Acupuncture–Moxibustion Combined with Locomotor Training Enhances Postoperative Recovery in Canine Cervical Intervertebral Disc Herniation: A Pilot Study

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of acupuncture–moxibustion (AM) combined with Locomotor Training (LT) on functional recovery after surgery for Cervical Intervertebral Disc Herniation (IVDH) in dogs. Seventy-nine dogs undergoing ventral slot decompression (VSD) between 2022 and 2025 were enrolled and assigned to either the AM plus LT group (ALRG group) or the LT-only group (LRG group) based on postoperative rehabilitation protocols. To control for bias, post hoc analysis used propensity score matching (PSM) stratified by Rusbridge Grade. Primary outcomes included time to standing and walking recovery, along with Olby scores at five postoperative time points. Secondary endpoints included postoperative analgesic usage rate and duration, as well as long-term prognosis at 6–8 months postoperatively. After PSM, each group comprised 20 dogs. Compared with the LRG group, the ALRG group demonstrated shorter time to standing and walking recovery, better Olby score improvement, and significantly reduced opioid usage duration. Long-term follow-up revealed a higher complete success rate in the ALRG group. All trends were more pronounced in severe cases classified as Rusbridge grades 3 and 4. This study demonstrates the clinical feasibility of combining AM with LT rehabilitation for postoperative recovery in dogs with cervical IVDH. It provided new evidence for optimizing postoperative rehabilitation protocols and supports future large-scale prospective studies.