20/03/2024
Welcome to acu in practice! Have you ever wondered how acupuncture can help “tripods?” This is our term of endearment for veterinary patients who have undergone a limb amputation for any number of various reasons. There are even a few bipods out there too, believe it or not!
I get asked all the time “How can I treat the limb or the points on the limb if it is no longer there?” First, you aren’t treating the limb anymore…that problem has been removed. What we need to do is support all of the other body parts, the rest of the musculoskeletal system, that will be compensating for the loss of that limb.
Tripods are amazing – many of them move and look like the limb amputation has not affected them at all! However, altered movement and weight bearing over time will eventually cause tension and extra “wear and tear” on the joints, spine, muscles and connective tissues.
This is where acupuncture comes in! We can palpate our patients for areas of tension and release them. Myofascial trigger points are common in areas of the body that carry extra weight or exert extra effort due to limb amputation. Those can be released too. There are also empirical points for supporting specific limbs, the bones, and the connective tissues. And, we can treat points on the acupuncture channels that correlate to any tension or discomfort to relieve it.
Lastly, if the animal had a limb amputation due to a tumor or other type of disease, acupuncture can be used to support the body in its healing process and help to prevent recurrence!
Acupoints that are helpful in almost any tripod include:
SI 9 – support the front end, Master point for the forelimb
GB 21 – releases tension in the neck and shoulders, in the GB channel in general, moves Liver Qi and resolves Stagnation.
KID 27 – releases fascia from chest to rear foot, benefits are similar to chiropractic adjustment
GV 14 – opens up the upper back, relieves tension between the shoulder blades, good “introductory” point for new patients.
GB 34 – Influential point for the sinews (tendons, ligaments)
Lumbar BH – relieves pain, especially in the lumbosacral area, supports the Kidney.
ST 36 – supports the rear limb, moves and supports Qi and Blood
BL 40 – Master point for the hind end.
LIV 3 with LI 4 – The Four Gates – relieves Stagnation globally
The Du Mai Extraordinary vessel – SI 3 and BL 62. Opens the Du Mai, clears pain and Stagnation in the back, clears SI and BL Channel.
These are just general points that are helpful due to their TCM and/or their Western (evidence) based effects. With each patient, it is important to palpate thoroughly and choose points specific to their needs. In my experience, treating and supporting tripods throughout their lifetime is super rewarding…they tend to be very special and resilient beings!
Pictured below: One of our awesome volunteers at the IVAS mentorship program... he received his first acupuncture treatment ever with us!
This post is created by Nell Ostermeier, DVM, CVA, FAAVA and is intended for informational use, not to replace medical advice. If you are a veterinarian and would like to have more conversations about veterinary acupuncture, you can join her private, vet only FB group Every Day Acupuncture for Vets.
