Dog gets acupuncture for pain

A Virginia family has turned to the ancient practice to help reduce pain for their dog, Triumph, after she lost a leg to cancer.

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When her dog, Triumph, was diagnosed with cancer, Sarah Jones was faced with a tough choice: amputate Triumph's left front leg or put her down.

"It was a really hard decision to make for a 10-year-old dog, but our vet said, 'If it was my dog, I would do it because she's so healthy in other ways,'" Jones told The Associated Press.

But after the surgery, Triumph wasn't her usual self. She wasn't as active and didn't want to go on walks.

"She was having some issues with the stairs and getting in and out of the car," said their veterinarian, Dr. Anne Mills.

Mills knew Triumph was in pain, so she suggested an unusual treatment: acupuncture. Now, the dog undergoes 15-minute acupuncture sessions with Mills, and the needles seem to be helping the canine triumph over the pain.

"She's a dog who loves to get out and run and sniff and walk, so to keep her quality of life better in that way is huge," Jones said.

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