Chinese Medicine for Pets and Animals

Start with a veterinarian

This page is information, not veterinary advice. If a pet is sick, injured or may have swallowed a herb, supplement or liniment, call a veterinarian or a pet poison service right away; see pet and animal poisoning. Do not give a pet a human herbal product on your own, and never give human medicines or supplements intended for you.

What it is

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine applies ideas from Chinese medicine, mainly acupuncture and herbal formulas, to animals. A veterinary acupuncture association says acupuncture is used in all species, and describes the original theories of traditional Chinese medicine, with needles at points that regulate the flow of "chi", as its basis. It adds that the neurologic or biochemical basis is not fully understood. [1] Those are traditional frameworks, explained on the human side at what is acupuncture.

Who may perform it

A veterinary acupuncture association says a veterinary acupuncturist must be a licensed veterinarian, and that in most US states it is illegal for other practitioners to needle animals. [1] Rules vary by state, and the association is a professional body with an interest in the field. Check your state veterinary board. Do not accept needling for an animal from someone who is not licensed to treat animals. We do not list practitioners.

What research shows

1. Acupuncture in domestic animals, overall

   Insufficient evidence

   A systematic review of 14 randomized and 17 non-randomized trials found methodological quality was low on average and no compelling evidence to recommend or reject acupuncture for any condition. [2]

2. Cutaneous pain and diarrhea

   Insufficient, worth studying

   The same review found encouraging data that warrant rigorous trials. [2]

3. Acupuncture and herbal reviews more recently

   Insufficient evidence

   An overview of reviews (2000 to 2022) found the acupuncture and herbal ("phytotherapy") reviews were all of low quality, which prevented assessing their trials. [3]

4. Chinese herbs in pets specifically

   Insufficient evidence

   Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for Chinese herbal medicine in dogs and cats and for veterinary systematic reviews, and found no review we could read that supports a use.

Owners who hope a treatment works may see improvement that is not there, which is why blinded, placebo-controlled trials matter. The reviews above found the available trials were of low quality on average.

Herbs: poisoning and quality risks

• Human dietary supplements are not subject to the same rules as prescription medicines, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center says their safety is not guaranteed. It also notes supplements recalled for hidden ingredients or labels that did not match contents. [4]
• A critical column in a veterinary trade publication argued that some Chinese veterinary herbal products are sold as mixtures with undisclosed ingredients despite little information on safety, interactions or manufacturing standards, and raised strychnine-containing herbs as a concern. [5] That is one expert's published opinion in a trade outlet, not a regulatory finding, but it shows what to ask about.
• NCCIH notes human Chinese herbal products have been found contaminated with heavy metals, undeclared drugs and incorrect herbs. [6] There is no reason to assume pet products are different. See Chinese herbal product quality.
• A veterinarian must decide on any herb for a pet, including interactions with your pet's medicines.
• Liniments and plasters for people may be harmful if a pet licks them; see dit da jow and topical safety.

Never use endangered-species or mineral ingredients; see animal and mineral ingredients in TCM.

Who should seek veterinary care first

All pets with pain, limping, vomiting, diarrhea, not eating, breathing trouble, collapse or any sudden change. Chinese medicine, if used, should be an addition agreed with your veterinarian and never a delay. For canine osteoarthritis, a veterinary review lists weight management, nutraceuticals, acupuncture and physiotherapy among non-drug options. [7]