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Home / Equine Research Bank / Iran J Vet Res / Comparison of first and second acupuncture treatments in hor...
Iranian journal of veterinary research2019; 20(1); 9-12;

Comparison of first and second acupuncture treatments in horses with chronic laminitis.

Abstract: Laminitis is a common but critical disease that causes severe pain and disability in horses. The etiology and pathogenesis of laminitis remain inconclusive and a multimodal therapeutic approach is generally indicated. Acupuncture has been used as a treatment option; however, the required number of treatments is still controversial due to the lack of objective scientific evidence. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if the response to a second acupuncture treatment differed from the response to the first acupuncture treatment in horses with chronic laminitis. Methods: Fourteen horses with chronic laminitis were identified. Acupuncture points were determined based on the results of a diagnostic acupuncture palpation examination. The second acupuncture treatment and lameness examination were conducted one week after the first treatment. Ten minutes after each acupuncture treatment, a lameness examination was performed and included an objective examination using a body-mounted inertial sensor system called "Lameness Locator" and a routine lameness examination following the "American Association of Equine Practitioners" (AAEP) lameness scale. The level of lameness was statistically analyzed using paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test with p-values <0.05 considered significant. Results: Both objective (P=0.042) and routine lameness examinations (P=0.027) showed that the level of lameness significantly decreased after the second acupuncture treatment compared to the response to the first treatment. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that continued acupuncture treatments will result in increasing levels of pain relief, showing the advantage of performing more than one acupuncture treatment in horses with chronic laminitis.
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Publication Date: 2019-06-14 PubMed ID: 31191693PubMed Central: PMC6509908
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study aims to demonstrate if a second acupuncture treatment can offer more pain relief to horses suffering from chronic laminitis, compared to a single treatment. The research shows that multiple acupuncture treatments can lead to enhanced levels of pain relief, highlighting the importance of continuing the treatment approach.

Methodology

  • Fourteen horses diagnosed with chronic laminitis were included in the study.
  • Acupuncture points for each horse were determined based on results from a diagnostic acupuncture palpation test.
  • Two acupuncture treatments were performed on each horse, with a gap of one week in between.
  • A lameness examination was conducted ten minutes after each treatment, including a diagnostic using a body-mounted inertial sensor system known as “Lameness Locator,” and a standard lameness test following the “American Association of Equine Practitioners” (AAEP) lameness scale.
  • The data was statistically analysed using paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test, with a p-value of less than 0.05 regarded as significant.

Results

  • Statistical analysis revealed a significant decrease in lameness following the second acupuncture treatment (P=0.042) according to the objective lameness locator system.
  • Similarly, observations using routine lameness inspection methods also indicated a statistically significant decline in lameness after the second treatment (P=0.027).

Conclusion

  • The findings of this research suggest that horses with chronic laminitis that receive more than one acupuncture treatment experience increasingly higher levels of pain relief.
  • This study emphasizes the importance of multiple continuous therapeutic treatments, and may encourage equine caretakers or veterinary doctors to consider a course of acupuncture treatments until the desired level of pain reduction is achieved.

Cite This Article

APA
Lee D, May K, Faramarzi B. (2019). Comparison of first and second acupuncture treatments in horses with chronic laminitis. Iran J Vet Res, 20(1), 9-12.

Publication

Iranian journal of veterinary research
ISSN: 1728-1997
NlmUniqueID: 101660030
Country: Iran
Language: English
Volume: 20
Issue: 1
Pages: 9-12

Researcher Affiliations

Lee, D
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766-1854, USA.
May, K
  • El Cajon Valley Veterinary Hospital, El Cajon, CA, USA.
Faramarzi, B
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766-1854, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Fikri F, Purnomo A, Maslamama ST, Purnama MTE. Effectiveness of acupuncture for equine laminitis: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Vet World 2025 Jan;18(1):60-66.
    doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.60-66pubmed: 40041523google scholar: lookup
  2. Harrison TM, Churgin SM. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in Zoological and Exotic Animal Medicine: A Review and Introduction of Methods. Vet Sci 2022 Feb 9;9(2).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci9020074pubmed: 35202327google scholar: lookup
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