Student vets to study acupuncture

A Pekinese dog receives acupuncture treatment

Veterinary students from Edinburgh University are to study traditional acupuncture techniques to help animals.

Thirty students will travel to China next month to study the subject at the national agricultural university.

They are thought to be the first British-based veterinary students to study acupuncture in the country.

Acupuncture has been used in China for more than 2,000 years and nearly every hospital in the country has a traditional medicine department.

It has also emerged as a popular treatment for animals in China, and is also growing in popularity in the UK.

Veterinary surgeon, Samantha Lindley, of Edinburgh University's hospital for small animals, trains about 100 vets a year in acupuncture.

She said: "Acupuncture can be used to treat any animals - mostly cats and dogs, but also rabbits, birds, reptiles, horses and farm animals.

"It's used to treat chronic and acute pain, nausea and conditions such as megacolon, bladder problems and some skin conditions."

Veterinary medicine student Sarah Helman, 25, is one the students who will be studying in Beijing.

She has received acupuncture herself and plans on incorporating it into her practice when she qualifies as a vet.

She said: "I really want to learn the basics of acupuncture and how it is applied to animals. I think this is a great opportunity to go to China and learn it first hand from the country that specialises in it."