Acupressure

A Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that has been used successfully for people and animals for thousands of years.

Acupressure is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that has been used successfully for people and animals for thousands of years. Through the application of light touch and gentle pressure on various Acupoints along the body, Acupressure can help to restore balance and the flow of energy and vital substances throughout the body, which can lead to improved physical and emotional well-being.

Acupressure is a holistic approach to healing that can be used to help with a wide variety of conditions including chronic pain, anxiety/stress, and loss of vitality due to aging or chronic disease. It is also a great adjunct when recovering from an injury or orthopedic surgery. 

Because Acupressure uses light touch/gentle pressure rather than the small needles used in Acupuncture, it can be especially useful for those patients who may not be tolerant of needles or who become restless or uncomfortable sitting still for 20-30 minutes at a time. The absence of needles also allows for the treatment of many Acupoints that may not be readily accessible with Acupuncture on an animal. 

Another benefit of Acupressure is that many points can be demonstrated for the pet parent to treat at home in between sessions, empowering them to participate in their pet’s healing process actively.

An Acupressure session begins with an overall Assessment of the patient using Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, and then appropriate Acupoints to be treated are selected based on those findings. Each session takes approximately 30 minutes. Appointments are $70 per session and patients must either be current patients at Wauwatosa Veterinary Clinic or receive a referral from their Primary Care Veterinarian indicating that they have approved of this treatment modality.

Acupressure services at Wauwatosa Veterinary Clinic are provided by Kerry Malak, who is Certified in Small Animal Acupressure through Tallgrass Animal Acupressure and Nationally Board Certified through NBCAAM. She has been practicing Acupressure since 2019 and Board Certified since 2021. Kerry is also a Certified Canine Massage Therapist and utilizes both canine sports massage and Tui Na massage techniques in her work with animals.