There’s a vet in Elizabeth who offers animal acupuncture and it’s downright fascinating

“Nothing,” she told me, “It was for my dog.”

See what being nosey gets you? You learn amazing things like that dog acupuncturists exist.

I immediately set-up an interview with this dog acupuncturist. His name? Dr. James Schacht of Elizabeth’s Charlotte Natural Animal Clinic. As you can tell by the name, his practice is not your typical veterinary clinic. Charlotte Natural Animal Clinic focuses on Traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy and, of course, acupuncture.

When I walked into Dr. Schacht’s office it struck me how different it was from every other vet’s office I’ve ever been to. He uses lavender diffusers and salt lamps to keep animals calm and even has several bowls of crystals around to increase healing energy.

The lavender and crystals worked some magic because as soon as we sat down for the interview my excitable pup, Esther, relaxed onto my lap and took a snooze. (That is, until she saw one of the resident cats walk by. No amount of lavender can make Esther ignore a cat.)

What happened next was one of the most interesting interviews I’ve ever conducted. Here’s our conversation:

Me: When did you decide to be a holistic vet?

Dr. Schacht: I’ve always had it in the back of my mind. In vet school, at least when I went, you didn’t get any holistic training. In the early 90’s, I stumbled across a Holistic Introduction lecture. The guy talked about a wide variety of things: nutrition, herbs, homeopathy and acupuncture. It was here where I got some information on groups where I could get post-grad training in Traditional Chinese medicine.

Me: What kind of a training do you need to do animal acupuncture?

Dr. Schacht: They had a year-long course in Atlanta. You go throughout the year and you learn acupuncture points on live animals, take a test, take a practical exam and then submit real-life cases after the fact. I got certified in 1994.

Me: Do you do traditional veterinary care?

Dr. Schacht: I do what needs to be done, but the vast majority of cases can really benefit from holistic medicine.

Me: Are the benefits of acupuncture the same for humans and animals?

Dr. Schacht: I think they’re pretty much the same. In vet medicine, acupuncture is almost always used for arthritis (hips, backs, knees) and disc ruptures. After 25 years of doing this, disc ruptures are still the most amazing thing. Instead of doing surgery on a paralyzed dog, acupuncture can get the dog back up and walking after a few treatments. It never ceases to amaze me how well these really bad disc ruptures do with acupuncture.

Me: How much does it cost?

Dr. Schacht: It varies. Here we do an initial office visit where I evaluate the animal, but the actual acupuncture is around $65.

Me: How long does acupuncture take?

Dr. Schacht: I tend to leave the needles in for about 15 to 20 minutes. Most dogs settle in once the needles are in and then I let the dog tell me when they’re done (when they get restless). The whole appointment takes about 30 minutes.

Me: Wait—you’re telling me that they just sit still for you?

Dr. Schacht: 9/10 dogs stay still. I’ve only had one or two dogs that just couldn’t handle it.

Me: Does it hurt?

Dr. Schacht: Generally, no. Just like when people get acupuncture, you can have trigger points where there’s a pinched nerve or a really tight muscle. When you get a release there can be a spasm, but once that goes away they are fine.

Me: Can healthy dogs benefit from acupuncture?

Dr. Schacht: I guess you could and a lot of humans do acupuncture to maintain health. However, I don’t think it’s commonly done in vet medicine.

Me: What breeds do you see the most for acupuncture?

Dr. Schacht: I see a lot of Dachshunds with back issues and larger dogs like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers and Dobermans. As these large dogs get older their hips and backs can have issues.

Me: Do you do acupuncture on cats?

Dr. Schacht: I’ve done a few cats. They’re a little more sensitive about things going on their skin and in their hair. You can do cats if they’re cooperative, but mostly I see dogs.

Me: What is the strangest animal you’ve ever done acupuncture on?

Dr. Schacht: An Amazon Parrot with a prolapsed cloaca.

Side note: I Googled Image Searched “prolapsed cloaca” and regret it so much.

Me: One of your clients reviewed you on Google and called you an “animal whisperer.” Do you consider yourself an animal whisperer?

Dr. Schacht: I don’t really know how to define that term but I think over the years I’ve developed an intuition where I try to listen to what the animals are telling me. So maybe they do whisper to me, I don’t know. But I think it’s important to look at the patient in front of you and hear what they’re trying to tell you. I definitely try to tune into the animal the best I can. I think they try to talk to us, honestly.

Me: Can you share a success story?

Dr. Schacht: One Dachshund had surgery on a ruptured disc but post-surgery she was still paralyzed. She came to me and after eight or nine acupunctures she started walking again. It was amazing, even then I didn’t think there was a chance but I didn’t want to give up. To me, it was a really amazing turn-around. When you see stuff like that it keeps you motivated to keep learning and keep treating.

Me: Is there anything pet owners can do at home to improve their pet’s health?

Dr. Schacht: The thing you have the most control over is what they eat. That means less processed food and variety. Dogs love fresh meats, vegetables and fruits.

Me: What would you tell someone who is nervous about bringing their dog to you?

Dr. Schacht: I think you have to be comfortable with what you’re doing and it’s about following your inner voice. A lot of people intuitively don’t want to over-vaccinate or use strong pain meds and don’t understand that there are other options. Listen to that intuition because you can really do great things for your animal friends holistically.

If you’re considering dog/cat/Amazon Parrot acupuncture, my advice is to read Dr. Schacht’s google reviews and comments on the Charlotte Natural Animal Clinic Facebook page. These are real people with real success stories (and from what I can tell, they love the heck out of this guy.)

Side note: As Esther and I were leaving, Dr. Schacht yelled after us, “Be a good girl!” I responded “I will!”

Yeah, he was talking to Esther.