longer walk or have younger dogs requiring more exercise to continue to enjoy the company of their older pet without worrying about cutting the walk short.

It takes time to train a dog to be accepting of the buggy, as it does introducing any new thing into their life. My greyhound is no exception. It started inside with the wheels off with a comfy bed and lots of positive rewards for getting in and and then lying in it. This progressed to wheels on inside, then closing the canopy and eventually out into the garden. The first rides were met with a little intrepidation but with patience and lots more treats we now have a boy who loves his “chariot” so much so he does not want to get out at the end. If he can do it, I am positive any dog can ❤️

27/12/2022

Thank you for all your lovely cards, gifts and messages Feeling very overwhelmed by your kindness. Happy 2023!

16/11/2022

Another gorgeous lab - just taking it all in his stride!!

06/09/2022

Cats are so often overlooked when it comes to pain as the signs can be more subtle. They are usually good acupuncture responders too!

📝September is animal pain awareness month

🐈‍⬛Signs of chronic pain are easy to miss in cats

🐈‍⬛With the average life span of a cat being 14 years of age (with many cats living longer), the likelihood of a cat developing pain related to illness and disease increases , meaning older cats are more likely to be affected

🐈‍⬛Living with chronic pain can dramatically affect a cat's quality of life

Common diseases/conditions that cause chronic pain in cats include:

🐈Osteoarthritis
🐈Dental disease
🐈Gastrointestinal disease
🐈Feline idiopathic cystitis
🐈Pancreatitis/Triaditis
🐈Dermatological conditions
🐈Neoplasia (cancer)
🐈Kidney disease
🐈Post surgical pain

As discussed in a previous post, cats are really good at masking pain. The changes in behaviour associated with cats experiencing chronic pain may be gradual and subtle, making them more difficult to spot.

Behavioural changes that occur in cats suffering from chronic pain include :

🐾Reduced activity, including playing, jumping and going outside
🐾House soiling
🐾Poor or reduced appetite
🐾Drinking less
🐾Favours lower surfaces for resting and perching
🐾Looks 'creaky' or stiff when walks
🐾Drags hind limbs when jumps onto furniture
🐾Avoids using stairs
🐾Grooms less, so coat looks rough, dull or matted
🐾Less interactive with people and other animals, becomes withdrawn and dull
🐾Resents handling, may seem grumpy or irritable
🐾Aggression towards people and other animals
🐾Sleeping more or changes to sleep pattern
🐾 Weight loss

😸The good thing is that chronic pain can be treated and managed in cats

🩺Owners who suspect their cat is uncomfortable should speak to their vet who will be able to help

Never assume a cat is 'just getting old' because they can often be medically managed to make them more comfortable ❤️😺

📚References and further reading :
Gowan, R. and Iff, I., 2016. Chronic Pain and Behaviour. In: I. Rodan and S. Heath, ed., Feline Behavioural Health and Welfare, 1st ed. St Louis: Elsevier, pp.184-192.

15/07/2022

As Red and Amber extreme heat warnings are announced across the UK, vets issue urgent advice on keeping pets safe from heat-related illnesses.

08/07/2022

Alongside their annual campaign to warn dog owners of the risks of leaving dogs in hot cars, BVA has joined coalition calls warning about the dangers of taking dogs out on walks in hot weather.

01/06/2022

I am taking a short break so will not be available until Tuesday 7th June. Wishing you all a relaxing bank holiday weekend.

31/05/2022

Unfortunately due to a large caseload currently and continuing to run the business single handedly , I am sorry to say that I am currently not able to take on any new clients /patients.

This is not likely to change until September at the earliest but I will keep you updated. Any pending referrals will be honoured but any new requests will be put on a waiting list and be offered an appointment as soon as an opening becomes available.

It has been a difficult decision to make but I need to ensure I can continue to offer the support my current clients require and keep the business running smoothly.

I am looking at different ways to ease this situation and thank you for your understanding.

10/04/2022

My old boy having some Sunday morning acupuncture for back pain. Always the last in line 😞. He loves the attention ❤️

24/09/2021

*****HERBAL MEDICINE******

Some of you will be aware that I offer a herbal service. Herbal medicine (Phytotherapy) can be used alongside conventional medicine but important things to consider include:

Ensure you are using top quality, responsibly sourced herbs
Ensure that anything you are giving is not likely to interact with any other medications / supplements your pet might already be on
Be aware that just because it is "natural" does not mean it is safe. If a herb has the abilty to exert a positive phamacological effect, it is also possible to have unwanted side effects
Make sure you are using herbs appropriate for your pets health.
In order to get the best results ensure that you are using the correct dose.

There are many different supplements out there that claim to be beneficial in the management of pain / osteoarthritis. Many over-the counter products (sold for both human and animal use) are ineffective. As they are classed as a food supplement, they are not subjected to the same level of rigorous quality control and efficacy studies that our pharmaceutical products have to be. They only have to be safe. For this reason, the levels of the active ingredient are generally low, there is not as much active ingredient in as the product claims (and in some cases there might not be any!) and the availability of the ingredient to the body may be low, meaning that much of it just passes straight through!! Some of these products may also be contaminated with other substances that we might not wish to be giving to our pets.

Please contact me if you would like to discuss the use of herbs in your pet.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IN THE MAJORITY OF SITUATIONS HERBS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR CONVENTIONAL MEDICATIONS AND ARE USED ALONGSIDE THEM TO ACHIEVE THE BEST OUTCOME FOR YOUR PET.

03/09/2021

⭐ SEPTEMBER: PAIN AWARENESS MONTH⭐

There are many conditions and diseases in animals that cause pain and discomfort.

➡️According to the Animal Welfare Act it is your duty of care to ensure you take reasonable steps to meet the welfare needs of your animal including...

➡️...need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease!

But there are two big differences in the main types of pain we see... The one that most owners recognise is acute pain because it's usually dramatic and sudden!

✅ACUTE PAIN

Acute pain is an emergency strategy to help remove ourselves from a noxious (painful) stimulus to protect the body from harm!
Acute pain is self-limiting and is provoked by a specific disease or injury and as stated above serves a useful biologic purpose.... To keep us alive and free from traumatic injuries!

✅CHRONIC PAIN

The pain that is often under recognised but equally important in animal health and welfare is chronic (long term) pain. Chronic pain in contrast to acute pain may be considered a disease state; it is a pain that lasts for 3 months or more.

With chronic pain there are also changes in the brain and spinal cord that can cause pain ‘wind up’, causing exaggerated pain response.

The pain outlasts the normal or usual time of healing and is associated with a disease or injury. It serves no biologic purpose, and has no recognisable end-point which is why it extremely important to manage it to the best of our ability for your pets quality of life. Commonly seen in disease like osteoarthritis it is often picked up late because the symptoms can be subtle and vague.

✅ CLINICAL SIGNS
Clinical Signs of pain depend on a number of factors:

1️⃣ Type of pain.
As well as being ACUTE or CHRONIC as mentioned above we can also break pain down into:

Somatic pain -from bones, muscles and skin
Visceral pain - from internal organs
Neuropathic pain -from nerves and spine

2️⃣ Species
Each species and individual animal will react differently to pain. Our idiographic gives some examples in cats and dogs.
Also remember that prey species are extremely good and compensating for pain and hiding it to avoid predation! So we must be extra vigilant in these animals like rabbits and guinea pigs.

3️⃣ Existing pain can make other sensation worse
If our pets experience chronic (long term) pain the repeated and sustained stimulation of our pain receptors can result in peripheral and central sensitisation or pain ' wind up'.
This results in a non painful stimulus being perceived as pain to our pet. This is know as allodynia and hyperalgesia

17/08/2021

Someone is clearly not afraid of the vet and this was only our second meeting ❤. Make yourself comfortable (or not) Sherbert x. More to follow on this lovely boy.......

22/07/2021

Thank you to Bruce's owner for these videos of him having his acupuncture and clearly demonstrating how completely unfazed he is by it all. In fact, the difficult part is staying awake 😴

16/07/2021

With the warmer weather and COVID determined to increase its presence - we are all set up for al fresco consulting today but someone has made herself very comfortable on the floor mat!!

12/07/2021

My first official equine patient taking it all in his stride. Even horses can succumb to the soporific effect of the acupuncture needles!

This is Bruce, a mature gentleman of 24 years undergoing treatment for some stifle (knee) and back pain. He was an absolute star for his first session and we are very much hoping that he benefits from his treatments.

20/06/2021

Variety is the spice of life -so they say. One of the joys of our job is the variety of animals we can treat. This was one of my patients last week 🥰

Geoff is a Kunekune who we suspect has sustained an injury during a squabble over food. He is on pain relief from his vet but his owner wanted to know if anything else might help. Unfortunately due to skin thickness acupuncture proves somewhat tricky in this species so we are giving laser therapy a go. Just love my job.