Bandito’s acupuncture accelerated his healing

When my little Bandito wouldn’t let me pick him up, I was worried. Seven years ago, he had life-saving back surgery and therefore, I feared the worse. The next day he was unable to walk, so I loaded him and his bed in the car and we headed to the vet.

The diagnosis appeared to be a pinched sciatic nerve, but the prognosis was good – with steroids for inflammation, medications for pain, and bed rest, he should be better in a month or so. I asked the vet what he thought about acupuncture; to my surprise, he thought it was a great idea. So I picked up my little man and headed straight to the acupuncturist.

Bandit didn’t seem to mind the needles at all. He loved the attention he was getting and dosed off into a relaxed state within minutes. He showed improvement after the first treatment and after the third was walking with no apparent pain.

On the fifth day, I took him back to Desert Dunes Veterinary Hospital, and they were amazed at how well he was doing. Although sciatic nerve recovery usually takes a month or so, the vet recommended we stop the meds since he was doing so well. By day ten, it was hard to keep him from jumping off the couch!

“Pain when picking up and the inability to jump on the bed are common ailments we treat in pets,” says Corina Morrison, DC, CCSP, who studied and practiced acupuncture in Sri Lanka.

Dr. Morrison treats people at her Spine & Sport Clinic in Palm Desert three days a week, and animals two days a week at vet offices. “Other pet ailments include lameness issues that can’t be identified, and geriatric conditions to help improve quality of life and minimize medications.” She states that her work focuses on tendons and musculoskeletal issues, but she leaves the systemic care (internal) to the vets.

Morrison has seen great success from both her chiropractic and acupuncture work on pets. She is delighted that many vets now embrace the practices which are even offered in some veterinary schools.

Bandit’s treatment was integrated health care at its best – where east meets west for enhanced patient care.

Kudos to the team at Desert Dunes Veterinary Hospital for their exceptional care of my little man, and for supporting integrated health care for our furry friends.

For acupuncture or chiropractic care for your pet, contact Dr. Corina Morrison at (760) 333.3686. People appointments can be made through The Spine & Sport Clinic at (760) 340.1958. For more information, visit www.thespineandsportclinic.com