Acupuncture. Will it Work?

Mr. Mew went in for his first acupuncture session today. The vet (Cassandra; I've known her for years) palpated him, especially along his spine to assess nerve function. Obviously, every case is different, though it's natural that most people want to know if their pet will be cured or not. The only answer is "it depends." In Mr. Mew's case, it is definitely a shot in the dark, so to speak. He has almost no motor function, except in his front legs and even those are limited. His back left works slightly and the base of his tail and spine are sore to the touch. His right hind does not seem to work at all and his tail from 1/4 down to the tip doesn't work.

Cassandra was able to put many needles into Mew because he was extremely cooperative. She even placed one at the very tip of his tail. The room was not one of the sterile, bright exam rooms, but a small room far in the back of the hospital with natural lighting, a padded table, and a carpeted floor. More like "home" to a nervous cat. All he wanted to do was get down off the table and explore. His eyes were bright and he was very alert. I had to pet him to keep him from trying to crawl with his front legs as she placed the needles.

I am guessing she placed about 20 needles, from the top of his head to the tip of his tail, in very strategic locations. She spoke to us while the needles stayed in for about 20 minutes. She explained the procedures, the reason for the needle placement and answered our questions. She gave us both the "eastern" and "western" explanations for how acupuncture works and told us about a client of hers; a cat with a brain tumor that was paralyzed and can now walk thanks to accupuncture. I personally have seen how well acupuncture can work, hence why I wanted to try this with Mew.

So, while we wait for the treatments to "kick in" (acupuncture rarely has immediate results, even the first treatment can take a few days if any improvement is going to show up), I will continue as I have been doing. I have him on a neuropathy support vitamin formula (Benfotiamine 150mg Multi -B Neuropathy Support Formula), made for people (B vitamins are very safe in high doses). Since I started Mew on it, I have seen some improvement in his feelings and function. I still have him on the Methyl-B12 too.

And tonight, he moved his right hind for the first time in a long while. His BG has been very good. Though it's often in the upper 200s in the morning, many times only 1 - 1.5 units insulin will hold his numbers down until the next morning. Not bad for a cat who started out on 6 units/day.