They really should be. It'd be necessary if you're looking for an acupuncturist to see if they are boarded in veterinary acupuncture, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. It requires a good deal of schooling to know where these points are, how to use them appropriately with additional Western medicine versus a holistic Chinese medicine approach. So it's good to look at the credentials.

We typically see the peak effects of the acupuncture treatment around day three post-treatment. And it can last anywhere from one to four weeks, depending on what we're treating.

It’s no different than any trip to the vet's office. After going home, they sleep for a little bit because it's a big day.

Some cats don't tolerate needles very well. It might not be the best choice for them. But again, you'd be surprised at how well most do tolerate it. And it's always worth trying. The veterinarian should be able to tell you easily if the cat's accepting it or not.

You'd be amazed how well these kitties can tolerate acupuncture. We use very tiny needles. We go very slow and methodical with them. If they show any discomfort with a needle placement, we'll remove it, go to another area, and then come back to that spot. They're usually pretty good about it.

What percentage of cats experience an improvement in symptoms after receiving acupuncture treatments?

It depends on what disease you're treating. But I would say for kidney disease and lumbosacral or back arthritis, it’s a good 50%.