Acupuncture effects on dogs with Intervertebral Disk Disease: A Pilot Study

Abstract Sixteen dogs with intervertebral disk disease (IVDD)(3–16 years old) were examined acupuncture effects of energy metabolism changes. Acupuncture treatments were performed at acupuncture points according to individual needs to the dogs. Acupuncture effects were evaluated based on the IVDD evaluation scales. Pyruvate and lactate concentrations, LDH and MDH activities, malate dehydrogenase/lactate dehydrogenase ratio (M/L ratio), and LDH isozyme electrophoretic patterns were measured as energy metabolism markers after the acupuncture treatments. In dogs with IVDD improved group, plasma pyruvate concentrations, LDH and MDH activities were significantly decreased, and M/L ratio were significantly increased. Plasma LDH isozyme electrophoretic patterns changed from LDH5 predominance to LDH1 predominance. The present study suggests that local redox potential is improved and energy metabolisms are activated in dogs with IVDD after the acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture treatments on dogs with IVDD may result in activation of citric acid cycle and increase in ATP production followed by improvement of IVDD. Further studies with a large number of dogs will be needed to clarify this hypothesis.