Veterinary Acupuncture - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

VPWA's Kartuttva Gaurav - Young Veterinary Achievers' Award 2020.

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 15:00:00 +0000

VPWA's Kartuttva Gaurav - Young Veterinary Achievers' Award 2020.
We are pleased to share that Dr. Deepti Deshpande & Dr. Prathmesh Deshmukh won the Young Veterinary Achievers' Award for 2020.

We would like to thank all the members of Veterinary Practitioners' Welfare Association for this honor. We would like to thank all our friends, our Veterinary practitioner colleagues and last but not the least all pet parents who have put their trust in us and have been backing us throughout our journey.

Having said that, we humbly accept this award and would like to say that, we consider this as a token of appreciation and a stepping stone to our future endeavors .We will continue to work harder and help grow our Veterinary community in all possible ways we can.

A special mention to Pooja Sawant who presided the function, spoke about a side of hers very few people know,that she is an ardent animal lover. While she is not working, she spends her time helping animals in many ways she can by rescuing them or getting them treated. She acknowledged that our work in the field or clinic can get quite overwhelming due to the nature of our profession and that we Veterinary professionals should take care of our health, both physical and mental while we continue to help our patients.

Once again we would like to extend our sincerest thanks to everyone who have been supporting us and we hope to continue doing the good work.

T's Story battling his spinal cord injury

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 16:56:00 +0000

T, a 4 year old Lhasa suddenly lost his ability to use his hind legs, leaving his parents devastated...
T had a very supportive family and helped him nurse his spinal cord injury...
Sharing T's story with you...

The Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai Story : Acumed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 13:41:00 +0000

Jonty,9 year old Labrador suffered from a cervical spine compression in October 2014 which led to a progressive deterioration in his ability to walk and a painful neck. At a point he could not get up and walk on his own. He is very lucky to have very dedicated and loving pet parents who did not give up... We started treating him since November 2014 and there was no looking back. It was a long process of pain relief and rehabilitation.
Jonty travelled about 400 kms to come over and go back home from Pune,once a week. His condition improved in the months to come and gradually regained his ability to walk.

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty Clinic Turns ONE

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 14:38:00 +0000

Time flies.... We vividly remember Shandy.. our first patient walk into our clinic exactly a year ago.
Its been a long and an exciting journey. We started with a small space to serve our patients trying to do as much as we could.

A Green Welcome

Reception

We are happy to have grown into a bigger setup with a dedicated Operation Theatre , a Post Operative Recovery Room and a comfortable Consult area.

We started primarily as a first opinion practice at Thakur Village,Kandivali East and now have grown into more of a referral clinic where we have patients referred to us not only from Mumbai but also from different States in India. AcuMed Veterinary Specialty is now a Referal Center for Neurology, Acupuncture & Pain Management for Pets.

Consult Room

Recovery Room

Dedicated Operation Theater

With Dr.Barry Kalsy we started offering routine surgeries initially and keeping up with the advancement in veterinary sciences we now offer Laparoscopic surgery as an alternative.
We have been offering Critical Care and monitoring for our patients including expertise in Internal medicine and Cardiology.
We have now grown into dealing with more challenging cases like Spinal tumors, Critical Cardiac patients, Refractory Epilepsy,Diagnostic imaging including MRI and CT scans,. We stirve to get better with the years to come...
Thank you for your support !

World Spine Day 2014 - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 15:13:00 +0000

16th October is celebrated as the World Spine Day. Our beloved pets also suffer Spine diseases like we do. They too experience pain of the same magnitude when they suffer from diseases resulting in Spinal pain.

Here we would like to spread awareness about "What to do" when my pet suffers from a Spine Disease.

1. Pick up Early Signs : Like we all say "Prevention is the best Cure". We totally agree you as Pet-parents are the best judge to know that something is not right. We have observed over a period of time that you do pick up some of the clinical signs but it difficult to correlate it with the disease.
Click to view article : Recognizing Early Signs Of Spine Disease.

2. Get Veterinary Help : Once you have noticed any unusual signs the best thing you can do for your pet is getting Veterinary Help.

Aims at Veterinary Clinic :

Medical attention & stabilization during the "Golden Hours" .
Identifying & Diagnosing Disease.
Advanced Imaging Techniques - MRI.
Advanced Diagnostics.
Pain Management .

"To assume" is the biggest blunder that one can commit. Progressing Spinal Cord diseases can cause end stage Paraplegia or a Tetraplegia ( Paralysis of the hind or all four legs).

Thus these pets can end up in a vegetative state.

It was previously assumed that a Paraplegia / Paraparesis - (Paralysis of hind limbs/Weakness of hindlimbs) was attributed due to a "Slipped Disc". However as time progressed and with newer researches and advanced imaging techniques like MRI and analysis of Spinal Fluid we are now diagnosing pets with Neoplasms or Tumors / Infection of Spinal Cord / Anomalous deformities / Blood vessel abnormalities / Inflammatory / Auto immune diseases along with the IVDD - Intervertebral Disc Disease or Disc Herniation.

Diagnosing the disease remains of key importance as the therapeutic protocol for each disease remains different and we cannot treat all spinal diseases with the same therapy.

Pain Management remains of prime importance. Pets also feel the pain just like we do. Spine diseases causes Nerve inflammation or Nerve entrapment which gives rise to severe excruciating pain.

3. Cage Rest : Perhaps the most important step which decides if the pet will Recover or NOT !
Just like Humans are advised "Bed Rest". Pets need "CAGE REST"

Cage rest should be considered as a THERAPY while non-surgically managing an injured Spine. Any abnormal movement or activity triggers another series of spinal cord injury and thus aggravating the disease. We agree that pet parents would not like to see their beloved pets in a cage as they find it a bad thing to do. But trust us take it as a THERAPY you would not want your pets injury to have reached a stage beyond repair and your pet remaining paralyzed for life.

4. Nursing : Paralyzed dogs sometimes loose their control over their bladder and bowels. So it is necessary that their bladder is expressed and bowels cleared at regular intervals. This may require Veterinary attention for the initial days. Pets who have been paralyzed can urinate or defecate without their knowledge so this can result in scalds on skin and Bed-Sores. A strong dedication and an everlasting commitment is needed !!

5. Rehabilitation : Pets need Rehabilitation just like we do. Acupuncture & Physiotherapy has been proven of great help to rehabilitate the motor functions and help them recover from their inability to walk. Acupuncture has been scientifically proven to aid in pain management and stimulating motor functions !!

Just like all diseases - Prevention remains the Best Cure.
A healthy lifestyle which includes Regular walks and exercises, well planned diet, weight restriction and giving them lots of love and care .

We at AcuMed Veterinary Specialty strive to provide the best possible Spine care for pets and we would like to share some success stories which included - "Pet Parent Compliance" as the factor that separated them from the rest !

Success Stories :

Dewey - The Cat with 9 Lives !!

Roxcy - Tetraplegic - Cervical IVDD

Poke The Pet ! AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 17:07:00 +0000

#PokeThePet.
Today's edition of Mumbai Mirror & Pune Mirror (Dated 30.06.2014) featured
Dr.Prathmesh Deshmukh's interview about Acupuncture in Pets. It talks about how Acupuncture can be successfully integrated into Veterinary Practice providing a complete care for the pets !!
You can read about Ceaser's story who suffered from a Neurological compromise due to a Spinal Cord Disease !
Read the Article here : http://www.punemirror.in/columns/columnists/Poke-the-pet/articleshow/37481503.cms
&
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/columns/columns/Poke-the-pet/articleshow/37508478.cms?

Sorry - No Crystal Ball Consults Here !! - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Fri, 23 May 2014 13:03:00 +0000

(Phone Rings) : Hello Dr. My #Pet is not feeling well... I think he is suffering from XYZ disease. What do you think is wrong with him and what treatment would you recommend ??
We often receive such calls and we do not encourage them either. We do not rely on your judgement , we have to have a look at your pet ourselves before making any recommendations. We do not offer medical recommendations on the phone or without clinically assessing them ourselves. We always put your Pet's health at the top most priority . There have been reports of fatal incidences due to such Crystal Ball Consults . Playing the Crystal Ball Diagnosis game is neither Ethical nor Legal.
We work hard each and every day only to make your pet feel better and such incidences put us on the back-foot. We at Acumed Veterinary Specialty actively discourage such activities which put your pet's health and life at risk.
Sorry... No #CrystalBallConsults here !!

Pet Friendly Holi ! - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 14:23:00 +0000

Holi is an Indian spring festival also known as the festival of Colours. Holi celebrations start with a Holika bonfire on the night before Holi , the next morning is free for all carnival of colours, where everyone plays,chases and colours each other with dry powder and coloured water. Pets have been a part of the family,so even they are dragged into the celebration... leading to disastrous consequences.

The colours contain various harmful chemicals which are harmful to us and even the pets. The pets even more as there exists a possibility of the pets licking themselves causing numerous toxicity cases. A few common examples

Black Colour : It primarily contains Lead. Lead toxicity can cause Gastro-intestinal disturbance signs like vomition , diarrhoea Or even Neurological signs like Seizures.
Green Colour : It primarily contains Copper Sulphate & Malachite Green. It can lead to Blindness and it can also affect pregnant pets.
Red Colour : Made up of Mercuric Oxide which causes bleeding in the stomach and the intestines and it is also Carcinogenic.
Silver Colour : Attributed to the compound Aluminium Bromide which is a known carcinogen .
Purple Colour : Primarily contains Chromium Iodide which is a known compound for causing several respiratory disorders including asthma and numerous allergies.

Their misery does not end with the harmful chemicals, numerous dogs receive blunt traumas owing to the water-balloons. Several dogs go blind after taking a water-balloon hit on the eye.

We often feel that the colours do no harm to the pets as we do not see these signs while playing with colours. But do keep in mind , Dogs & Cats will lick them off their body leading to accumulation of these toxins in their body leading to poisoning .

Do spare a thought for our Furry little friends ... Make this Holi a Pet-Friendly Holi !!

Veterinarian's Seminar at India International Pet Trade Fair (IIPTF) 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 18:09:00 +0000

Dr. Prathmesh Deshmukh will be the Key-note speaker at the India International Pet Trade Fair ( IIPTF ) 2014.

Event Details : Click to View
Date : 19th January,2014.
Time : 10.30am to 1.00pm
Venue : Laxmi Lawns,133, Magarpatta City, Pune, Maharashtra
RSVP : Facebook Event

He will be addressing the commonly presented issue - Spinal diseases in Veterinary Practice. There will be discussion about how to diagnose and manage them . He will also be discussing the recent advances in
Neuro-imaging techniques & Pain management.

He will also be talking about the Scientific Basis of Veterinary Acupuncture and discussing a few clinical cases.

The lectures have been divided into three sessions
1. Introduction to Companion Animal Neurology and Neurology Examination
2. Neuro-Radiology, Diagnostics & Pain Management in Spinal diseases
3. Veterinary Acupuncture - Scientific Basis & Applications

Kindly visit the IIPTF website for further details & registration for the event.
http://www.creature-companions.com/iiptf2014/iiptf2014delegate.php

#IIPTF

Managing an Epileptic Pet - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 19:04:00 +0000

17th of November,2013 is observed as a National Epilepsy Day in India ! Very few people are aware that this neurological condition also affects your furry four legged dear ones !

What is Epilepsy : Epileptic seizures result from abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Sometimes the epilepsy can be caused by another underlying disease. This is called secondary epilepsy and is more common in older dogs. In other cases, no cause can be detected, and this is called primary, or idiopathic, epilepsy which is more common in younger dogs.
If you are living with an epileptic pet , you should have it diagnosed if it is a primary or a secondary epilepsy. Treatment modalities will differ based on the diagnosis. An MRI scan , Cerebro-spinal fluid analysis helps us get to a diagnosis.

Managing Epilepsy : Epilepsy is usually controlled, but not cured, with medication. An important point we would like to mention is the anti-epileptic medications prescribed by your veterinarian should not be stopped suddenly,if the seizures do not recur. There is a likely hood that your pet may go into a "Status Epilepticus" which is an seizure attack which can last for a long time and sometime can turn life-threatening due to the secondary complications A strict schedule and time bound medication dispensing is advised. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been used in some refractory epilepsy cases.

Tips for Epileptic Pet Parents : Watching your beloved pet undergo a seizure can be very disheartening and can be mentally taxing, so it is important for you to stay calm and follow the following tips
1. Remember that during the seizure episode your pet may exhibit behavioral changes and may not transiently respond to or recognize you and end up snapping at you. Best to stay away from your pet's face while he has an episode.The best way you can help your pet is by not handling him during the episode.
2. Clear out the space and objects that can hurt them, to prevent them from injuring themselves during this episode. Hold them if they are on your bed or a raised platform to prevent them from falling down.
3. Ask for Veterinary help if the seizures last for over 2-3 minutes or if they have bursts of seizures in quick successions.

4.We recommend you to have a badge like the one shown in this picture to be tied to your pets' collar. As there may be a situation that your pet has a seizure while you are not around and the people around can help you and your pet by giving you a call !

Take away Message : With the combination of appropriate anti-epileptic therapy, a good Veterinary care and a stringent Pet-Parent compliance... most pets live a healthy and a seizure free life.. All they need is your love and care !

Say NO to Crackers, Save many Lives !! - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 04:58:00 +0000

Diwali has been celebrated as a festival of Lights since many centuries in India... Inadvertently the festive luminous Diwali has been turned into a noisy one. Diwali turns out to be a nightmarish festival for the furry four legged creatures.Ever wondered at what cost are we celebrating this !!

How does it affect the pets :

As we all know dogs are blessed with an amazing sense of hearing. Dogs detect sounds in the frequency range of approximately 67-45000 Hz , compared to the humans with a range from 64- 23000 Hz. Dogs have 18+ muscles in their ears allowing them to be mobile and they can move the ear in the direction of the sound,where as human beings have only 6 and can barely move their ears. This blessing turns out to be a bane during Diwali.
Dogs thus can hear the sound of the crackers that much clearer and louder. This sudden high pitched sound creates fear and anxiety. Both can have detrimental effects on their health.
Fear causes sudden change in behavior , the fight/flight response. Pets at home go and hide under a shelter or some may even escape out and run away. The stray dogs end up bearing the brunt of it as they have no place to getaway. Panic causes them to run away and many unfortunate dogs are victims of automobile accidents and are left to die for in a painful way on the street. Some stray dogs fall into the gutters or sewage canals and are severely injured / fracture their limbs and then end up contracting a fatal infection.
Pets that suffer from Anxiety show signs of drooling, excessive salivation, increased heart rate,excessive panting. Behavioral changes like circling, pacing around the house,whimpering may be noted. Some pets may exhibit over-friendliness and ask for the owners comfort or some may become aggressive due to the unbearable trauma to their eardrums. Some may seek shelter under your bed or dark corners.

How to deal with this :

To start with you can plug your Pets ear with cotton.
Allow them to find a safe corner and make them comfortable there by shutting all the windows and doors and draw the curtains. You could sit with them and comfort them, this is the time when they need your love and comfort the most.Keep all your main doors locked to ensure your pet does not escape out of fear.
If you take care of the stray dogs in your area,we would recommend to tie a collar with his identification and your contact details, make sure its large and readable . So that people can contact you in case of any unforeseen circumstances. (*Remember a common man does not know what to do when he sees a stray who has met with an accident or injured, the least he can do is inform you via the collar tag.)
Get in touch with your Veterinarian , he may recommend some anti-anxiety medications for your pet Do not attempt to self-medicate your pet, animals respond differently to the medications than humans.So a "safe" human drug may turn fatal for your pet.
Conditioning your pet to strange noises can be done , but it is to be done over a period of time. Your pet's behaviorist can help you with the same
It is not recommended to leave your pet alone this stressful time,but just in case you have to,make your pet wear your T-shirt which is body hugging so that he feels comforted even when you are not around.

Create Awareness : Let your friends and acquaintances about the detrimental effects on pets and ask them to pass on the word to their friends. Together we can create awareness in our society and wish for a Noise free , Pet-safe Diwali in the near future.
Say NO to Crackers, Save Many Lives !!

- An AcuMed Veterinary Specialty initiative

World Spine Day - 2013 - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 17:43:00 +0000

16th October,2013 is World Spine Day.

THE AIMS OF WORLD SPINE DAY ARE TO:

Raise awareness about spinal health and spine disorders within the interdisciplinary health care community and amongst public policy decision-makers and the general public.
To provide an opportunity for and encourage ongoing discussion about the burden of spinal disorders
To promote an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to easing the burden of spinal disorders.

Inter-vertebral Disc Disease ( IVDD ) is the most commonly occurring Neurological affection in Dogs.

Acupuncture has now been widely accepted as a procedure for the management and rehabilitation from Spinal diseases in Dogs in conjunction with the conventional therapy.

Spinal cord diseases often are accompanied with a poor prognosis, some dogs remain paralyzed for life.

Early diagnosis leads to a faster initiation of therapy which increases the chances of recovery.

We wish to create awareness about the Spinal cord diseases amongst the Pet-Parents.

Quick Tips to Identify Early Signs of Spinal Diseases In Pets. ( <-- Click to view )

Lecture at Bombay Veterinary College - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 13:16:00 +0000

It was a pleasure to be back at our Alma Mater - Bombay Veterinary College on the eve of World Veterinary Day ' 2013.

Had conducted a lecture for the undergraduate, post-graduate students and the teaching faculty. The topic was Introduction to Veterinary Acupuncture and Integrating Acupuncture Into Veterinary Practice .

We also had a discussion about a few clinical cases including their Neurological work up to the recovery . There were discussions on the case videos and it was really encouraging to see the budding Veterinarians participate actively.

We also had a short discussion upon "The Importance of Pain Management in Veterinary Care" and shared a few tips on "Identifying Early Signs of Spinal Diseases "

We wish to be back and conduct some lectures and workshops on Vet.Neurology, Pain Management & Acupuncture soon.
A big thank you to the Students and the Professors for coming over for our talk.

Acumedvets - Veterinary Acupuncture : Scientific Paper Abstract

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 16:32:00 +0000

Electro-acupuncture and Chinese herbs for treatment of cervical inter-vertebral disk disease in a dog.

Sharing an scientific paper abstract here.

Click to view : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17322780

Pup Genetics Decoded #1 - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 20 Jul 2013 14:27:00 +0000

Pup Genetics Decoded is a series of articles with an aim to create awareness about genetic diseases in dogs. We aim to create a community of well informed Pet Parents !

Beware! Hip Dysplasia, Syringiomyelia and Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome on the Rise!

Most Pet parents may have heard their vets say that, "The XYZ disease is very common in a particular breed of dogs". Well it is true indeed! The number of dogs with Genetic/Congenital/Breed specific diseases is increasing. The reason for this is inbreeding of dogs and breeding without appropriate testing for genetic diseases prior to mating. A huge demand for dogs has resulted in unlawful breeding, leading to parents with genetic diseases like Hip Dysplasia especially in Labradors, German Shepards, Epilepsy in Beagles, Syringiomyelia in small breed dogs and Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome in pugs. All these diseases are painful, uncomfortable and cannot be cured. These pups have to live with this disease for their entire life. The quality of life is extremely poor in these dogs as they grow older and many succumb to the disease prematurely or are abandoned by their owners or need to be euthanized. In some cases these pups are bred, managed and transported in despicable conditions. Inappropriate conditions and breeding of these pups also have a lasting effect in these dogs and can cause permanent damage.

However the good news is that all these diseases can be prevented by appropriately testing the parents for these genetic diseases and by spreading awareness among owners. It is best to decide the breed of dog that suits your lifestyle and then research the diseases it may suffer. Talk to your veterinarian BEFORE buying the pup. Enquire with breeders if they test dogs for genetic diseases before mating them. Encourage breeders who are proactive about the health of the breed. Be a well resourced, good Pet Parent and a good companion to these lovely souls!

Think about it... If hitting and abusing a dog is cruelty… Then breeding dogs that would suffer all their life and die a traumatic and painful death is far worse. Ethical Breeding and buying pups from a registered breeder is a small step to prevent abuse to these kind souls…

Important Info

Puppy Procedure : Before buying a puppy, it is necessary to get a licence from the respective municipal corporation. BMC charges Rs 100 as fees and Rs 200 for vaccine per year. The seller should be registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).

Veterinary Acupuncture : Jimmy - The Lioness. AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 04 May 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Had an encounter with the Queen of the Jungle - Jimmy.

Jimmy is 15+ year old lioness at the Byculla zoo, Mumbai. She suffered an acute onset of paraplegia. She was stabilized by the team of vets at the zoo. She slowly regained her neurological deficits.

Had a look at her a couple of days later and she was still paraparetic with mild ataxia and marked weakness of the pelvic limbs. We were handed over the job to rehabilitate her. Since sedating her was not possible due to her age and condition. Had to manually put my hand in the cage and do some quick acupuncture.

Jimmy was not sedated but just restrained by a rope around her belly. Once I put my hand inside her cage, she did not quite like it initially, but once I started examining her ,she slowly relaxed as if she knew I am there to make her feel better and do her no harm. But had little time before she turns around. So instead of the routine Dry needle acupuncture , used Aqua-puncture .

She took that well too and she was on her way to recovery. A few weeks later , the zoo vets reported she was back to her usual self, walking and playing around with her favorite ball.

We are thankful to the team of Zoo vets for giving us a chance to help Jimmy recover.

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty - Mengio-encephalitis in Miniature Pinscher.

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:34:00 +0000

Ira, a 3 month old Miniature Pinscher pup suffered from an onset of Parvo viral gastroenteritis. Parvo virus affects the Gastro-intestinal tract causing diarrhoea, Haematochezia (loss of blood in stools) and vomition.

Ira was brought in to the clinic for an episode of Parvo viral gastro enteritis. While she was recovering from that she developed a rare complication , she was suspected to suffer from meningio-encephalitis ( inflammation of Brain & Meninges) and with severe cranial nerve deficits. She also started to show vestibular ataxia (disorder of balance system) and signs of increased intracranial pressure – Head-pressing.

Her clinical signs included disorientation which later progressed to uncontrolled circling towards one side and it worsened to head-pressing later. Miniature Pinschers are genetically prone to disorders of pressure in the brain due to their skull anatomy . The possibility of her having an MRI scan was ruled out due to her clinical signs and risk of injectable anaesthetics. We had a tentative diagnosis of Meningio-encephalitis with increased intra-cranial pressure and started treating her for the same with aggressive medical therapy.

She started to show a gradual recovery and slowly her circling stopped and she started walking in a straight line. She was still disoriented a bit. That too went away in a weeks time. She fully recovered by the end of 3 weeks and all her Brain functions were restored back to normalcy. Posting a video of her pre and post treatment.

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty - World Cancer Day - Cancer in Pets.

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 04:36:00 +0000

On account of World Cancer Day. Our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/acumedvets co-author Dr.Deepti Deshpande spreads awareness amongst pet parents too.
Sharing her article here for our blog readers.

Every year the 4th of February is celebrated as World Cancer Day. The focus for 2013 world cancer day is “Dispel damaging myths and misconceptions about cancer.” Since cancer has become a growing concern in the pets world here is an attempt to spread more awareness about it.
Cancer has become a very common “disease” in pets and is one of the most feared by pet parents. It however doesn’t always mean a “bad news”. Cancer is defined as an abnormal growth of cells in the body and is of different types. The kind of cancer depends on the location of the tumour, the tissues/organs involved and the presence or absence of spreads (metastasis) in different body parts. Different types of cancer have different treatments, some of which can even cure your pet. As with human medicine various treatment options such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy etc are now available in veterinary medicine. These therapies may be used as a sole therapy or in combination depending on the kind of cancer.
Cancer therapy has always petrified pet parents. One of the most common questions by pet parents is “will my pet suffer during the cancer therapy?” It has been observed that pets tolerate cancer therapy better than humans. These pets certainly get some side effects due to cancer therapy such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, low white blood cell count and thus increased risk of infection. Dogs and cats generally don’t lose hair as human. Cats however may lose their whiskers. Special diets help pets recuperate sooner. An important aspect of reducing suffering in cancer patients is pain management. With all the advances in medicine this is no more a challenge. Alternative therapies including acupuncture can be used extensively for pain management. Side effects of cancer therapy such as nausea, vomiting can be successfully reduced with acupuncture.
Unlike in humans, cancer therapy is less aggressive in animals and the primary goal of veterinary oncology is to provide a good quality of life to pets. We thus try to balance effective treatment and maintain a good quality of life for your pet.
Cancer has always been considered a disease of old age. However this is only partially true. It is common in older pets but can also occur in younger animals. Cancer may have a genetic component and hence it is essential to know the family history of your pet. Knowing the disease predilection towards the breed of your pet makes you vigilant and aids in early detection of the disease. There is no proven way to prevent cancer but reducing exposure to certain carcinogens such as chemicals, radiations, pesticides, herbicides, Ultraviolet rays etc is essential. The treatment success of cancer therapy depends primarily on early detection and treatment. Annual wellness exams, scheduled checkups after detection of cancer and following your vets advice regarding any necessary screening tests is crucial.
Just like any disease, a healthy diet, regular exercise and lot of love and care is the recipe for a healthy life!

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty - Our 1st Anniversary - Yearbook

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 01:56:00 +0000

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty was founded a year ago with the purpose of Integrating the principles of Acupuncture and Conventional Medicine.
We have extracted the principles from both conventional and oriental medicine and thus have been treating our patients with both conventional medicine and acupuncture,depending on what's best for them.
Here's what we did last year.

Brain & Spinal diseases : We've encountered over 50 Brain and 150 Spinal disease cases. We've been diagnosing numerous Brain tumors, Meningioencephalitis, Vestibular dieases,Epilepsy and numerous Spinal cord diseases with the help of MRI and have been able to help many animals.
We've helped numerous Paralyzed dogs & cats walk again.

Pain Management : Our motto has always been managing Pain with all possible modalities. We've developed protocols to manage them in the best possible way. We routinely treat severe osteo-arthritis cases , Hip joint diseases, Spondylosis, Neck pain cases. We also treat old age patients who have severe pain due to degenerative joint changes,but cannot be on long term NSAID's due to their side effects. Acupuncture works best for them.

Lectures & Workshops : We were invited to Parbhani Veterinary College last year and had conducted a lecture for the budding veterinarians, post graduate students and staff. We had a great time interacting with the audience while conducting the workshop.http://drprathmeshdvet.blogspot.in/2012/05/integrating-acupuncture-into-veterinary.html

Interesting Cases : We've had the chance to treat the "White Peacock" at the Mumbai zoo and the "White Tigress" at the Pune zoo.

Media : We were covered in an article in Hindustan times after treating the White Peacock.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=324115694340057&set=a.322895411128752.76872.322679151150378&type=1&theater

We would like to thank all our supporters for encouraging us to do so many things. We wish to do much more this year.
AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

Veterinary Acupuncture - Gypsy the White Tigress ! AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:26:00 +0000

One of the most memorable,breathtaking experience of my life. Had been called to see the 16 year old White tigress - Gypsy at the Pune zoo a couple of weeks ago.

Gypsy suffered from an acute onset of paraplegia. She could not lift her hindquarters. Then I stepped in along with the Zoo Vet and his treatment crew with Gypsy wide awake without any sedation.
She turned around her head and we acknowledged each other by that brief eye contact. Due to that brief illness she had lost muscle mass and was in her terminal stage. I was then asked, could Acupuncture help, I said, why not. So started with the treatment focusing on giving her pain relief and also try and stimulate the spinal nerves. Pain was immediately taken care of and Gypsy fell asleep after 15 minutes while the treatment was on..
Gypsy however continued to be in a similar state for the next couple of days,but unfortunately she could not come out of it.She passed away.It was found out,she suffered from brain stroke.
A special thanks to Dr.Nighot, the zoo veterinarian, I really appreciate the efforts that he took for Gypsy and treated her like his own pet.
I felt happy for the fact that i could give her some amount of pain relief in her terminal stages.

Veterinary Acupuncture for Paralysis - Lalu : AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 20:19:00 +0000

People who rescued him named him Lalu, because of the reddish hue over his coat.

He was spotted ,lying on a roadside, possibly a road accident case.
He was brought in and received medical attention. He could not life his hindlegs, lost control over urine and his back was painful,possibly post trauma.
He received a good Pain management and a short session of Acupuncture.

After one week, he was now able to stand up when assisted,but still control over urine was not regained. We continued treating him, he started improving by the passing day.
At the end of 6 weeks , he could now stand up unassisted and walk with a fairly good gait. He had regained control over his urine and his bedsore also had almost healed.

Recognizing Early Signs Of Spinal Cord Disorders - AcuMed Veterinary Specialty

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 07:48:00 +0000

We encounter numerous Spinal cord diseases everyday. We have found that diagnosing the Spinal diseases in its early stages can help prevent further worsening of symptoms. In this article we briefly try and demonstrate some simplified concepts and most common signs & symptoms that can be easily noticed by Pet owners and thus help prevent further Neurological dysfunction.

Changes in Behavior :

Some Spinal diseases are associated with pain, docile pets become aggressive/whine when suddenly lifted and may even try to bite.

Some show marked depression and fatigue due to the pain and are reluctant to move.

Changes in Posture :

One needs a keen eye to spot this one.

Lowered neck position.

Arched back.

Trembling while standing.

Knuckling / Proprioceptive loss - The "CARDINAL SIGN":

As shown in the above pictures, loss of proprioception is evident which in simple terms can be described as knuckling. This can be evident while standing or dragging of legs will be seen in a similar manner.

Changes in Gait / Walk & Loss of Balance:

This can be appreciated while the pet is walking on a non-slippery surface like a hard ground or in a garden.

A keen eye can spot the change in style of walks, disoriented gait, excessive swaying of the back. Some people even describe it as a "Drunken Gait".

Paraparesis & Paraplegia / Partial and Complete paralysis :

Inability to support the hind legs, or all the four legs.
Loss of function of hind legs.
Loss of control over urine and stools along with inability to get up.

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty : Veterinary Acupuncture : Rover's Story

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 14:34:00 +0000

A very unusual case was presented to us.

Rover ,a 4 month old Labrador who had an episode of Gastroenteritis a month before he came to us , now developed contractures of the hind leg muscles and tendons along with neurological deficits and hence he could not stand up or walk.
The owners said, he was extremely depressed as he was a very playful Labrador and used to feel sad when he couldn't join his other friends in the playground.

The prognosis of him able to walk again with the disability was not too great and he would have to spend his entire life this way.
The same question was put up, " Can Acupuncture be used to do something for him"
We said, the structural deformities cannot be corrected ,but
"We could Help".

We started treating him with Acupuncture and Physiotherapy trying to Rehabilitate him.

After a 3 weeks the pain had gone away and he was then able to stand on his own for a brief period of 30-45 seconds. We took it as a positive sign and continued with our therapy.

Within 5 weeks he was now able to walk.
The owners kept up with some simple physio exercises.

We saw him now after a span of 4 months .. He is now able to walk and run around with his friends..
The contracture of muscles and tendons still remain as a disability and the deformity can be obviously be noted, but he still manages to do everything like all his Labrador friends do.. that too without pain..

We are happy we could help Rover and provide him a better quality of life...

Rover showed us the power of mind over matter and reminded us of the great quote by Scott Hamilton,
"The Only Disability in Life .. Is a Bad Attitude.."

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty- Veterinary Acupuncture for Cats : Dewey !

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:21:00 +0000

Dewey - Instilled the belief in us that Cats indeed do have 9 lives.

Dewey was paralyzed and was lying at one of the corners and was rescued by a kindhearted gentleman . He volunteered to take care of her and later adopted her. Upon examination we found that she was paralyzed by her hindlegs and had lost control over her urine. A radiograph was taken, showed reduction in vertebral size,but was inconclusive. A CT scan was then performed which revealed a fracture of the vertebrae and a rotatory subluxation.. With a lesion so severe the prognosis was guarded to poor.
We were requested to start with the treatment and thus we started her on Acupuncture.

With a lesion so severe the recovery was indeed going to be very gradual. She first was able to bear weight on her legs. Then slowly started taking a few steps , then walking with an ataxic/ inco-ordinated gait . The ataxia then reduced and she was able to walk in a more co-ordinated way.

A Video showing her progress , For all the students interested in Neurological Rehabilitation, this shows a few stages:

It was a perfect combination of Compassion, Veterinary Care , Pet-parent Compliance Patience which helped Dewey on her road to recovery.

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty - Happy Feet Peacock

noreply@blogger.com (Acumed Veterinary Specialty) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:00:00 +0000

As a kid ,The City Zoo,Veermata Jijabai Udyaan,Byculla always had a special place in my heart. I would like to share my experience about treating a White Peacock .

This april he had developed a condition which rendered him paralyzed by his right side, in addition to the existing foot issue. He lost his proprioception and was rapidly loosing sensation in his feet and had a drooped wing. As a result he fluttered and tried to get up, but could not. Soon he ended up having wounds on the underside of the wings. He received immediate attention from the Zoo hospital with daily medical monitoring. The next challenge was of rehabilitating him, as soon the wound used to get better, his constant fluttering resulted in him developing ulcerative wounds.

We chalked out an Integrative Approach , the Zoo Hospital started him on the necessary medical therapy and i was assigned the work to rehabilitate him. He received 4 Acupuncture sessions and by the end of 2 sessions, he was able to stand after assisted lifting and did not fall after that, so thus it helped in healing of his ulcerative wound. Post 4 sessions he regained all his neurological deficits and was able to walk a few steps.

Post 4th Acupuncture session

A Big Thank you to the Zoo hospital Vets & staff for all the help .. It was a great Honor & a Pleasure to be on the other side of the City Zoo this time.

The White Peacock also featured in Hindustan Times dated 17th June,2012 , with reference to Veterinary Acupuncture practice in Mumbai.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/City-pet-owners-opting-for-acupuncture-therapy-for-arthritis-and-paralysis/Article1-873637.aspx