By Malinda Osborne

A dog undergoes accupuncture. (Courtesy of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine)Dr. Darla J. Rewers has found even the most hostile dogs enjoy coming into her clinic ... eventually. That's after they get accustomed to the needles.

The University of Florida graduate is a certified veterinary acupuncturist who performs complementary and alternative veterinary medicine at her Seattle practice, Ancient Arts.

"They definitely feel the needles and look at me funny and can be sensitive at points. But I would say it's a better experience for them than a straightforward exam where they're wondering what's going on," Dr. Rewers said. "There's more time and space to relax in an appointment. There's not as much stress, perhaps."

At least two dozen veterinarians in the Puget Sound region are listed on the Web site of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Dr. Naomi Bierman is one of those practitioners, and she said seven veterinarians that specialize in CAVM are located within a mile of her practice.

"Seattle has a sophisticated clientele," Dr. Bierman said. "There's more work than what we can keep up with. I can't tell you how many clients say they wish they could get as good of health care for themselves as their pets get."

Dr. Rewers agrees. She said in the Pacific Northwest, there's a progressive attitude toward acupuncture and herbal medicine.

"We have several acupuncture schools here for humans, so a lot of clients have had acupuncture before, and they want it as a first line of action and seek it for their pets as well," Dr. Rewers said.

For example, Dr. Rewers may see a dog that has arthritis as well as kidney problems, so it may not tolerate prescription drugs. In that case, she performs acupuncture instead.

"Sometimes it's kind of a plateau reached as far as regular therapeutics," she said. "Sometimes (CAVM) is used in conjunction."

Dr. Bierman said she started focusing on CAVM almost 20 years ago. After working in a traditional practice for a few years, she realized, "We were treating the same patients for the same symptoms. We treated the symptoms but could never cure the patient. It felt like we were not treating the underlying disease."

She also became concerned about the adverse effects she saw when the animals were treated with medications such as anti-inflammatories or cortisone. In her search for alternatives, she found a calling in Chinese medicine, which she now practices and teaches, specializing in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

"Chinese medicine is a whole system. With it, you can do preventative medicine, whereas Western medicine waits until the pathology, or something shows in the blood work, or there's an abnormal x-ray," Dr. Bierman said. "Holistic medicine is much more preventive. We pick up the imbalances before they turn into physical diseases."

Dr. Bierman acknowledges there's a place for traditional medicine and CAVM in the veterinary profession. She makes sure her clients have a traditional veterinarian who serves as a primary caregiver. She also uses traditional diagnostic techniques because, she said, "I want to make sure I'm treating the right thing."

Dr. Bierman said veterinarians should have an understanding of CAVM because that allows for new approaches, helps in referrals to veterinarians who specialize in CAVM, or at the very least "offers another option to clients that at worst is safe."