Acupuncture associated with gold implant technique in the treatment of hip dysplasia in dog

Abstract

Hip dysplasia (HD) is a degenerative and orthopedic disease resulting from the abnormal development of the hip, of hereditary origin and affects mainly dogs of large or giant breeds. In addition, environmental and nutritional factors influence the expression of this disease and the severity of the disorder, compromising the animal's development. The present work aims to report the use of acupuncture directed to the treatment of HD in dogs, in order to activate the anti-inflammatory processes and promote desensitization of the area. For this, the neural impulses access the central nervous system (CNS) and provide recovery of the balance of vigor in the body structure. The clinical signs resulting from malformation of the hip joint are intense pain in the hip joint, reduced range of motion, and may evolve to mobility loss and claudication. The diagnosis is confirmed with clinical evaluation and imaging tests. The protocol directed to the treatment of the disease was based on the strengthening of the spine, the hip region and the lumbosacral spine, through the method of acupuncture with the implantation of gold globules, in order to promote the reestablishment of muscle strength and, consequently, improvement of motor activities, reduction of pain and local inflammation. This treatment offers a better cost-benefit ratio, besides being a less invasive method compared to surgical procedures. Although there are still few reports on veterinary acupuncture in the treatment of hip dysplasia, in this study we observed the efficacy and positive evolution of the clinical condition of the animal submitted to this integrative therapy.