Korean Sa-Ahm Acupuncture for Treating Canine Oral Fibrosarcoma

• Published in: Journal of acupuncture and meridian studies 2017, 10(3), 47, pp.211-215
• Main Authors: Choi, Keum Hwa, Flynn, Kristi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acupuncture Therapy - methods; Acupuncture Therapy - veterinary; Animals; canine oral fibrosarcoma; Dog Diseases - therapy; Dogs; Fibrosarcoma - therapy; Fibrosarcoma - veterinary; Male; meridian qi; Mouth Neoplasms - therapy; Mouth Neoplasms - veterinary; necrosis; reinforcing method; restraining method; Sa-Ahm acupuncture; 한의학
• ISSN: 2005-2901; 2093-8152
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jams.2017.04.005

A nine-year-old male neutered Golden Retriever presented with oral fibrosarcoma. Sa-Ahm Traditional Korean acupuncture was provided along with medicinal herb treatment. Based on Sa-Ahm's theory, the constitution of this case was hypoactive Large-Intestine (LI) meridian qi. The acupuncture treatment was focused on reinforcing LI meridian qi along with reinforcing Small-Intestine and Liver meridian qi. The necrosis of the tumor started from 8 months after treatments and was completely necrotized around 1 month after initiation of tumor necrosis. Karnofsky Performance Status score was 80 to 100 % throughout the treatment except during the active stage of tumor necrosis having KPS of 50%. In this study, oral fibrosarcoma was managed well by both Sa-Ahm acupuncture and medicinal herb treatment. The result suggested that Sa-Ahm acupuncture along with herbal treatment could be a potential medical option for canine oral FSA therapy.