Dogs, cats and other animal companions can now receive the millennia-old treatment of acupuncture through UW-Madison's School of Veterinary Medicine.
Local veterinarian and animal acupuncture specialist Dawn Mogilevsky began providing the service to patients at SVM Jan. 27. Though she and other local veterinarians have offered this treatment before, it is the first time veterinary acupuncture is available at the school's teaching hospital.
Mogilevsky said many animals that receive acupuncture are old or have negative reactions to traditional Western treatments.
\The goal of using acupuncture, in my mind, for me personally, is not to replace the other forms of care that are offered, but to offer it as an additional form of care,"" she said.
Acupuncture has been used since the time of ancient China and involves inserting long, thin needles at pressure points on the body. According to Mogilevsky, in traditional Chinese medicine the treatment is used to balance the flow of the body's energy, or chi. She added that scientific tests have shown the acupuncture points contain a high amount of nerve endings and small blood vessels. Stimulating these points, she said, releases natural substances in the body such as anti-inflammatory agents, endorphins and hormones that strengthen the immune system.
Mogilevsky began using acupuncture on her patients seven-and-a-half years ago because she wanted to provide an alternative option in treatment. Between one and 20 needles are inserted at pressure points on the animal and remain there for five to 20 minutes, she said. Musculoskeletal problems such as arthritis are the most common afflictions she treats with acupuncture.
Mogilevsky is certified in veterinary acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Veterinarian Ed Boldt Jr., executive director of IVAS, said the organization currently has about 950 certified members.
According to Boldt, most IVAS members use the technique to treat dogs, cats and horses but some have also treated animals such as rabbits and elephants. Mogilevsky said she has treated dogs, cats and one bird.
Veterinarians from SVM had referred clients to Mogilevsky for a long time, she said, and her new location will allow the school to add another form of care to its repertoire and provide clients with on-site access so they do not have to go to another location.
""It's a brand-new service, so we don't have a lot of patients yet,"" SVM spokesperson Tania Banak said of the acupuncture. The treatment costs $95 for an initial consultation and $80 for subsequent treatments.
Mogilevsky said veterinary medicine students can observe her, but she does not teach acupuncture. The school does not currently offer a formal program in veterinary acupuncture.
