Services > What is acupuncture?

acupuncture needles

Boosting your pet’s natural defences to aid recovery​

​​Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment that has been used for thousands of years. Originally developed in China, it stimulates the body’s natural defence systems to treat a wide range of health problems and improve wellbeing. In the UK only a qualified vet can be licenced to give acupuncture to animals.​

All acupuncture therapies are based on a whole body (holistic) approach to medicine that seeks to restore its natural balance and strength. Following the same principles AcuVets offers both acupuncture and acupressure to pets and horses throughout Cornwall.​

Our treatments use fine needles that are placed at very precise points in the body to remove imbalances and promote recovery. The early research into how this works focused on how acupuncture can give effective pain relief but more recently it has been shown to influence the hypothalamus and autonomic nervous system as well. This means acupuncture is now widely recognised as an integrated therapy that works with, or instead of, prescribed medications and other treatments. It is particularly effective when treating chronic health problems.

To find out more about the kinds of health problems acupuncture can treat in animals, read our Companion Animals and Horses pages.

Acupuncture for horses Acupuncture for pets