Preparation: the questionnaire
Before we meet for the first time, you’ll receive a digital questionnaire from me. I ask you to fill it in as completely as possible: alongside the complaint itself, I want to know how your pet eats and drinks, how it sleeps, how it responds to heat or cold, its behaviour, and what kind of character it has. Details that might not seem immediately relevant in a regular consultation often tell me a great deal within TCM. The more complete the questionnaire, the more targeted I can make my preparation for the first consultation.
The first consultation: at least an hour
A first appointment takes at least an hour. We start with an extensive history-taking, going through the complaint, the background, and the answers from the questionnaire together. This is followed by a regular physical examination, as you’d expect from a vet.
In addition, I carry out a number of specific TCM assessments:
Pulse diagnosis – the quality of the pulse says a lot about the condition of the various organs and about any deficiencies or excesses in the body.
Tongue diagnosis – the colour, shape and coating of the tongue give clues about the internal balance.
Back-Shu and Mu points – these are specific points on the back and abdomen, each connected to one of the organs. By palpating these points, I feel and see which ones respond sensitively — for example with a skin twitch, a reflex, or a reaction from the animal — and that points me toward the organ or meridian that needs attention.
Based on all of this information together — the history, the regular exam, and the TCM findings — I establish a TCM diagnosis and determine which treatment points are the best fit for this particular consultation.
The treatment itself: less is more
When it comes to placing the needles, I work by one clear principle: less is more. I only treat points that are genuinely sensitive, known as Ah Shi points. If a point isn’t sensitive, I don’t treat it — the body no longer “understands” the signal, and it adds nothing. So don’t expect your pet to leave looking like a pincushion; often it’s a limited number of carefully chosen points that works best.
How long a needle stays in is also, in a sense, determined by the body itself. That can be a matter of seconds, or it can run up to twenty minutes. I let myself be guided by the animal’s response and by the change I feel at the point or in the pulse.
Like peeling an onion
I like to compare a course of treatment to peeling an onion. With each session, we release a blockage and get Qi moving again. But energy that starts flowing in one place can settle again somewhere else, a bit like water that, once freed, finds a new path and sometimes runs into another obstacle further along. That’s why the TCM diagnosis at a follow-up consultation can look different from the time before, with an adjusted treatment plan. This is normal, and even a good sign: it means something has genuinely started moving.
If we see no change at all after three treatments, then continuing with acupuncture doesn’t make sense for that particular animal at that time. I’m honest about that: not every animal or every complaint responds to this way of treating, and I’ll always discuss that openly with you.
What you may notice, during and after treatment
During treatment, I see most animals relax, and it’s not unusual for them to fall asleep, a sign that the body is releasing endorphins. Some animals react with brief sensitivity as a needle is inserted, then quickly settle and relax.
The effects of a treatment can also continue afterwards. Many animals are a little sleepy or drowsy for the rest of the day, a sign that something has been set in motion in the body, and nothing to worry about. Sometimes an animal seems slightly stiffer or more uncomfortable for the first 24 to 48 hours, especially if we’ve released tight, stuck muscles; this settles by itself and is often followed by improvement. Other animals seem a bit more cheerful or energetic than usual. After every treatment, I’ll let you know what to look out for, and I’m always keen to hear how your pet responded in the days that follow, that information feeds into deciding the next step.