Basic and practical aspects of veterinary acupuncture for physiological correction in animals

An urgent task of modern biological science is the development of efficient, reliable and safe methods of body physiological correction in changing environment. This problem covers almost all living things, including humans and farm animals, which in turn affect environment and the humans through animal products. This is the most characteristic of modern industrial animal husbandry being complicated by the increase in the operating loads on the animals. The survey shows grounded and biologically possible use of veterinary acupuncture method to normalize body functions. The advantage of acupuncture is due to therapeutic and economic efficiency, versatility, safety, and wide range of application (G.V. Kazeev, 2000). This method is based on the concept of body integrity in normal state and pathology. The material basis and specific elements of acupuncture are proved (N.I. Verzhbitskaya, 1981; G.V. Kazeev 2000; J.C. Darras et al., 1993; D.J. Mayer, 2000; A.R. Liboff, 2004; R.H. Bosma et al., 2006.). It is found that when animals are subjected to acupoints’ treatment, different changes occur, e.g. in biochemical parameters such as concentration of opioid peptides and monoamines in blood (J.S. Han, 2004; C.H. Zhao et al., 2005), levels of hormones (T. Aso et al., 1976; P.V. Malven et al., 1984; D.F. Bossut et al., 1986), catecholamines and growth factors (H. Chang et al., 1983; P.J. Battista et al., 1986), in cellular immunity activation (T. Kuan et al., 1986; AP Sánchez, M.D. Ángel, 2012). Clinical parameters are stabilized due to the acupuncture analgesic and sedative effects (J.G. Lin, W.L. Chen, 2008; J. Lin, Y. Chen, 2012). An uniqueness of acupuncture lies in its regulatory action (G.V. Kazeev, 2000; K.T. Freudenberg, 2010). Acupuncture is finding increasing application in veterinary practice in musculoskeletal diseases (W.W. Chan et al., 1996; G. Habacher et al., 2006), gastroenterological (Y.C. Hwang, E.M. Jenkins, 1988; K. Watanabe et al., 1998; K.T. Freudenberg, 2010) and reproductive disorders (J.H. Lin et al., 2001; W.A. Schofield, 2008), and also it is used for sedation and analgesia (A.M. Klide, B.B. Martin, 1989; J. Still et al., 1998). Acupuncture increases tissue sensitivity to medications and blends well with medicines (G.V. Kazeev, 2000; D. Souza et al., 2007; J.H. Lin J.H. et al., 2001). The therapeutic effect is increased when medications and biologically active substances are introduced into the acupoints (S. Altman, 2003; S. Ben-Yakir, 2006; T.E. Taradaynik et al., 2011), moreover, their doses can be reduced significantly (G.V. Kazeev et al., 2001; P.L. Stelio et al., 2008; T.E. Taradaynik et al., 2012). Finally, the use of acupuncture in the animal husbandry makes it possible to get eco-friendly and safe livestock products.