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Dr. Dumont with Dr. Jamie Blinn, a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist.
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Jamie Blinn, DVM and a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, offers Traditional ChineseVeterinary Medical (TCVM) treatment options to Godspeed patients.
Godspeed Animal Care and St. Francis Pet Resort & Rehabilitation Center have long been known in Williamsburg for their comprehensive approach to animal wellness. Dr. Dumont and her staff are excited about the newest tool in their toolbox to provide the highest quality of care for their patients. Recently, they’ve called upon Jamie Blinn, DVM and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, to offer Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medical (TCVM) treatment options to Godspeed patients.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is considered an alternative treatment (for humans and animals!) in the United States, but as the name implies, it has been the foundation of medical treatment in China for thousands of years. Acupuncture for animals has evolved and changed dramatically over the thousands of years since its inception, and it continues to be studied and refined as knowledge of Western medicine and Chinese medicine are integrated in various clinical studies.
Dr. Dumont advocates a multi-faceted approach to animal health; rather than rely solely on medication or surgery for pain relief and restoration of health, she has implemented a rehabilitation strategy for many Godspeed patients. Acupuncture is another method of promoting wellness while hopefully decreasing the dose of Western medications required, many of which can have harmful side effects over a prolonged period of time. For example, many patients who suffer from arthritis experience increased pain relief and mobility following their acupuncture treatments, which often allows their veterinarian to reduce the dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications required to maintain an adequate quality of life. Additionally, cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy can benefit from acupuncture to decrease the side effects of their treatments such as nausea and vomiting.
For those clients who are interested in TCVM for their pet at Godspeed, they see Dr. Blinn for an initial evaluation and to discuss treatment options for their pet. During this initial exam, Dr. Blinn explains the benefits of TCVM, what the treatments look like, how long the process takes, and performs an initial physical examination. TCVM is generally slower to take effect than Western medicine; it usually requires between four and six weekly or biweekly treatments before the effects are fully apparent, and the effects tend to be cumulative. Many arthritic patients or patients who suffer from neurologic disease will respond to one treatment but their responses are more dramatic and last longer after several treatments. Every treatment is tailored to how the pet’s presentation is on that day, so Dr. Blinn performs an exam prior to each treatment to guide treatment strategy that day. During each treatment, approximately 10-30 needles are placed into “acupoints” located along one of twelve meridians in the body. Western research has shown that many acupoints are located at points where there is a high density of free nerve endings, arterioles, or inflammatory cells. The needles stimulate a “de Qi response,” which signifies the “arrival of the Qi” in Chinese terminology. This simply means that the imbalance detected by Dr. Blinn during examination is being addressed by the animal’s body as a result of needle placement. Sometimes the initial placement of the needle is uncomfortable during this response, but most animals tolerate the needle placement very well. Sometimes Dr. Blinn will elect to use electroacupuncture, which enhances the effect and duration of each treatment. Many patients rest quietly during this procedure, and some even fall asleep.
Dr. Blinn was fascinated by the idea of acupuncture after seeing it used during her fourth year of veterinary school by a veterinary anesthesiologist on staff at Texas A&M University, from which she graduated in 2007. She completed her TCVM training in 2015 and Acupuncture certification in 2018, both through the Chi Institute for TCVM in Florida. Her first case was her own dog, Fritz, who suffered from thrombocytopenia (low platelets in his blood). After infectious and auto-immune causes were ruled out, there were no treatments available other than plasma transfusion.
However, after six acupuncture sessions over the course of a year plus herbal therapy, Fritz’s platelet count doubled and remains stable. She hopes to provide similar assistance to many pets and their owners in the future. She says of working with Dr. Dumont and Godspeed, “Integrated medicine combines the best of Western and alternative medical principles and treatments, and I believe that’s what Dr. Dumont and her staff are providing at Godspeed Animal Care. I am excited to provide the TCVM piece of the puzzle and add acupuncture and herbal therapy to the treatment options for Godspeed patients.”
102 Tewning Road, Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
757-253-0656 | 757-253-8199