TY - JOUR
T1 - Acupuncture treatment for feline multifocal intervertebral disc disease
AU - Choi, Keum Hwa
AU - Hill, Sara A.
PY - 2009/8/1
Y1 - 2009/8/1
N2 - A 14-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was admitted to the Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota for evaluation of severe hind limb ataxia, atrophy and paresis. Diagnosis based on physical examination, neurological assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was multifocal intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) with dorsal disc protrusion throughout the thoracic and cranial lumbar spine. The Oriental Medicine (OM) diagnosis (pattern identification) was painful obstruction (Bi) syndrome caused by phlegm-heat accumulation with blood stagnation in the spine. High dose prednisolone therapy (1.25 mg/kg PO, once daily) initially did not show any significant improvement in clinical signs. The cat was then treated with several modes of acupuncture treatment including dry needle acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and scalp acupuncture along with Tui-Na (hand manipulation in OM) and physical therapy. Significant improvements in mobility, proprioception and spinal posture were noticed and the cat was able to rise, walk and run 4 months after starting acupuncture treatments. This is the first case report of feline IVDD with multiple sites of disc compression which was successfully treated with several modes of acupuncture treatment.
AB - A 14-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was admitted to the Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota for evaluation of severe hind limb ataxia, atrophy and paresis. Diagnosis based on physical examination, neurological assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was multifocal intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) with dorsal disc protrusion throughout the thoracic and cranial lumbar spine. The Oriental Medicine (OM) diagnosis (pattern identification) was painful obstruction (Bi) syndrome caused by phlegm-heat accumulation with blood stagnation in the spine. High dose prednisolone therapy (1.25 mg/kg PO, once daily) initially did not show any significant improvement in clinical signs. The cat was then treated with several modes of acupuncture treatment including dry needle acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and scalp acupuncture along with Tui-Na (hand manipulation in OM) and physical therapy. Significant improvements in mobility, proprioception and spinal posture were noticed and the cat was able to rise, walk and run 4 months after starting acupuncture treatments. This is the first case report of feline IVDD with multiple sites of disc compression which was successfully treated with several modes of acupuncture treatment.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67650654405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67650654405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jfms.2008.11.013
DO - 10.1016/j.jfms.2008.11.013
M3 - Article
C2 - 19186087
AN - SCOPUS:67650654405
SN - 1098-612X
VL - 11
SP - 706
EP - 710
JO - Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
JF - Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
IS - 8
ER -