There are three different schools of training for acupuncture. Essentially, though, they are all based on Chinese traditional medicine. They all work, just in different ways.

Acupuncture can work very well for our dogs. I've seen it be very beneficial for dogs, especially in arthritis cases, back issues, and even some chronic renal cases.

The best way to know is to visit our veterinarian who does the acupuncture, which is me. I will review a full physical exam, look at the history, and talk to you about how this might benefit your pet.

If you're doing acupuncture correctly, there are very few risks. As I said, the worst-case scenario is a minor skin issue. There have been some reports, but those are usually because of more aggressive needles being used and things like that.

There are very few side effects, but as I mentioned, sometimes they're more sleepy, and sometimes they're sore. Every now and then, we might find a dog that reacts to these needles. Sometimes it's the coating on the needles they react to, so then we just have to switch to a different needle. Some bumps will eventually resolve.

Veterinary acupuncture can be very effective for certain conditions, such as arthritis or back issues due to disc disease.