3. THE STATUS OF VETERINARY AP OUTSIDE MAINLAND CHINA
In an attempt to establish the current status of Vet AP outside China, I sent questionnaires to IVAS members or personal contacts in 38 countries in 1986. Since 1975, I have had requests for published work on AP from many countries not listed below. These included : Spain, Italy, African states, the middle East, Israel, Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, Brazil, New Zealand, Korea, the Phillipines and many Soviet Block countries. The 1986 questionnaire did not elicit replies, or the replies indicated little interest in AP at that time.
The summary which follows comes mainly from the 1986 data, with some updating from more recent contacts (1990-1993). Countries are listed alphabetically. It is impractical to list the names of all contacts in a brief paper. Therefore, I will mention only some people who have been or are active in their countries. I apologise to any who may feel offended by the omission of their names.
Australia : The NSW Vet Board rejected AP as a vet modality in winter 1985. I was allowed to see the Committee's report. A medical and two good vet AP clinicians presented the case for AP. They presented too much anecdotal material and too little scientific documentation in support of vet AP. A few months later, following the submission of properly documented arguments, the Board reversed its decision and classed AP in animals as an act of vet surgery. The result demonstrates the necessity of selecting well briefed people, with good documentation, to present the case to the official authorities. YIN/YANG, Five Elements and an uncle whose cat "got better" after AP cut no ice with academics and vet councils !
The official status of vet AP in other Australian states is undeclared. The Australian Vet AP Assoc was formed in the early '80s. Although training courses and seminars have been run, only 1.0-2.5% of vets use AP. Sydney University Vet School ran a 30-hour intensive AP course for postgraduate veterinarians in 1991.
Rebecca Palmer (109 Wannan Place, Ainslie, A.C.T. 2602) was President of AVAA 1988. Chris Robinson is President in 1993.
Ulricke Wurth (63 Barrabool Rd., Highton, VIC) is AVAA Secretary and editor of its Newsletter.
Sheila White (Dept. Anat. and Vet Biol., Murdoch Vet School, West Australia 6150, see section 2) has used AP analgesia successfully in cows.
David Gilchrist published (1981) a short but excellent manual of AP for small animals.
Jean Paul Ly was one of the pioneers of vet AP in Australia. He published good clinical results in lowback problems in horses and dogs.
Austria : Vet AP is accepted as a valid modality. Pre-1986, < 1% of vets used it but Kothbauer says its use is increasing rapidly.
Oswald Kothbauer (Windberg 2, Grieskirchen, Oberosterreich) (mixed practice, mainly cattle, see section 2) has taught AP in Vienna Vet school to > 250 students. Cooperation is good with the medical AP association and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for AP, Vienna.
Ferdinand Brunner (small animal practice) has published on clinical AP and a textbook on canine AP.
Roland Muxeneder (see section 2) 4230 Pregarten Mitterfeld 2, Austria
Alois Holtzman, Vet School, Linkebahngasse, Vienna is a teacher/researcher in cattle diseases, especially infertility
Belgium : Vet AP accepted as valid modality. Pre-1986, < 2% of vets used it. Janssens puts the figure at 10-20% now (the highest % in any country surveyed outside China).
Luc Janssens (Oudestraat 37, Wilryk 2610, Antwerp) (small animal practice, see section 2) is leader of the Belgian group (BVDA). He has run training courses, recognised by IVAS, for many years. BVDA has close cooperation with the national medical AP Assoc.
Canada status of vet AP unknown. It is practised by < 0.5% of vets.
Frank Milne, Vet School, University of Guelph, Ontario is interested
Lloyd Mc Kibbin (Wheatley Hall Farm, Wheatley, Ontario) has reported excellent results in soft tissue pain in horses and in laser treatment of tendon strain.
Ronald Melzack (Montreal University) has confirmed the diagnostic and therapeutic value of trigger points. He also confirmed that 70% of trigger points in humans correspond with AP points. His "Gate Control Theory" of pain is modified to include at least two gates, one in the spinal cord (dorsal horn) and one in the thalamus.
Bruce Pomeranz (Toronto University) has done many studies confirming the role of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters in AP effects. He has also done studies which confirm a beneficial effect of electrostimulation on axon regeneration. (The negative electrode is distal and the positive proximal to the lesion).
China : Although the paper does not cover the status of Vet AP in China, readers may be interested in the following : Vets may take 6-week intensive training in Vet AP in Beijing from mid June to end of July each year. Contact Dr. Qinglan Wang, (Vet AP Course teacher Peking) Coll. Vet. Med., Beijing Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, People's Republic of China
Czechoslovakia : AP is accepted officially as a valid vet therapy but is used by < 0.4% of vets.
Jan Still (see section 2), with colleagues in the Brno Vet School before he left to work in Belgium and S. Africa, did major research projects on diagnosis using the ear points in dogs, therapy of many clinical conditions using ear and body AP points. The results are published. Jan is now on the teaching faculty of the MEDUNSA Vet School, Pretoria, SA.
Milan Stourac, Petr Jahn and Margita Dostalova are still researching AP in animals at the Vet School, Palackeho 1-3, 61242 Brno, CSSR
Kraus Miroslav, (ul Zdenka Fibicha 2672/314, 43401 MOST, CSSR) has had success with AP in resuscitation and disc disease in dogs.
Denmark : The official status of vet AP is unstated. Danish vets have become interested only recently and c. <1.0% of them use it. The Danish group has increased in numbers between 1988-1993. They have held numerous training courses, including one in 1992 in the Copenhagen Vet School.
Birgit Petersen, Sophiendal Gods, Veng, Skanderborg 8660 leads the national vet AP group. She has organised training courses for vets in 1987.
Charlotte Frigast (Bavneved 2, 4171 Gunso, Denmark) has done her PhD Thesis on the influence of the first 4 cervical nerves on coordination in horses, neurophysiologic considerations on the use of AP and chiropractic manip-ulation related to biomechanical dysfunction and pain related to the 5 layers of the medulla. She has proved the importance of normal vertebral alignment and of cervical proprioceptive afferent stimuli in maintaining normal gait. Her video, showing the effect of local block of the afferent cervical nerves in horses should be a mandatory part of the undergraduate course in all veterinary schools.
Finland accepts vet AP as a valid modality since 1980. It was the first country outside the Far East to do so. c. 10% of vets use AP, but many of them use it in restricted ways (e.g. VG26 for emergencies or trigger point therapy in myofascial pain).
Jukka Kuussaari (25460 Toija) leads the national group. He is leader of the IVAS Horse Text. He has had success with AP in horses (myofascial problems, aerophagia), cattle (prolapsed uterus), dogs (myofascial problems, reprod-uctive disorders, resuscitation).
The vet AP group cooperates well with the medical AP group, led by Pontinen. That group is researching chronic pain, especially myofascial pain, trigger points, cold laser and TENS.
France : Human and vet AP have been used for a long time and are recognised as valid therapies. l'Association Vet AP de France (l'AVAF, 115 rue d'Amiens, 6000 Beauvais) runs training courses in cooperation with the Vet schools. More than 400 vets have been trained. AP is used by < 3% of vets.
AP research has been done and many Theses on vet AP have been accepted by French Vet schools. They include theses by Benard, Collignon, Jeannot, Molinier and others.
Jacques Milin (Residence du bois be Boulogne, Dauphine 1, 95290 l'Isle Adam, France) was President of the national group l'AVAF for many years (see section 2). He was my first contact in vet AP and was very helpful in my study of AP. He put me in touch with Kothbauer and Westermayer. I am most grateful to these three, who have enriched my mental life and given me an insight on health/disease which grows year by year.
R. Arambarri, A. Autefage and A. Cazieux were among the earliest Europeans to experiment with AP analgesia in dogs.
Andre Demontoy (2 rue du Tage, 75013 Paris) and Frederick Molinier (Dept. Anatomy, Vet School, Alfort, Paris) have published excellent textbooks on canine AP in 1986.
Rene Jeannot (62 Cours Desbiey, 33120 Arcachon) has documented locations of earpoints in dogs with known pathology.
Eric Manet, Laboratoire Departmental, 18 Gallieni, 85000 La Roche, Lyon has good results with AP in functional diseases in dogs.
Dominique Giniaux (320 rue Vieux Chateau, 60520 La Chapelle en Se, France) is one of the best known equine osteopaths in the world. He stresses the importance of spinal adjustment in maintaining peak performance in horses. He has also researched Ear AP in horses and dogs. His ear charts (horse and dog) agree basically with those of other colleagues, such as Jan Still (South Africa).
In comparison to AP in most European countries, French AP is esoteric, pure, conservative or traditional, depending on one's point of view. Great emphasis is put on TCM concepts (methods of diagnosis, TCM classifications of disease, YIN/YANG and Five Element theory etc). Selection of points is based on those principles. Cookbook methods of point selection are rejected by many. Real communication between traditionally oriented acupuncturists and those using the "western" or simplified methods is difficult or impossible.
I believe that use of TCM concepts and terminology is a major cause of the reluctance of academics/researchers to take AP seriously. This is not a big problem in France because the French people take philosophy much more seriously than other western nations.
German Federal Republic : Vet AP was accepted as a valid modality in 1988 but < 1% of vets use it. (Lambardt puts the figure at 5% maximum). Trigger point and neural therapy, physiotherapy, laser etc are used widely in Germany but in conventional ways. Because of the few who are interested in Vet AP and the large size of Germany, there is difficulty in organising a national group.
Erwin Westermayer, one of the great pioneers and a master of the craft, died in May 1990. He was the father of modern German vet AP (see section 2). His psychic powers were legendary amongst those of us lucky enough to have known and loved him.
Walter Greiff, Donaustrasse 39, Grenzhof, Memmingen combines AP and homoeopathy by injecting homoeopathics at the AP points, with excellent results in metabolic and reproductive disorders in cattle. He is best known as an expert homoeopath. He and Westermayer succeeded in having Vet AP and homoeopathy recognised by the German authorities.
Others who have published successful AP results are H. and C.H. Kruger (Freystadt) and A. Lambardt (Unna)
H. Kraft and H. Konig, Munich Vet School are doing some research in AP.
The former German Democratic Republic : The official status of vet AP is unstated. Very few vets use it.
India : The official status of vet AP is unstated. Very few vets use it.
Dr. Lakshmipathi, Vet School, Tirupati has published good results with AP in bovine infertility and in AP analgesia in cattle, sheep and dogs.
Ireland : The 1988 Guide to Professional Behaviour states that it is ethical to consult with a nutritionist, chemist, engineer or agricultural graduate etc. These are regarded as "qualified persons"... but .... "consultation with an unqualified person such as an acupuncturist, osteopath, bonesetter or chiropractitioner ... would be regarded as conduct disgraceful in a professional respect". (On conviction, a vet who so consults could be struck off the register !!). The official status of vet AP is unstated.
Although about 1% of the profession express interest in AP, few or no vets except the author are trained to use it. (The nearest IVAS course would be Belgium or Norway). A few use VG26 in emergencies or use trigger point therapy or physiotherapy (laser, ultrasound etc) in the conventional way in horses and greyhounds. A few non-vet acupuncturists (physiotherapists, or others well trained in AP) are treating horses/dogs illegally under Irish law.
Rogers is a member of the Irish Medical AP Society. The Vet Council turns a blind eye to his use of AP in horses (part-time hobby). His database of AP points for various clinical conditions is now available for PCs, which must have Windows installed, through Norwegian software. Contact Are Thoresen for details. Rogers gets referrals of difficult or really chronic cases from a few colleagues. The referrals tend to dry up if the success of AP is good ! He keeps his sanity by getting out of Ireland 2-4 times a year to meet acupuncturists, continue his study and learn new methods.
Japan : AP is accepted in Japan and the Japanese Vet AP Society is active and publishes a journal, unfortunately in Japanese. Nationally, < 2.5% of vets use AP. Many vets use VG26 in emergencies and in neonatal resuscitation.
The late Satoru Ishizaki (Hiroshima) published charts of AP points in dogs, had excellent results with AP analgesia, disc disease and musculo-skeletal disorders.
Kaoru Kitazawa (Vet Surgery 2, Rakunogakuen University, Bunkyodai Midori Machi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069) has published on AP analgesia in dogs. He tried many point combinations and found BL23 (bilateral) to be the best.
Mexico : There is no national vet AP group but about 1% of vets use AP in some form. The official status of vet AP is unstated.
Hector Sumano (see section 2) and Gerardo Lopez (Dept. Pharmacology Vet. School, Mexico City) teach AP to interested students and colleagues. Sumano has organised AP seminars with national and international speakers.
Netherlands : The Dutch Commission sat in 1983 to assess the validity of Alternative Therapies in Vet Med. I have been unable to find out its conclusions. A few vets (probably < 0.2%), who studied AP in Belgium (Janssens' courses) use AP. The Dutch group has expanded since the IVAS Congress in Noordwyk 1990. Emil Hovius and Lies Schuitemacher are contact persons.
Norway : The official status of vet AP is unstated. Very few vets (< 0.1%) use it but the numbers are growing.
Are Thoresen, Leikvollgt 31, Sandefjord leads the Norwegian group. He uses Pulse Diagnosis to great effect in horses, dogs and humans. He stresses the need for complete detachment (not caring what diagnosis may be revealed), and of having no preconceived ideas on the condition when reading the pulse. His AP therapy is based on less than 3 needles (preferably only one) in the most appropriate Command Point, often the Ting point. He has published on the use of Ting Points in horses. He organised the IVAS Course in Oslo 1988-89. The 1993 IVAS Congress was held in Tromso and a course is planned in Oslo in 1994.
South Africa : The South African Vet Assoc (SAVA) has an AP group, led by Jane Fraser and Jan Still, Vet Faculty, Medunsa 0204, S.A. AP is used by c. 3% of vets. Training courses are planned. Still reported good results with AP in disc disease and myofascial syndromes in dogs.
Sweden : The official status of vet AP is unstated. A few vets use it and there is increasing interest. Ritva Krokfors, Nasby Sodergard, S-595 92 MJOLBY, SWEDEN TEL: 00-46-142-57227 is one of the leaders of the Swedish Vet AP group. An IVAS Course will be held in Skara in November 1993
Switzerland : The official status of vet AP is unstated. It is used by < 0.5% of vets.
Konrad Zerobin, Vet School, Zurich has confirmed (Zerobin and Kothbauer 1977) the effects of AP on uterine contraction in the cow.
Schupbach (see section 2)
Olivier Glardon, Herracherweg 104, 8610 Uster has done good research in equine AP. His Thesis was accepted by the Vet School, Berne. He confirmed that normal horses have no tenderness in the thoraco-lumbar area and he related SHU point tenderness to diagnosed pathology. He also reports good results with AP in dogs.
Andreas Roesti (Brunnenhof, 3752 Wimmis, Switzerland) is an artist/poet/classical acupuncturist/wholistic vet. His paper (IVAS Congress, Tromso 1993) on the Extra meridians Du Mai and Ren Mai was superb. I noted only three points: learn how to listen; learn how to be empathetic/sympathetic; learn how to love (Man, Animal and Nature).
Taiwan (Republic of China) : The state recognises AP and herbal medicine as a valid vet therapy. AP is taught as an optional extra in National Taiwan University (Taipei) and National Chung Hsing University (Taichung). It is used by c. 10% of vets.
Jen Hsou Lin (see section 2) (Dept. Anl. Husbandry, NTU, Taipei) and H.P. Fung, Dept. Vet Med, NCSU, Taichung lead AP teaching and research. Fung has reported very good results of AP in bovine infertility. Lin is leader of the IVAS Pig Text.
United Kingdom : The British Veterinary AP Soc (BVAS) has c. 50 members affiliated under the British Vet Assoc., which recognises AP as a valid therapy if used by a vet trained in the method. However, less than c. 0.5% of vets use AP, although many vets use VG26 in emergencies. Physiotherapy, trigger point therapy, faradism, ultrasound and laser are commonly used in U.K. but in a conventional manner. Interest in AP training is poor, as the last training seminar (1988) was cancelled due to low registration numbers.
John Nicol, 85 London Rd., Guildford, Surrey leads the BVAS. He has had good results in horses and dogs.
Trixie Williams, 84 Bradenstoke, near Chippenham, Wilts has had good results with AP in her small animal practice. She has organised training seminars also.
U.S.A. The American Vet Med association (AVMA) has accepted AP as a valid therapy if used by vets properly trained in the method. IVAS members played a key role in producing the documentation needed to satisfy AVMA. (AVMA had examined the claims made for a number of "alternative therapies", including homoeopathy, chiropractic, kinesiology etc. The other methods were rejected as of unproven value at this time). AP is used by < 0.5% of vets. Most of the accredited, paid-up members of IVAS are in U.S.A.
Shelly Altman, 5647 Wilkinson Ave., N. Hollywood, CA 91607 is a lecturer/ teacher on IVAS courses and Leader IVAS Small Animal (dog) Text
Marvin Cain, 7474 Greenfarms Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224, founder member of IVAS, teacher, workaholic and lion hearted, is the best known equine AP expert in the world.
Yann Ching Hwang, Vet School, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088 is a teacher/researcher and Assistant editor of the IVAS Pig text. Hwang gives AP lectures to vet students at Tuskeegee
David Jaggar, Boulder, CO, teacher, seer and a gentle man, is a founder member, ex President, now Exec. Secretary of IVAS. He is interested in Laser applications. He reports good results with AP in horses and dogs. David recently qualified in human chiropractic.
Alan Klide, Vet School, Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19348 is a teacher/ researcher (see section 2). Klide gives AP lectures to vet students at Philadelphia
Allen Schoen, RR2 Box 11, Sherman, CT 06784 (IVAS teacher, past President IVAS 1988-89) has wide experience of AP in dogs and horses.
Meredith Snader, Rt 4, PO Box 216, Chester Springs, Philadelphia, PA 19425 is Executive Secretary IVAS. She is an expert in equine AP.
Earl Sutherland, Chairperson IVAS Board, POB 12009, Lexington, KY 40579-2009 is expert in equine AP
John Turnbull, N3652 US Hwy 16 RR 2, La Crosse, WI 54601 is expert in cattle AP.
Kathy Waters, 4206 Green Briar Blvd, Boulder, CO 80303 is Editor of the IVAS Newsletter.