Sedation Via Aquapuncture?

Hello Summarians!

I am fortunate to practice with a great complementary and alternative medicine team. They have shown me both personally for my pets and professionally for my clients that there are other ways to heal besides traditional Western medicine. It is a more holistic approach that sometimes requires patience.

However, there are some instances in which the evidence of immediate effect is more compelling. Here is a pilot study that provides additional clinical evidence.

As is typical, further larger studies would supply even more comprehensive support.

Subclinical UTI’s

This prospective observational study evaluated the prevalence, co-occurrence, and clinical associations of subclinical bacteriuria (SB) and subclinical pyuria (SP) in asymptomatic dogs and cats presented to a university veterinary teaching hospital. Drawing on human literature that discourages antimicrobial treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria except in limited circumstances, the authors sought species-specific veterinary evidence to inform antimicrobial stewardship and avoid unnecessary treatment. Among 287 cats and 533 dogs without lower urinary tract disease (LUTD) complaints, SB prevalence was 6.67% in cats and 9.81% in dogs, while SP was uncommon (1.05% and 2.88%, respectively). Concurrent SP and SB occurred rarely, particularly in cats, contrasting with higher co-occurrence reported in humans and suggesting that direct extrapolation from human guidelines may be inappropriate for veterinary patients. 

Urinary white blood cell and bacterial ordinal scores showed a strong positive association, supporting a biologically plausible link between inflammation and bacterial burden independent of species or urine collection method. Multivariable modeling identified comorbid renal and endocrine conditions as key correlates. In cats, prior LUT infection, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, or current acute kidney injury increased odds of SB/SP several-fold, whereas in dogs, prior or current acute kidney injury and current LUTI diagnosis showed the strongest associations, though the latter likely reflected diagnostic bias rather than true infection. Machine-learning and multivariate exploratory approaches reinforced the importance of renal compromise, LUT history, endocrine disease, and urinary inflammatory markers while highlighting species-specific interaction patterns. 

Despite these insights, overall prevalences were low, correlations were weak, and reliance on semiquantitative sediment analysis rather than quantitative culture limited diagnostic certainty. Retrospective record review and missing data for some variables further constrained inference. Nonetheless, the prospective identification of asymptomatic animals enhances clinical relevance and supports cautious interpretation of pyuria or bacteriuria in the absence of signs. Collectively, the findings indicate that SB is moderately common, whereas SP is rare, that comorbid systemic disease meaningfully influences risk, and that dogs and cats differ from humans in subclinical urinary patterns. These results underscore the need for longitudinal, culture-based studies to determine clinical outcomes and refine evidence-based, species-specific management strategies. 

Jessica M Tallaksen, Jennifer M Reinhart, Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos, Arnon Gal, Subclinical bacteriuria and pyuria in companion animals without signs of lower urinary tract disease: prevalence and associations in a prospective cross-sectional study using multimodal analytics, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 1, January-February 2026, aalaf092, https://doi.org/10.1093/jvimsj/aalaf092 

Bottom line — Can occur, but rigorous study is needed.

Sedation Via Aquapuncture For Horses

This randomized, blinded crossover study evaluated whether administering dexmedetomidine at the acupuncture point Governing Vessel-24 (GV-24) in horses produced sedation comparable to conventional intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) delivery, or to saline aquapuncture at the same site. Ten adult mares received four treatments—dexmedetomidine at GV-24, saline at GV-24, SC dexmedetomidine at a nonacupoint, and IV dexmedetomidine—while investigators measured facial and behavioral sedation scores, head height, and vital parameters over 90 minutes. No significant differences in sedation were detected between treatment groups at any time point. However, within-group comparisons showed mild increases in sedation relative to baseline after dexmedetomidine at GV-24, saline aquapuncture, SC dexmedetomidine, and IV dexmedetomidine, with IV administration producing the most consistent head lowering. Occasional second-degree atrioventricular block occurred across all treatments, including saline, suggesting this finding reflected normal equine physiology rather than drug effects. 

Overall, low-dose dexmedetomidine delivered via pharmacopuncture at GV-24 produced mild sedation comparable to other administration routes, but the depth and consistency of sedation were insufficient for typical standing procedures or anesthetic premedication. The unexpected sedative response to saline aquapuncture suggests nonpharmacologic mechanisms, such as mechanoreceptor stimulation or connective-tissue signaling at acupuncture points. Study limitations included the small sample size and the use of calm, well-acclimated teaching horses, which may have underestimated sedation needs in clinical patients. The findings indicate that GV-24 pharmacopuncture is safe and capable of inducing mild sedation, but further dose-response and clinical studies are required to determine meaningful therapeutic utility. 

Faugier, C., Snyder, L. B. C., Hyun, M., & Schroeder, C. (2026). Pharmacopuncture with low-dose dexmedetomidine and saline aquapuncture at acupoint Governing Vessel 24 provides sedation in healthy adult horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.25.08.0283 

Bottom line — Good preliminary study. Further study is needed.

IVDD In Cocker Spaniels

Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) is a common neurologic condition in dogs, and English cocker spaniels represent a meaningful proportion of affected cases. Although this breed is less strongly associated with classic chondrodystrophy than dachshunds, many individuals carry the FGF4 retrogene linked to premature disk degeneration and Hansen type I IVDD. This study aimed to determine IVDD prevalence in English cocker spaniels, identify associated risk factors, and describe anatomic distribution patterns. 

Overall IVDD prevalence in the breed was 5.73%, with substantially higher prevalence in show-line dogs (8.99%) compared with working-line dogs (3.44%), yielding an odds ratio of 2.86. Mixed-line dogs showed intermediate prevalence but wide confidence intervals due to smaller numbers. Mid-to-caudal lumbar disk extrusions were most common, differing somewhat from dachshund patterns, and the median age of presentation was relatively older. Most affected dogs recovered functional mobility with medical or surgical management, although poor-outcome cases may have been underrepresented. 

Traditional conformational and body condition variables such as weight, body condition score, and limb-to-body ratios were not significantly associated with IVDD risk, mirroring some dachshund studies but contrasting others. Age showed a clear relationship with disease, consistent with degenerative pathology. Neutered status and male sex were strongly associated with IVDD, though causality is uncertain because many dogs are neutered before the typical age of onset. 

Lifestyle factors revealed notable patterns. Greater daily activity, more than one hour of exercise, routine jumping, and participation in gundog training were associated with lower IVDD odds, suggesting either protective biomechanical effects or reverse causality from activity restriction after diagnosis. Harness use and pulling behavior were associated with increased odds, though the mechanism is unclear. Supplement use, particularly glucosamine and chondroitin, was also linked with higher IVDD prevalence, likely reflecting treatment initiated after diagnosis rather than true risk. 

Important limitations include reliance on owner-reported survey data, potential selection bias, uncertain diagnostic confirmation in some cases, inability to separate IVDD subtypes, and the cross-sectional design that prevents causal inference. Despite these constraints, the findings indicate that IVDD is relatively common in English cocker spaniels, particularly in show lines, with age, neuter status, sex, and activity-related variables showing meaningful associations. Prospective, controlled studies are needed to clarify genetic, biomechanical, and lifestyle contributors to disease risk in this breed. 

Joe Poacher, Ellen Schofield, Bruno Lopes, Sam Khan, Cathryn Mellersh, Paul Freeman, Prevalence and lifestyle risk factors for intervertebral disk disease in English cocker spaniels, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 1, January-February 2026, aalaf011, https://doi.org/10.1093/jvimsj/aalaf011 

Bottom line — Interesting data from a less typical IV disk breed.

Just putting things in perspective …