Loki, the elderly English Pointer received some electroacupuncture for her laryngeal paralysis last Wednesday. She was a model patient and stood still while Dr Kim and Ebony attached electroacupuncture leads to the needles. This stimulates the nerves that control her vocal cords and larynx.

Loki’s breathing had become noisy lately and we decided to give this a go as it has been a successful treatment in other dogs with laryngeal paralysis.

We mostly see this in Golden Retriever and Border Collies. It can be part of a condition called Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis Polyneuropathy (GOLPP) and ‘tieback’ surgery is often recommended. We have found that the surgery can be avoided if we use electroacupuncture, laser and prolotherapy strategies.