Traditional Chinese veterinary assessment and acupuncture were associated with recovery from concurrent anaemia, intestinal impaction, and hind limb weakness in an elderly horse.
An elderly horse with anaemia, large-intestinal impaction, weight loss, and hind limb weakness received conventional supportive care, including laxatives and a red blood-cell supplement. After recurrent impaction, clinicians performed a Traditional Chinese veterinary assessment based on tongue appearance, pulse quality, and sensitivity at specific acupuncture points, identifying patterns involving kidney, spleen, and blood deficiency. Treatment combined acupuncture at selected body points with acupressure.
Following treatment, the owner reported marked clinical improvement, while blood measures of red-cell status returned to normal and the horse had a favourable outcome. The case suggests that an integrative assessment may help connect blood, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal signs occurring together and guide complementary treatment selection.
