Evaluating the Efficacy of Electro-acupuncture Integrated into a Multi-modal Pain Management Protocol for Canine Dental Extractions: A Pilot Study

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of integrating electro-acupuncture (EAP) into a multi-modal pain management protocol during canine surgical dental extractions. Thirty dogs undergoing surgical extraction of fractured or diseased teeth were enrolled and randomly assigned to the Test Group (EAP) or Control Group (EAP non-relevant acupoints). All subjects underwent standard anesthetic procedure before receiving study group electro-acupuncture. The Test Group had needles placed bilaterally at Tai-yang+ST-42 and LI-4+ST-6 with 20 minutes of electrical stimulation. The Control Group had needles placed bilaterally at non-relevant acupoints, BL-20+GB-34 and LIV-13+KID-3, with the same electrical stimulation settings. A cumulative pain score based on the modified Glasgow Composite Pain Scale (mGCPS), consisting of assessments of 4 behaviors (vocalization, response to touch, demeanor, and posture/activity), was first collected at 30 minutes, then at 1, 2, 4, and 24 hours after extubation. This data was used for comparison of treatment effects between the 2 study groups. Patient physiological data, collected at the same time as behavior assessments, included heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and body temperature (BT). Compared with the Control Group, the Test Group’s mGCPS score was 42%, 35%, 24%, 41%, and 60% lower at 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4, and 24 hours, respectively, after extubation. The Test Group also had lower post-extubation HR (21%) and RR (10%) compared to Control Group. The findings suggest that integrating EAP in a multi-modal pain management protocol during canine surgical dental extractions could enhance the efficiency of pain management.