title: Retrospective study of the clinical effects of acupuncture on cervical neurological diseases in dogs.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate new acupuncture protocols for the clinical treatment of cervical spinal cord diseases in 19 dogs. Three treatment options containing Jing-jiaji (cervical jiaji) were developed to treat neck pain, hemiparesis, and tetraparesis depending on the severity. The interval between the neurological disease onset and treatment (duration of signs), time to improvement after treatment, and recovery time were compared in dogs by body weight, age, and dry needle acupuncture (AP) with or without electro-AP (EAP). The duration of signs was longer in dogs weighing greater than 10 kg than in those weighing less than 10 kg (p＜ 0.05). Improvement and recovery times did not vary by body weight. Additionally, improvement and recovery times did not vary by age. The improvement and recovery times were longer in the AP+EAP group than the AP group (p＜ 0.05). Acupuncture with Jing-jiaji was effective in cervical spinal cord diseases in different sized dogs and in middle-aged and senior dogs. This report standardized AP treatment containing Jing-jiaji for canine cervical problems and evaluated its effects. The newly standardized AP methodology offers clinical practitioners an effective way to improve the outcomes of cervical neurological diseases in dogs.
authors.affiliation: National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department and Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fang Chia
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung Tien
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Jing-jiaji; acupuncture; cervical spinal cord disease; dogs; tetraparesis