Category Archives: Acupuncture

New Study Shows No Benefit from Acupuncture for Dogs with Arthritis

I have written extensively over the years about acupuncture, and my investigations have ranged from the laboratory animal and human literature to veterinary clinical studies, to completing a certification in medical acupuncture and treating patients in my clinic. Through all of this, I … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 7 Comments

What’s the Point of Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the most well-known alternative therapies. While only 5-10% of Americans have had acupuncture treatment, most people are familiar with the practice, and surveys show many people, including medical professionals, have a positive view of acupuncture and … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 25 Comments

Should we be Vaccinating Dogs at Acupuncture Points?

A couple of recent articles by acupuncturists have suggested that giving vaccines at acupuncture points may be more effective than giving them in other locations. This is clearly an attempt to demonstrate the serious, scientific legitimacy of acupuncture. However, there … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 6 Comments

Does Injection at Acupuncture Sites Work Better Than Needling Alone?

Introduction I’ve recently seen a couple of patients who were treated by Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) vets at other hospitals. The records from these vets include the usual pseudoscientific nonsense describing their conditions, such as “Rebellious Spleen Chi” or … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 3 Comments

Acupuncture for Hip Dysplasia In Dogs: Putting some Spin on the Data

Another study of acupuncture in dogs has been published, and it’s worth a look. It’s a classic illustration of clearly negative results being misrepresented as positive. The authors set up a nice study of acupuncture compared with a common non-steroidal … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 4 Comments

Acupuncture for Opioid-induced Nausea and Vomiting in Dogs

Having written extensively about acupuncture and the research associated with it during my acupuncture training, I haven’t been inclined to revisit the topic for a while. However, I ran across a recent study which I though illustrated the issues and … Continue reading

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Acupuncture Fails to Qualify as a Specialty Area in Veterinary Medicine due to Lack of Adequate Scientific Evidence

I have written extensively about acupuncture and the scientific evidence concerning it, even going so far as to complete a certification course in acupuncture myself. This extensive examination has convinced me that while there are a few effects of electrical … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 8 Comments

SkeptVet’s Acupuncture Adventure- The Hand’s On Training and Wrap-Up

After nearly 100 hours on online instruction and independent study, my acupuncture training has concluded with a 5-day hands-on practicum and both a written and practical exam. All that remains to do to finish my certification in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 11 Comments

Skeptvet’s Acupuncture Adventure

I have collected here the various posts written about my experiences taking the Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians training course. This provided an opportunity to take a detailed look at the claims and evidence made for acupuncture outside of the realm … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture, Topic-Based Summaries | 3 Comments

Skeptvet’s Acupuncture Adventure- Part 7: Emerging Themes

I haven’t updated my acupuncture adventure in a while, largely because I’m past the part of the course making general claims and justifications of acupuncture and into the portion that consists mostly of memorizing individual points and associated anatomical and … Continue reading

Posted in Acupuncture | 17 Comments