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Yes! Acupuncture is a very safe medical procedure when administered by a qualified practitioner. Very few negative effects have be found in clinical cases.
Each session may take 30 to 90 minutes; the first session usually takes longer than follow-up appointments because a full medical and patient history needs to be reviewed. The ideal length of time an animal rests with the acupuncture needles ranges from 15-30 minutes.
Some results (ie. pain relief), can be seen immediately, but others will require several treatments. Generally a minimum of 3 to 5 treatments 1-2 weeks apart for chronic conditions are needed before one can expect notable improvement.
As in all medicine, this depends on the situation and treatments can be done daily, weekly, monthly, or even further apart depending on the severity and chronicity of the condition. For most conditions, a minimum of 3 treatments are recommended spaced 1-4 weeks apart.
Rarely! Acupuncture is not painful because acupuncture points are stimulated using very fine needles, almost as thin as a hair. Over 95% of patients are comfortable with acupuncture therapy. Occasionally, a needle placement can induce a strong response called the "De Qi" response. If this occurs the needle is removed and the pet is given time to relax before another needle is placed.
Only licensed veterinarians are qualified to practice veterinary acupuncture in the USA.
Many acupuncturists choose to combine acupuncture with herbal medicine because the use of herbs enhances the effectiveness of the acupuncture.
I practice on equine, canine, and feline patients.