• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Would you have a vet that advertises acupuncture?

Tricky

Briefly immortal
Tricky
Joined
Nov 24, 2001
Messages
43,750
Location
The Group W Bench
I just moved to a new town and I was looking for a veteranarian. I did a "Yelp" search and some other background work and found one nearby that had good reviews, so I called.

First thing they did was put me on a lengthy hold, which is a big red flag to me in the first place, but in their "on hold" message, they proudly touted that they will do acupuncture on your pet. Normally, I don't have any problem with people who want to have acupuncture done on themselves, but I am strongly against having it done on children below the age of consent and of course, animals who cannot sign consent form to have quacks perform alternative medicine on them. So I hung up and immediately scheduled them with a similarly rated vet a bit further away. I consider it worth another five minute drive

Anyone else have any feeling on whether you should subject pets to unproven treatments?
 
Tricky said:
I just moved to a new town and I was looking for a veteranarian. I did a "Yelp" search and some other background work and found one nearby that had good reviews, so I called.

First thing they did was put me on a lengthy hold, which is a big red flag to me in the first place, but in their "on hold" message, they proudly touted that they will do acupuncture on your pet. Normally, I don't have any problem with people who want to have acupuncture done on themselves, but I am strongly against having it done on children below the age of consent and of course, animals who cannot sign consent form to have quacks perform alternative medicine on them. So I hung up and immediately scheduled them with a similarly rated vet a bit further away. I consider it worth another five minute drive

Anyone else have any feeling on whether you should subject pets to unproven treatments?
Click to expand...
I had a vet who I really liked. Unfortunately she sold her practice. When I took my dog to the new vet I was given a quote that included both acupuncture and, I **** you not, aromatherapy. I left, never to return.
 
Tricky said:
I just moved to a new town and I was looking for a veteranarian. I did a "Yelp" search and some other background work and found one nearby that had good reviews, so I called.

First thing they did was put me on a lengthy hold, which is a big red flag to me in the first place, but in their "on hold" message, they proudly touted that they will do acupuncture on your pet. Normally, I don't have any problem with people who want to have acupuncture done on themselves, but I am strongly against having it done on children below the age of consent and of course, animals who cannot sign consent form to have quacks perform alternative medicine on them. So I hung up and immediately scheduled them with a similarly rated vet a bit further away. I consider it worth another five minute drive

Anyone else have any feeling on whether you should subject pets to unproven treatments?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't subject my pets to unproven treatments, but that may not be enough to exclude a vet from consideration.

My vet does offer acupuncture, but when I told her I thought it was ********, she absorbed that and we've never had it mentioned again. I think she agreed, actually.

But she does have it as a service for customers who are into that, and I'd have to know more about what conditions it's intended to treat before I worry too much about her competence.

She's otherwise a pretty good vet. We had a cat make it to 22 years with her, and he was walking around in the yard hunting bugs literally an hour before he died.
 
The hip new vet in town offers accupunture. No way in hell I'm taking pets there.

Not that I would have unless I had no other choice, but thats a bit of a red flag of quackery and, frankly, someone desperate to milk as much money out of people as possible. My vet is where I live in the country and is a proper country vet. Once he knows you and your pets, he'll suggest you *not* bring the pets by for regular inoculations. Instead, stop by without the pets and he gives you the pre-loaded syringes and instructions and charges 1/2 the usual fee. It might be illegal, but its convenient!

But, just for giggles I googled pet acupuncture. This was among the first links:
Should you pursue acupuncture for your pet? This is a prickly question that should be answered by a veterinarian having been trained in traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM)
Click to expand...

Really? Isn't that like suggesting you ask a used car salesman if you should buy a car from his lot? Thats really, depressingly credulous.
 
blutoski said:
I wouldn't subject my pets to unproven treatments, but that may not be enough to exclude a vet from consideration.

My vet does offer acupuncture, but when I told her I thought it was ********, she absorbed that and we've never had it mentioned again. I think she agreed, actually.

But she does have it as a service for customers who are into that, and I'd have to know more about what conditions it's intended to treat before I worry too much about her competence.

She's otherwise a pretty good vet. We had a cat make it to 22 years with her, and he was walking around in the yard hunting bugs literally an hour before he died.
Click to expand...
I agree, I wouldn't leave a vet for doing what the owner asked for (or referring it) but when a place is advertising it in their "hold" spiel, I consider that to be pushing acupuncture, and it makes me worry about what other alternative medicines they might recommend.
 
Yeah, all else being equal I would drive a few minutes extra to a vet that wasn't selling BS to their patients. I like my vet, but I've had a few I didn't.
 
My daughter, who was trying to get her volunteer experience in for vet school, quit working for one vet because he not only used acupuncture, but homeopathy in his practice. She was so disgusted she nearly dropped her whole veterinary plan, but after some time of school she's now back on track and with any luck will be starting vet school in the fall (she's already done all the undergrad and gotten a masters in animal behaviour).
 
Tricky said:
I agree, I wouldn't leave a vet for doing what the owner asked for (or referring it) but when a place is advertising it in their "hold" spiel, I consider that to be pushing acupuncture, and it makes me worry about what other alternative medicines they might recommend.
Click to expand...

Perhaps veterinary voodoo?
http://www.vetpath.co.uk/voodoo/
As you see there are a lot of arguments in favour of it.
(old link from Rolfe.)

Kind of surprised that acupuncture for animals is a thing, but then again, have seen that not getting vaccinations have reached pets.:boggled:
 
Tricky said:
I agree, I wouldn't leave a vet for doing what the owner asked for (or referring it) but when a place is advertising it in their "hold" spiel, I consider that to be pushing acupuncture, and it makes me worry about what other alternative medicines they might recommend.
Click to expand...

I'd worry about it, but maybe a conversation would clear up their actual policy, before I completely wrote them off my list.

My source for cats is the North Shore Animal Shelter - run by the District of north Vancouver, rather than the SPCA. They have an odd rider in their adoption form that says I promise to feed the cats only organic food. I asked the woman at the desk about this one time, and she rolled her eyes and said, "Yah, just ignore that. Just promise to love her, and it's all good."

Which was enough for me to continue to go there each time a cat slot opens up at the blutoski household.
 
In Russia cats perform acupuncture on you!

Actually that happens everywhere.
 
Metullus said:
I had a vet who I really liked. Unfortunately she sold her practice. When I took my dog to the new vet I was given a quote that included both acupuncture and, I **** you not, aromatherapy. I left, never to return.
Click to expand...

Oh, come on! Dogs manage their own aromatherapy!!
 
I get it; it's a way to generate revenue which I'm sure is not easy to come by for a lot of vets. People are asking for it, I'm sure, so they feel they have to offer it or lose business to the vet who does offer it. Same thing happens with people doctors.

But when any medical professional endorses an unproven modality it serves to legitimize that unproven modality. My own feeling is that a doctor who endorses things like homeopathy, aromatherapy and other nonsense is a doctor that I can't trust their judgement. I can't start a professional relationship with someone I don't trust.

Unfortunately, this kind of thing is becoming more and more widespread.
 
The Don said:
I don't think the catbeasts' vet offers complimentary therapies but I haven't done an exhaustive search because I like them and I'd feel pressure to change vets if they did :o

https://www.marlowvets.co.uk/
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure mine doesn't either -: http://www.sprinzandnash.org.uk

My experience with them for dogs and small animals has been really good so I've happily recommended them to people, I'd be very reluctant to do so with anywhere that shoveled woo.
 
Ridiculous. I wouldn't go.
I've noticed a few younger vet practices offering these non-conventional services. I assume appeals to a certain younger clientele.
Aroma therapy, massage, pet spa services, plush waiting areas and fancy client services etc. I prefer my vet to spend his money on animal care, experienced staff and medical equipment.

So how the hell would you get your dog to sit still at the vet clinic long enough to do acupuncture? Don't the needles have to stay in place for a while?
My mutts would have scratched, pulled and licked every needle out in no time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom