Retrospective study of acupuncture treatment for canine thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation

Abstract Thoracolumbar interverbal disk herniation (TL-IVDH) is a common neurological disorder in dogs, which often affects the life quality of patients and their caregivers. Acupuncture is increasingly accepted by veterinarians and animal owners, and has been used in the treatment of neurologic disorders. This study aims to evaluate the effects of acupuncture treatment for canine TL-IVDH. Clinical cases from 2016 to 2021 were collected. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 94 TL-IVDH cases that received acupuncture treatment were selected. Clinical classification and efficacy criteria were formulated based on the Frankel Score. For each case, clinical presentation, improvement, recovery and recurrence were recorded. Male dogs with TL-IVDH accounted for 64% of all cases. The average age was 7.49 years old, the predominant breed was poodle, and the incidence site was concentrated from T11 to L1. The overall recovery rate after receiving acupuncture treatment was 79.78%, which was comparable when considering only cases with grade 2, 3, or 4 spinal cord lesions (83.33% ~ 85.19%). In conclusion, canine with grade 2, 3, and 4 spinal cord lesions due to TL-IVDH receiving acupuncture had a high recovery rate, suggesting acupuncture could be a viable treatment options for canine with TL-IVDH.