1. INAG 120 – Equine Health Management October 12, 2011

2.  Therapy other than conventional medicine surgery and dentistry  Acupuncture  Chiropractic  Homeopathy  Herbology and Naturopathy  Physical Therapy  Massage  Reiki/Therapeutic Touch  Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy  Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy

3. International Veterinary Acupuncture Society - http://www.ivas.org/ International Veterinary Acupuncture Society - http://www.ivas.org/ http://www.ivas.org/

4.  Traditional Chinese Thought:  Animals born with a fixed amount of Vital Essence ( Jing )  Jing is spent in living  Jing is supported by the movement of Qi (Vital Energy) throughout the body via a system of meridians and channels  Qi is replenished by food and air  Disease arises when there’s an imbalance or disruption in the flow of Qi through the meridians

5.  Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) defines disease as a state of energetic imbalance in an organism  The imbalance is between the yin and the yang

6.  YIN VS YANG  Interior vs exterior  Deficiency vs excess  Heat vs cold  4 examinations  Look, listen, ask, touch  Pathogens:  Wind, Cold, Summer heat  Damp, Dryness, Fire (heat)

7.  12 Main Pairs of Merdians  Lung and Large Intestine  Heart and Small Intestine  Pericardium and Triple Heater  Liver and Gall Bladder  Spleen and Stomach  Kidney and Bladder  2 Unpaired Meridians  Governing Vessel  Conception Vessel

8.  Areas on the surface of the body provide access to the energy carried in the meridians = acupuncture points  Stimulation of the acupuncture points can assist the body to heal itself by balancing the Vital Energies  Balancing is mediated via the nervous system but also affected by hormonal factors!

9.  Points, which, when sensitive to palpation can help diagnose a problem  Association Points – follow the Bladder Meridian  Alarm Points – located along belly  Empirical Points – over time – sensitive to imbalance in one area  Trigger Points – areas of pain within a tight band of muscle For a CHART of all Equine Points, go to http://www.wbvc.bc.ca/equine.htm

10.  A signal travels along the peripheral nerve to reach the spinal cord  Results in the blockage of pain, an endorphin release, an increase in blood flow  Treatment of certain points can enhance the immune system & cause specific hormone release

12. Gall Bladder Meridian ©Dr. Lauren DeRock DVM

14.  Simple needling (AP): insertion of fine solid metal needles, leave in place for 20-30 minutes  Electroacupuncture (EAP): AP needles fitted with electrical stimulator  Aquapuncture: introduction of fluid through needles  Lliquid (B12) injected into AP point  Laser Stimulation: use of painless laser light  Moxibustion (moxa): smoldering “cigar” of rolled herb held above AP point until it becomes uncomfortable (re-applied 15-20 times)  Metal beads  Not recommended in most cases

15.  Western Medicine  diagnosis of underlying disease  treat disease using medication  Acupuncture  evidence of abnormal changes that underlie the symptoms  treatment is generalized to the whole body  Here, used for diagnostic and therapeutic

16.  Potential for abuse exists!!!  Techniques often regarded as surgical/medical procedures – should you use only licensed vets?  Increased research in use of acupuncture for treatment of lameness  May be used both as adjunct to traditional lameness exam as well as adjunct to treatment of lamenesses

17.  Lung problems  Chronic cough  Allergic bronchitis  Pneumonia  Reproductive problems  Infertility  Ovarian pain associated with heat cycles  Scars  Internal medicine problems  Liver  Kidney  Heart  Digestive tract problems  Diarrhea  Excess gas

18.  Neck Problems  Pain and stiffness  Nerve inflammation  Neurologic disorders  Wobblers  Nerve damage  Behavior problems  Chronic pain  Musculoskeletal disorders  Navicular  Arthritis  Laminitis – acute and chronic  Tying up or azoturia  Colic – acute and chronic  Need good conventional diagnosis  NOT a replacement for surgery

19. POOR RESPONSE  Minimal or no improvement  After 2-4 sessions in large animals  Results last only a few days  Animal is uncomfortable  Wrong diagnosis?  Wrong practitioner? GOOD RESPONSE  Improvement in  1-4 sessions in large animals  Treatment should be pleasant experience  Horse occasionally sore after treatment

20.  Scientific basis for support:  Stimulation of specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic or homeostatic (returning body to its normal state) effect  Acupuncture points – 4 known neural structures  Type 1 – located where nerves enter muscle  Type 2 – located on superficial nerves  Type 3 – located in high density superficial nerve areas  Type 4 – located at muscle-tendon junction

21.  Stimulates various sensory receptors (pain, temperature, pressure and touch)   stimulates sensory nerves  signal to CNS  brain  release of hormones and transmitters  Number of treatments required depends on condition treated and length of problem  Individual treatments last 5-30 minutes

22.  Diagnostic aid in lameness exam  Based on level of sensitivity to palpation of particular acupuncture points (acupoints)  “Trigger points” = knots or tight bands in a muscle  Each diagnostic acupoint has 4-5 meanings depending on which show up as reactive on exam  Combination of reactive points will help localize lameness problem  Alarm points may signify specific problem  Can help determine which of two+ problems may have come first

23.  Primary hock problem:  Injection of medication directly into joint  Acupuncture therapy to treat the secondary back/neck problems resulting from hock injury  Not a replacement for traditional therapy for joint problems

24.  While patient is fasting, over- fatigued, intoxicated, or very weak  very young, very old  some points contraindicated in pregnancy

25. eXtension Horses via YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb5aAfIDoLg