Physiologic and analgesic effects of acupuncture in the dog

Two acupuncture regimens were compared as to their efficacy in inducing analgesia sufficient for midline abdominal incisions in dogs. In addition, the physiologic effects of electrostimulation of the single point that the 2 regimens had in common, Tsu-san-li (stomach or St-36), were examined. The physiologic effects were compared with those monitored during the procedure used for induction of analgesia. Electrostimulation of 1 acupoint combination, St-36 and Yang-ling-chuan (gallbladder or GB-34), induced effective analgesia for an abdominal midline incision in 8 of 9 dogs tested (89%). The second point combination, St-36 and San-yin-chiao (spleen or Sp-6), induced effective analgesia for an abdominal midline incision in only 2 of 8 dogs tested (25%). Analgesia was inferred when an animal's struggling response during the incision procedure was absent or minimal. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and arterial blood pressure were monitored during acupoint stimulation. Significant changes in heart rate or respiratory rate were not detected during electrostimulation of St-36, St-36 and GB-34, or randomly selected nonacupuncture metatarsal loci. Although there were statistically significant decreases in systolic blood pressure during electrostimulation of nonacupuncture points alone and of St-36 alone, the magnitude of these increases was small, ranging from 3.75 mm of Hg to 4 mm of Hg.