Little Luna was found as a stray and brought to a local pound where they noticed something unusual about her. Her feet and legs were swollen, causing her a lot of pain and discomfort. At nine-weeks-old, she should’ve been running and playing like a normal puppy. But this tiny poodle cross could barely walk without yelping.

The pound transferred her immediately to Lort Smith, where we diagnosed her with congenital lymphedema — a malformation of the lymphatic system. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition, but we were determined to give this sweet little puppy the best chance at a normal pain-free life.

We placed her in a loving foster care home so she could be constantly doted on while we tried out different treatments. We tried compression stockings to reduce the swelling, different kinds of oral medication, daily massages and short walks, however, the most effective treatment to date has been Luna’s regular acupuncture appointments with Dr Amanda.

As with humans, acupuncture in animals is used to help the body heal itself by correcting energy imbalances. The technique requires the insertion of fine needles into the dog’s body at specific acupuncture points, where nerves and blood vessels meet.

Over a period of five months, Dr Amanda performed acupuncture on Luna once a fortnight. Of course, like any puppy, Luna was not overly well behaved when attending her appointments and food and treats were always on hand to distract her! But gradually, we began to notice that her lymphedema symptoms were reducing and it was decided that she was ready to be fostered with a view to adopt.

Within 24 hours Luna caught the eye of Gaby and Mitch and this trio has been inseparable ever since! Luna now spends her days at the local dog beach, basking in the sun and enjoying sea water physiotherapy, which helps reduce the swelling of her legs.

And while Luna still needs to visit Dr Amanda every month, this pup is definitely enjoying a healthier, happier and pain-free life.

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