Comstock's Business Excerpt from Acupuncture: Ancient Treatment Passes Modern Testing by Dell Richards October 2003

When their veterinarian couldn't help Ron and Marilyn Starbuck's miniature Schnauzer, Sassy, any longer, the El Dorado Hills couple turned to an ancient system that's been discovered in the West only over the past 20 years: acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Although Sassy had multiple problems, Signe Beebe, a doctor of veterinary medicine and a certified veterinary acupuncturist, soon had the 16-year-old dog back on her feet. That was two years ago. Sassy, who struggled with Cushing's disease, hypothyroidism, kidney stones and other ravages of old age, survived until early September this year. In addition to regular western medical tests, she received a daily mixture of Chinese herbs, twice-monthly acupuncture, a part of TCM, and a raw-food diet. "Dr. Beebe brought her back from the edge of death several times," says Marilyn Starbuck. "I don't know how Dr. Beebe did it, but every time we went, she changed the acupuncture, readjusted the Chinese herbs and did what she needed to do. After the acupuncture, Sassy perked up and had a lot more energy." The Starbuck's dog isn't the only one helped by acupuncture and TCM. Kaiser Permanente has a staff of acupuncturists in its Physical Medicine Department. There are about 15,000 acupuncturists nationwide, according to Acupuncture Today (August '03), and more than 50 acupuncturists and clinics listed in the Sacramento Yellow Pages. Even dentists are discovering the benefits. ...Also combining the best of East and West, Signe Beebe likely would agree the two systems together work wonders. Although her four-legged caseload ranges from rehab for athletic and working animals to asthma, chronic infections and even cancer, she uses many modalities. "I'm in integrative medicine," she says. "I use and need Western diagnostics. I do Western testing as much as Chinese medicine. You need that to know where to put your needles and what herbs to use. Then you look at age, etc., that varies on an individual basis." In addition to using traditional manual, needle and electroacupuncture, Beebe also uses laser (mainly on cats, who often won't hold still for needles), injection, heat, vacuum, cutaneous and implantation acupuncture. As far as Ron and Marilyn Starbuck are concerned, taking the best of both worlds not only extended the life of their dog, but made the dog's life better. "Sassy enjoyed life," says Marilyn Starbuck. "We wouldn't have done this if the quality of her life hadn't warranted doing the things we did."

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