May said veterinarians can use acupuncture in laminitis cases not responding to current therapies (e.g., therapeutic shoeing, medication, diet restrictions) without interfering with the treatment course. | Photo: Courtesy Dr. Lisa Lancaster

Laminitis is an incredibly painful hoof disease that is challenging to treat using traditional Western medicine. One veterinarian recently confirmed that performing acupuncture in conjunction with these therapies, however, might improve results.

Kevin May, DVM, CVA, of El Cajon Valley Veterinary Hospital, in California, evaluated how effective acupuncture is in improving pain and lameness in chronic laminitis cases and presented his results at the 2018 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in San Francisco, California.

“Thirteen percent of barns and/or owners deal with laminitis each year, with 50% of those referred to hospitals eventually euthanized,” he said. “There is circumstantial evidence that acupuncture reduces the patient’s lameness and suffering; however, evidence-based scientific research is scarce