The effects of a single acupuncture treatment in horses with severe recurrent airway obstruction.
Abstract: Acupuncture may be recommended for horses with 'heaves' because it is being increasingly applied to treat human asthma. Therefore, its efficacy was investigated in horses with this asthma-like disease. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a single acupuncture treatment for the relief of airway obstruction in heaves-affected horses. Methods: The efficacy of a single acupuncture treatment was tested in 10 heaves-affected horses, and the effect of removal from the dusty stall environment in 5 heaves-affected horses. Before treatment, horses were stabled to induce airway obstruction and, apart from trips to the laboratory for pulmonary function measurements, they remained stabled for the duration of each treatment. The severity of airway obstruction was quantified by measurement of lung function before treatment (baseline), and at 20, 60, 120 and 240 mins and 24 h after the following treatments administered in random order: halter restraint and patting, a single acupuncture treatment by an experienced acupuncturist, and a single acupuncture treatment using predetermined points (recipe) by a veterinarian with no acupuncture training. In a second study, horses were untreated and remained either in their stall or in a paddock for all measurements of lung function, after baseline readings were made. Results: In the first study, after all treatments, there was a temporal improvement in maximal change in pleural pressure, pulmonary resistance, dynamic compliance, respiratory rate, and tidal volume that lasted less than 24 h. There was no specific effect of acupuncture treatment. In the second study, removal from the dusty environment did not produce an improvement in lung function in the first 6 h. We conclude that most of the improvements in lung function observed in the study were due to handling. Conclusions: Assessed objectively, a single acupuncture treatment during an attack of heaves causes no more improvement in lung function than does handling the horse. Conclusions: Acupuncture should not replace conventional medical treatments for heaves.
Publication Date: 2004-10-06 PubMed ID: 15460072DOI: 10.2746/0425164044877323Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Acupuncture
- Animal Health
- Asthma
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Disease Management
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Lung Health
- Pulmonary Health
- Recurrent Airway Obstruction
- Respiratory Disease
- Respiratory Health
- Treatment
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The research investigated the effectiveness of a single acupuncture treatment in reducing airway obstruction in horses suffering from ‘heaves’, a condition similar to asthma in humans. The results showed that handling the horse, instead of acupuncture, seemed to cause most of the improvement in lung function.
Study Methods
- The study was conducted on 10 horses that were suffering from heaves, and the effects of removing 5 of these horses from their dusty stables were also examined.
- A single acupuncture treatment was administered and compared to a harness restraint and patting. The acupuncturist was experienced, and the treatment was also applied by a veterinarian without any acupuncture training using predetermined ‘recipe’ points.
- The severity of airway obstruction was measured before treatment and at four points afterwards: 20 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, and 24 hours. This was done to assess the immediate and long-term effects of the treatment.
Study Findings
- There was a temporary improvement in several lung function parameters such as pleural pressure, pulmonary resistance, dynamic compliance, respiratory rate, and tidal volume after all treatments, but the effects lasted less than 24 hours.
- The study found no specific benefits of acupuncture treatment in terms of lung function.
- In the second part of the study, the researchers found that removing the horses from their dusty environments did not improve lung function within the first 6 hours.
Conclusions
- The researchers concluded that handling the horse led to most of the observed improvements in lung function rather than the acupuncture treatment.
- The benefits of a single acupuncture treatment were not greater than those of simply handling the horse.
- Thus, the authors advise against using acupuncture as a replacement for conventional medical treatments for horses with heaves.
This is an important analysis for veterinary care, suggesting that while acupuncture treatment may provide temporary relief for horses with severe recurrent airway obstruction (heaves), it should be used in conjunction with standard treatments rather than as an alternative.
Cite This Article
APA
Wilson DV, Berney CE, Peroni DL, Mullineaux DR, Robinson NE.
(2004).
The effects of a single acupuncture treatment in horses with severe recurrent airway obstruction.
Equine Vet J, 36(6), 489-494.
https://doi.org/10.2746/0425164044877323 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Pulmonary Laboratory, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Acupuncture Therapy / methods
- Acupuncture Therapy / veterinary
- Airway Obstruction / therapy
- Airway Obstruction / veterinary
- Analysis of Variance
- Animals
- Cross-Over Studies
- Female
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Inflammation / therapy
- Inflammation / veterinary
- Random Allocation
- Recurrence
- Respiratory Function Tests / veterinary
- Time Factors
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
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