Comparison of Conventional Medical Treatment to Electro-Acupuncture Combined with Chinese Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Hind Limb Paresis and Paralysis in Dogs and Cats: A Retrospective Study

This study investigated electro-acupuncture (EAP) combined with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for the treatment of hindlimb paresis/paralysis in dogs and cats. Study subjects (50 dogs, 6 cats) diagnosed with hindlimb paresis and/or paralysis over a one-year period were divided into three treatment groups. Group A received conventional medical treatment only. Group B received traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) treatment only. Group C received both conventional and TCVM treatment. Results were recorded as successful or unsuccessful. Successful treatment was defined as return to mobility of non-ambulatory dogs or improvement of at least 1 neurological grade in dogs ambulatory at study start. If successful, the number of weeks of treatment required was recorded. Study results demonstrated treatment was successful in 18% (2/11), 96% (28/29), and 94% (15/16) of animals in Groups A, B and C, respectively. Statistically significant differences were detected between Groups A and B (p-value < 0.01) and between Groups A and C (p-value < 0.01) but no statistical difference between Groups B and C (p-value > 0.05). For successfully treated patients, mean recovery times were 12.5, 1.86 or 2.23 weeks for Groups A, B and C, respectively. The mean recovery time for Group A was significantly longer than for groups B and C (p-value < 0.01), while the mean recovery time was not statistically different between Groups B and C (p-value = 0.91). The results of this study suggest that TCVM (EAP, CHM) is a more effective treatment for hindlimb paresis/paralysis than a program of conventional medicine. Furthermore, adding conventional medicine to TCVM treatment neither improved success rate nor reduced treatment length needed for success.