Evaluation of aquapuncture in the reduction of intraoperative hemorrhage in canine ovariohysterectomy.

Presurgical vitamin B12 aquapuncture at acupoint GV-5 significantly reduces intraoperative blood loss during canine ovariohysterectomy.

This prospective, randomized, blinded clinical trial evaluated whether presurgical aquapuncture (injection of vitamin B12 at a specific acupoint) could reduce intraoperative hemorrhage during canine ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Fifty-one female dogs were randomly assigned to three groups: Group T (treatment; B12 injected at acupoint GV-5, which carries hemostatic indications), Group SC (sham control; B12 injected at GV-14, an acupoint without hemostatic indications), and Group NC (negative control; no injection). Injections were administered 15–30 minutes prior to surgery by a blinded surgeon, and blood loss was quantified postoperatively via gravimetric gauze weighing by a blinded assessor. Weight-normalized blood loss was significantly lower in Group T (0.13 ± 0.06 mL/kg) compared to both Group SC (0.28 ± 0.16 mL/kg; P = .003) and Group NC (0.34 ± 0.22 mL/kg; P = .003). No significant difference was found between the SC and NC groups (P = .999), suggesting the effect was specific to the GV-5 acupoint rather than the vitamin B12 itself or a nonspecific needling response. The study design incorporated blinding at both the surgical and outcome measurement levels, strengthening internal validity. The authors propose that GV-5 aquapuncture may offer a safe, low-cost adjunct to reduce surgical bleeding, potentially decreasing operative time, postoperative inflammation, pain, and the risk of hemorrhagic complications during routine OVH procedures in dogs.

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