A randomized, blinded, controlled, clinical trial investigating the mitigation effect of acupuncture points PC-6, ST-36 and LI-4 on morphine induce nausea and vomiting in healthy dogs

Item

Title

Description

Am J Trad Chin Vet Med (2021), Yue, I.; Shiau, D.; Xie, H.; Ma, A.;

Journal Publication

American Journal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine

issn

1945-7677 (print)

1945-7693 (online)

Date

2021

Language

English

Author(s)

Yue, Ivy Man Yan

Shiau, Deng Shan

Xie, Huisheng

Ma, Aituan

Subject

Acupuncture Therapy

Dogs--Health

Nausea

Abstract

The use of antiemetic agents preoperatively can help reduce discomfort and postoperative complications experienced by canine surgery patients. The goal of this randomized blinded controlled clinical trial was to determine if dry needle stimulation at acupoints PC-6, ST-36 and LI-4 could reduce the incidents of nausea and vomiting in healthy dogs receiving an acepromazine and morphine injection prior to elective surgical procedures. Twenty-nine clinically healthy dogs were randomly divided into two groups. Ten minutes prior to receiving an acepromazine maleate and morphine sulphate injection, the Test Group received dry needle acupuncture stimulation at LI-4, PC-6 and ST-36 and the Control group received sham acupuncture at LU-5, BL-36 and BL-40. The outcomes measured included the presence or absence of lip-licking, nausea, or vomiting occurring within 10 minutes after receiving acepromazine/morphine premedication. Twelve out of 15 (80%) subjects in the Control Group exhibited vomiting after receiving acepromazine/morphine injection, whereas only 3 out of 14 (21.4%) subjects in the Test Group exhibited vomiting (p=0.0028). To a lesser degree, and not achieving statistical significance under the sample size of this study, a 15% trend toward nausea reduction )11/14 test versus 14/15 control) was exhibited in the Test Group. The study concluded there was a statistically significant anti-emetic effect of presurgical acupuncture treatment at PC-6, ST-36 and LI-4. These findings support the use of these acupoints by clinicians to reduce vomiting induced by acepromazine/morphine injection in healthy dogs undergoing an elective surgical procedure.