Photo of a patient receiving acupuncture treatment. Dr. Commerford utilizes veterinary acupuncture to treat acute and chronic conditions such as back pain, arthritis, anxiety, post operative pain, lameness, neurological disease, behavioral challenges, gastrointestinal disease and more. Most patients enjoy their treatments and willingly lay or stand still for needle placement and duration of therapy- many will often snooze as they feel better. Dr. Commerford provides canine, feline and equine acupuncture.

What is dog, cat and horse acupuncture?

Acupuncture points lie along the body's meridian channels, through which Qi flows. When Qi accumulates at specific acupuncture points, pain and/or disease occur. Acupuncture treatment consists of stimulating specific acupuncture points to relieve this stagnation with very small needles. For painful conditions such as arthritis or back pain, electroacupuncture is used to stimulate the points to release pain relieving endorphins as well as to stimulate the body to slow down the progression of disease. Electroacupuncture involves placing acupuncture needles and then running a low level of electricity to the points. This is very similar to the feeling of a TENS unit that humans use on their skin surface. Most animals will become very relaxed during electroacupuncture due to the endorphin release. 

What types of conditions can be treated with veterinary acupuncture?

Painful conditions such as arthritis, intervertebral disc disease, back pain and tendon/ligament injuries such as cruciate disease are some of the most commonly treated conditions. There are many other conditions that also respond well to TCVM such as urinary incontinence, anhidrosis (non-sweating in horses), post- operative pain and behavior problems such as separation anxiety. In the Chinese culture acupuncture is used to maintain wellness as well as to treat disease/ injury. 

How many treatments are needed?

For wellness care we generally recommend 3-4 treatments per year. For horses and dogs that are in hard work and/or showing frequently we recommend having them evaluated every two to three months so that issues can be caught and addressed early, before it causes a performance problem or overt lameness. 

When treating an injury or disease the frequency depends on the nature and severity of the injury/disease as well as the duration. Acute conditions generally respond more rapidly than longer standing issues. At the time of the first examination and treatment Dr. Commerford can discuss your pet's individual needs. 

What does equine, canine or feline acupuncture cost?

Initial visit $125; follow up appointment within 3 months receives a $25 discount ($100).

Trip fee is in addition and based on distance. Mileage starts at $45 and if you let us know your address we can let you know mileage for your area. We provide dog, cat and horse acupuncture in Aberdeen, Cameron, Carthage, Dunn, Hope Mills, Fayetteville, Fort Bragg / Ft Bragg, Lillington, Raeford, Sanford, Southern Pines, Spring Lake, Vass, Whispering Pines, West End, NC and the surrounding area. There is a $50 fee for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice. Pricing listed includes 5% cash discount. Other payment options include zelle, debit, visa or mastercard.

 Click here for excellent information regarding more conditions that can be treated with acupuncture: