Acupuncture for Pets


Jo's Jolly Jots

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the ancient art of placing needles in the skin and superficial muscles, to alleviate pain and increase the animal’s resistance to disease. Acupuncture is over 2000 years old and was developed by the Chinese.  It has been used by Vets and Doctors in the western world for the last 30 years and is becoming increasingly accepted and integrated into conventional veterinary practice. It is particularly useful in chronic disease states, these can include:

  • Arthritis
  • Back pain
  • Chronic gastrointestinal disease
  • Chronic skin conditions
  • Epilepsy
  • Stress related conditions
  • Respiratory disease    
  • .....and many more conditions not listed

It can be used either to compliment conventional treatments, or when conventional medicine fails.


How is acupuncture performed and how many treatments are necessary?

photo Snowflake-Clip-Art-3-1.gifThe needles used are very fine, pre-sterilized stainless steel and are left in place for approximately 5-20 minutes.  It is recommended to have at least 4-6 treatments and these are given weekly initially, with gradually increasing intervals until the maximum desired effect is achieved.  The frequency of treatments depends on the individual animals needs but regular top-ups will be required to maintain the therapeutic effect.


Will my animal respond?

Animals on the whole accept needling very well, and in fact may become relaxed.  An initial consultation with Jo our vet is necessary to decide if your pet is an appropriate candidate for the technique.  Some animals may require mild sedation for the procedure and can be admitted as a day patient into the clinic in these cases.

Acupuncture in animals, may only be performed by a Vet with a thorough knowledge of Veterinary anatomy and physiology.  It is worth noting that many insurance companies will cover acupuncture treatment costs, so please check your insurance policy.

If you would like to see if your pet is suitable for acupuncture make an appointment with Jo and she will happily discuss the options.



Acupuncture Testimonial

Izzy's extraordinary story...


"Everyone thinks their dogs are special.  We think so too, but Izzy is somehow extra special and has lived an extraordinary life.

We found her in Spain, close to starvation and weighing a mere 2kg.  She had been living rough for at least 6 months after a puppy farm had been ransacked.  We subsequently found out that she had been imprisoned in crates stacked to the roof of a container lorry left in the glaring heat of the day.  Her tail was broken, her teeth had been knocked out, her vocal cords had been cut, she had multiple irises almost certainly from head trauma and severe infections in her ears.  The first vet we saw offered to put her down straight away.  Piecing together her previous history took us several months and involved some truly special people - another story!  That was 12 years ago.  She is now 15 and a healthy 5.5kg.

She has never once complained, snapped, snarled or growled at any of the treatments we have had to put her through.  She is the best tempered dog we have ever met and she has rewarded us with unconditional love.   This is not to say that she is a pushover.  If she feels either she or her family are threatened she will stand her ground.  In Spain they say Ella es muy amable pero muy valiente (very good natured but very brave).  Everyone tells us how lucky she is but, in truth, it is we who are the lucky ones.  It has been a privilege to share her life.

After finding a lovely quarantine home for her in Spain we were able to bring her back to the UK.  She gave us so much joy as she discovered the delights of soft grass, muddy lanes, sandy beaches, chasing butterflies …. and squeaky toys.  She has had several trips back there and some of the horrors still lurk in her memory.  She stays very close to us.

We never thought she would survive her first year with us but thanks to Jo and her wonderful team at Downwood she still trots round the cricket pitch everyday and delights us with her absent minded antics.

Having spent much of my working life as a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine I was delighted to find that Jo was offering acupuncture in her clinic.  It was an eyeopener even to me.  Nobody fully understands how it works but Jo has a real talent.  We don’t think even she knows how gifted she is.  Her gentle manner and deep connection with our beautiful girl is outstanding.  Izzy trusts her completely and at present has a treatment about once a fortnight.  It is almost as though Jo gives her system a reboot.  We take her home quite tired, let her sleep the next day and then she is back to her puppyish self - doing her head bows and asking for someone to play.  Yes, she is getting older, but thanks to Jo’s regular acupuncture she has a good quality of life … and so do we.

 We cannot thank Jo enough for all she has done".

– Izzy's owner

Starter Offer

Acupuncture Treatments

4 treatments for £183.94*


*Excluding Initial consultation fee and sedation if required