It’s difficult to be the parent of a fur baby with cancer and our first thoughts are often how can we help our pets feel better? Thankfully, there are a variety of treatment options for many different types of cancer including Lymphoma, Mast Cell Tumor, Soft Tissue Sarcomas, and other types of cancers.
As pet parents we are often concerned with how will our pet feel with these treatment options? Chemotherapy treatment can differ greatly for each pet and there can be side effects, but the goal of our treatment is to make life better, longer. Chemotherapy is generally well tolerated but side effects can include decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. These are the most commonly seen side effects for patients receiving chemotherapy and they are often mild and self-limiting. We are here to support our patients through their chemotherapy journey and to do this best we offer a combination of veterinary medicine and alternative therapies such as acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a widely recognized tool in both human and veterinary medicine and the list of uses for this therapy is constantly growing! This therapy has been shown to help relieve pain, improve mood, and alleviate stress and tension. Over the last several years acupuncture has begun to play an even bigger role in veterinary oncology. Acupuncture can be used to improve appetite, and minimize vomiting and diarrhea. Acupuncture used in combination with chemotherapy can help to achieve our goal of making life better longer. Our patients enjoy a good quality of life 80% of the time while receiving chemotherapy and this allows them to be at home with their families enjoying their favorite things!
Acupuncture is well tolerated and there a many different acupuncture points that can be used in all different parts of the body. In addition to alleviating the possible side effects of chemotherapy acupuncture can also improve their quality of life by helping to decrease pain, help them rest, and even help with anxiety. Additionally, through the stimulation of acupuncture points the body is stimulated to release serotonin and endorphins which help to make them feel better and happier. This therapy allows us to help improve the quality of life in so many ways and give them the best care possible.