WHAT TO EXPECT
What services do we provide?
Our practice is limited to holistic care, in the form of Veterinary Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and food therapy. We work with your primary care veterinarian to provide the best possible care for your pet. Dr. Greenberg strongly believes that the best veterinary medicine is the the result of integrating eastern and traditional western medicine.
Dr. Dawn Greenberg will perform a thorough nose to tail examination of your pet, both from a western and eastern point of view. This allows for a correct eastern diagnosis, which will help guide the holistic treatment for the best results. There may be times when your pet will be referred back to your primary veterinarian or to a specialist for bloodwork, additional diagnostics, or treatment.
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What happens during an acupuncture treatment
Every pet responds differently, but most will be surprisingly accepting of the process. When a needle is placed, some animals do not seem to notice, while others will have a skin or muscle twitch. Some pets will show pain briefly when a needle is inserted, but after all the needles are placed almost all pets will relax or even fall asleep.
What response can I expect?
It is normal for your pet to be stiff or sore after the treatment, and this can last up to two days. While some patients show some improvement after the first session, these results usually do not last more than a few days. This is normal when first beginning acupuncture therapy. After more sessions, the improvements should last longer, allowing for treatments to be spaced further apart. The longer a health problem has been affecting your pet, the longer it can take for resolution. Expect to see slow progress, but little improvements are important, as they show us acupuncture is working.
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How frequent are treatments?
An initial series of treatments will average from 4-6, though it is imperative to commit to at least three sessions before expecting to see improvement. Depending on the primary problem, treatments may begin at twice weekly or once weekly. Some problems will resolve completely after the initial series, such as disc protrusions and nerve pain. Other conditions, like arthritis, will likely require ongoing treatment, though the time between sessions will gradually increase. The goal is to have acupuncture sessions as infrequently as possible while maintaining the desired effect, whether that be comfort, quality of life, or keeping a cough at bay or gastrointestinal problems in check.
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