Pain is an ongoing problem in a lot of our pets. Identifyng pain in your pet can be difficult as well… Since they can’t verbally tell us they are in pain it is important to notice changes in behavior as that can be your first sign that there might be a problem. There are the obvious signs of limping or crying or not wanting to put weight on a limb. These are usually pretty acute and should be checked out by your vet ASAP ..
Some not so obvious signs include:
- Temperment changes
- Sleeping more
- Not wanting to jump up or down
- Excessive licking as sometmes it feels tingly or painful
- Hiding
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
Again you may want to check with your western or holistic vet to see what is going on.
There are several option for pain management: Acupuncture, Acupressure, Massage, Reiki, Cold laser therapy etc
Acupuncture seems to be a great option as the treatments reduce inflammation and have a lasting effect in the body
The new MRI findings demonstrate that the effective actions exerted by true acupuncture points are specific to certain brain networks. A great deal of research on the brain pathways and biochemical mechanisms relating to acupuncture treatments has been published within the last two years. One of the more intriguing studies demonstrates that a biochemical responsible for pain reduction is activated by acupuncture.
The analgesic biochemical is a chemokine called CXCL10. Acupuncture stimulates its expression which, in turn, reduces pain and inflammation by activating natural opioids in the body. In general, chemokines attract white blood cells to sites of infection to assist in immune system responses. The chemokine CXCL10, when activated by electroacupuncture, triggers powerful anti-inflammatory responses.
For the full article click on the link and for the points to try on your pet see below… Happy Pointing
LI4 Is on the inside of the dew claw on the paw If there is no dew claw then on the bump on the inside of his front paw where a dew claw would be
ST 36 find the front of the knee and slide your finger down into the little groove on the lateral side of each knee
Liv3 On the back paws between the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal bones
