Acupuncture for the treatment of thoracolumbar and cervical disc disease in the dog.

Thoracolumbar disc disease (TLDD) and cervical disc disease (CDD) occur quite regularly in veterinary small animal practice, occurring predominantly in chondrodystrophic breeds and mostly around the age of 5-6 years. CDD is responsible for +/- 15% and TLDD for +/- 85% of disc herniations. Treatments may consist of surgery or medication or both. Acupuncture can also be used as a treatment for TLDD and CDD. With a few exceptions, the results of acupuncture treatment for TLDD and CDD are favorable and comparable to those of surgical treatments. The acupuncture techniques presented here are relatively simple and can be learned in a minimum of time.