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Chronic pain is an often unrecognized problem in dogs. A combination of different treatment methods should be used for managing canine pain. Acupressure can play an important role in this, as you can use this simple technique yourself. This makes acupressure a cheap and effective option to treat chronic pain in your dog.
Treating pain with acupressure can play an important role in canine pain management. Because the administration of painkillers is often limited by their side effects. In this article, you will learn how you can easily treat your dog with acupressure yourself.
How to recognize pain in dogs
Chronic pain is still one of the biggest problems in veterinary medicine today. It often goes undiagnosed because in many cases the symptoms are unclear or difficult to assess. Unfortunately, our four-legged friends cannot tell us through language that something is hurting them. So we depend on learning to read our dog’s body language and behavior and drawing the right conclusions from it. Here is a list of symptoms that may indicate chronic pain:
- Lameness and limping
- apathy
- stiffness
- difficulty getting up
- Difficulty passing urine
- Yelping when being picked up
- Mood swings
- Changes in behavior
- Reluctance to walk or play
- Excessive licking of certain joints
- Restlessness when lying down or difficulties finding comfort.
- Howling and squeaking while lying down
Causes of chronic pain in dogs
Dogs feel pain for the same reasons that humans do. Unfortunately, the cause is not always obvious, as the real problem is often invisible to us. The most common causes of chronic pain in dogs are:
- Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints associated with pain and reduced mobility. You can find out more about osteoarthritis in dogs in this article.
- A Tumor can put pressure on internal organs and thus trigger very severe pain.
- Dental pain, like in humans, is a very unpleasant thing and occurs quite regularly, especially in older dogs.
- Infections are another cause of pain.
Treating pain in dogs with acupressure
Acupressure is a massage technique used to stimulate specific points on your dog’s body surface. Every dog has numerous acupressure points which are located on the meridians. Their existence has been described thousands of years ago in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
The gentle massage of a selection of specific acupressure points triggers positive effects in the body. For example, muscle relaxation, the release of hormones, or the stimulation of a certain area of the brain. The desired effect, such as pain relief or stimulation of appetite, is then triggered by these endogenous reactions.
Acupressure points for pain in dogs
- HT 07 – in the groove above the carpal joint.
- BL 18 – 1,5 cun away from the midline in the 10th intercostal space. (when you start counting from the last rib, it is the 3rd)
- LI 04 – between the 1st (dewclaw) & 2nd finger.
- GV 14 – on the midline in front of the first (easily palpable) 1st thoracic vertebra.
- BL 23 – 1,5 cun away from the midline, between 2nd & 3rd lumbar vertebra.
- LIV 03 – between 2nd & 3rd toe.
- GB 41 – between 4th & 5th toe.
- BL 60 – in the deep groove over the hock joint.
Other remedies to relieve pain in dogs
While acupressure is a great way to relieve pain in dogs and, above all, has no side effects, in most cases, your four-legged friend needs further measures for optimal pain management. The following list gives you an overview of additional tools to consider for pain relief.
- Painkillers are an important cornerstone of pain therapy in dogs. Medications should be given at the recommended dose only on veterinary advice. Painkillers commonly used by humans can be toxic to dogs, so only use drugs prescribed by a veterinarian.
- Omega-3 fatty acids and other supplements have a natural anti-inflammatory effect and can therefore have a positive effect on arthrosis and joint inflammation in particular.
- Physical therapies like chiropractic care and physiotherapy are good ways to keep your dog flexible and naturally relieve pain.
- Low-level light therapy is a great treatment option that any dog owner can do themselves. Despite the acquisition costs for the device, it is also a very economical form of therapy. Check out the current price for LumaSoothe here. This device naturally reduces pain and increases blood flow, making it very useful for treating joint pain.
More Point Charts for health Issues in your Dog
On this site, you will find a bunch of acupressure points for a variety of canine health problems.
- Acupressure Points for Anxiety in Dogs
- Acupressure Points to Treat Shoulder Issues in Your Dog
- Powerful Acupressure Points to Soothe Arthritis in Your Dog
- Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs – How Acupuncture & Acupressure Help Dogs With Elbow Pain
- How to Treat Hip Dysplasia in Dogs With Acupressure?
Canine Acupressure Chart PDF
Check out our Canine Acupressure Charts, including illustrations of all the 12 meridians and their most powerful acupressure points.
