Veterinary acupuncture is a procedure that has been used for thousands of years. Acupuncture can assist the body in healing itself by affecting physiological changes. For example, acupuncture can stimulate nerves, increase blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms, and cause the release of hormones (endorphins – pain control chemicals, cortisol – the body’s natural steroids).
For small animals, the insertion of acupuncture needles is virtually painless. The larger needles needed for large animals may cause some pain as the needle passes through the skin, but once the needles are in place, no pain should be felt.