Acupuncture is now known to have effects on all major physiological systems and to have good therapeutic value in a wide variety of human and animal diseases. Of course, it is not a panacea. On the other hand, there are certain circumstances where the use of acupuncture may be the method of choice, such as shock or anesthetic apnea. There are reports published in texts and journals, and others from veterinary practices, that list many clinical conditions that respond partially or completely to veterinary acupuncture therapy. Some of the therapeutic effects of acupuncture have been studied under experimental conditions in animals and the acupuncture techniques have been shown to be effective.
Most veterinary practitioners combine what is useful from each source.
In some instances, certain medications will interfere with the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment by decreasing the sensitivity and responsiveness of the body. Conversely, some conditions, most notably infections and conditions with structural changes, e.g. fractures or tumors, normally respond more rapidly to western techniques. Frequently, however, the two approaches can be combined to the patient's benefit. For example, in the treatment of bovine ketosis, acupuncture treatments can be combined with glucose infusions. One would expect acupuncture to be helpful to animals, as it is to humans, in the prevention of disease.