Abstract
BackgroundThe aim of the study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on wound healing after soft tissue or orthopaedic surgery in dogs.Methods29 dogs were submitted to soft tissue and/or orthopaedic surgeries. Five dogs had two surgical wounds each, so there were totally 34 wounds in the study. All owners received instructions for post operative care as well as antibiotic and pain treatment. The dogs were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Treated dogs received one dry needle acupuncture treatment right after surgery and the control group received no such treatment. A veterinary surgeon that was blinded to the treatment, evaluated the wounds at three and seven days after surgery in regard to oedema (scale 0-3), scabs (yes/no), exudate (yes/no), hematoma (yes/no), dermatitis (yes/no), and aspect of the wound (dry/humid).ResultsThere was no significant difference between the treatment and control groups in the variables evaluated three and seven days after surgery. However, oedema reduced significantly in the group treated with acupuncture at seven days compared to three days after surgery, possibly due the fact that there was more oedema in the treatment group at day three (although this difference was nor significant between groups).ConclusionsThe use of a single acupuncture treatment right after surgery in dogs did not appear to have any beneficial effects in surgical wound healing.
Highlights
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on wound healing after soft tissue or orthopaedic surgery in dogs
Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into specific locations of the body, known as acupuncture points, for the treatment or prevention of many different diseases
There was no baseline bias between the treatment and the control group in the following parameters: breed, age, sex, body condition score, type of surgery, duration of surgery, surgeon, chosen post operative antibiotic treatment and post operative wound size
Summary
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on wound healing after soft tissue or orthopaedic surgery in dogs. The aim of wound healing is to promote rapid wound closure and prevent excess scar formation. Experience of the surgeon, infection, mechanical stress of the wound, use of abrasive or inflammatory suture material, and radiation injury are other local. Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into specific locations of the body, known as acupuncture points, for the treatment or prevention of many different diseases. Other forms of acupuncture point stimulations include electroacupuncture, laser, moxa, injections with different solutions, and permanent implants of gold or other materials [4,5]
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