While Western medicine is just ‘re-discovering’ the relationships between the mind and body (i.e. the unity of mind and body), Traditional Chinese Medicine had, all along, acknowledged the importance of the mind and emotions in causing disease.

In fact, Chinese Medicine recognises only a handful of causative agents of disease:

• Climatic factors (such as Cold, Heat etc. which can often be approximated to external pathogens)
• Miscellaneous factors (a broad category that encompasses diet, lifestyle, exercise, and medications)
• Internal factors (including seven main emotions)

This classification shows the importance that Chinese Medicine attributes to emotions.

This means that within Chinese Medicine Examination and Diagnosis, there is a built-in way to account for emotions in both Diagnosis and Treatment.

Emotions/behavioural symptoms are not just ‘extraneous’ symptoms that occur separately from main ‘physical’ health problems – mental and physical health issues are deeply interconnected and both must be addressed jointly to promote the overall health and wellbeing of the animal.

In Chinese Medicine, there is no differentiation between the mind and body, and emotions and Organs (the body) interrelate in a continuous cycle. They ‘resonate’ with each other on an energetic frequency level. For example, the strong presence of a certain emotion could be seen as a symptom of Organ Disease, or conversely, over-exposure to that emotion could cause Organ dysregulation.

Negative emotions are normal occurrences and they do not normally cause disease. However, severe, continuous, or abruptly occurring emotional stimuli, which surpass the regulative adaptability of the organism, will affect the physiological functions of the animal body, especially when there is a preexisting over-sensitivity to them (i.e. that particular Organ is already weak).

This means that when an Animal Acupuncture Practitioner assesses an animal, they will pay close attention to the emotions that animals display (and what is reported by the animal guardian), as these emotions can provide important clues to the disease affecting the animal and the factors perpetuating that disease.

In animals, emotions are mostly observed through behaviour and through interrogation of the animal guardian (i.e. history taking). While the AAA Certificate in Animal Acupuncture does not require students to become full-fledged animal behaviourists (ethologists), simple common sense and observations of animal behaviours will take most students a long way in recognizing causes of diseases. This helps not only in accurately diagnosing disease, but in helping advise animal guardians about recommended changes to improve the health of their animals.

The Seven Emotional Causes of Disease in Chinese Medicine

The seven emotional factors in traditional Chinese medicine are Joy, Anger, Sadness, Worry, Fear, Shock, and Oppression (different authors use different classifications of emotions). Note that theories about the seven emotional factors have been derived for human Chinese Medicine – there again, careful judgement is needed in order to transfer them to animals. 

Emotions are respectively associated with a Chinese Medicine Yin (Zang) Organ. Internal Organs are extremely important in Chinese Medicine diagnosis and treatment, but these ‘Organs’ do not fully correspond to the Western understanding of standard organs.

•         Anger is related to the Liver
•         Joy is related to the Heart
•         Sadness is related to the Lungs (and Heart)
•         Worry is related to the Spleen (and Lungs)
•         Fear is related to the Kidneys
•         Shock is related to the Heart
•         Oppression affects the Spleen, Lungs and Heart 

Note, multiple emotions (and mixtures of them) can occur as well.

Anger

Anger relates to frustration, irritability, and repressed anger, and can be relatively easy to observe in animals or uncover from questioning the animal guardian.

A typical example would be an animal that is frustrated with its current program of training/exercise, and starts to misbehave or complete exercises incorrectly as a sign of frustration.

Anger can be both expressed or suppressed (in the form of frustration/resentment). Even repressed anger can have negative physical consequences, perhaps even more so, as it is more difficult to observe or easier to brush under the carpet.

Anger relates to the Liver and can cause stagnation of Liver Chi or Liver Blood, rising of Liver Yang, or blazing Liver Fire. If the anger is repressed, this is more likely to lead to Liver Chi stagnation. Anger makes Chi rise and symptoms are often observed in the head (hence the term ‘hot-headed’).

Anger at mealtimes (e.g. animals fighting at mealtimes) can cause Liver Chi to invade the Stomach, leading to Stomach problems. This is why it is important that animals have a peaceful mealtime and after-mealtime period.

Liver Chi stagnation is a massive problem in modern Western human societies, where stress and frustration have become the norm. Liver Chi stagnation is often a precursor to other serious pathologies, such as chronic digestive problems (Spleen Chi Deficiency), insomnia/anxiety (Heart problems), and respiratory issues (Lung issues).

It is therefore important for us to keep an eye out for signs of recurring frustration, discontent, and repressed or expressed anger in our animals.

LIV-3 Taichong is a good point to deal with Anger, in addition to BL-47 Door of the Ethereal Soul.

Joy

Joy in this context mostly refers to over-excitement, which can injure the Heart. Over-stimulation disturbs the Mind (Shen), which rests in the Heart at night.

The main manifestations of pathological Joy (over-excitement) are palpitations, over-excitability, restlessness, disturbed sleep, red tip of the tongue, and over-vocalizing.

For example, a dog may be constantly barking very loudly and seem over-excited even with small, innocuous stimuli, revealing a Heart/Shen problem. This dog would tend to have a red tip of the tongue/red lips and gums, sleep issues, and may also have skin issues if they have Heat in the Blood.

Constant exposure to over-stimulating circumstances (e.g. animals competing in shows/arenas) may also lead to Heart injury. Many horses constantly vocalize when in competition/show settings due to over-stimulation.

In this case, reducing exposure to over-stimulation and equipping the animal with tools to emotionally regulate during periods of over-excitement are important. This is often easier said than done, and Acupuncture can help in regulating those over-excited animals.

It is also important to note that all emotions affect the Heart, because the Heart houses the Mind (Shen). This means that when there are Heart symptoms, there may be other negative emotions at play that need to be addressed.

BL-44 is the Hall of the Mind/Shen and is good for addressing anxiety and insomnia, in addition to HE-7. I recommend using BL-44 and HE-7 in all emotional problems involving anxiety and/or sleep.

Sadness

The Lungs govern Chi and sadness depletes (dissolves) Chi (life energy). Sadness weakens the Lungs and affects the Heart. Hence symptoms of Sadness can include breathlessness, Lung symptoms, and depression.

Grief is a particularly intense form of Sadness, which is very injurious to the Lungs. Many animals struggle to recover from the loss of a beloved human or animal companion, which can have severe effects on the Lungs. For example, think of those Victorian movies where ladies died of pneumonia when their lover died - they most likely had a Grief/Lung issue at play.

BL-42 is the Door of the Corporeal Soul and useful for Sadness and Grief. HE-5 can also be used for Sadness.

Worry

Worry affects the Spleen and the Lungs. In Chinese Medicine, the Spleen is responsible for thinking and ideas. If worry affects the Spleen, it can cause digestive symptoms such as an animal being off their food (poor appetite), abdominal distension, and listlessness/fatigue.

While it is difficult to ascertain cognitive factors in animals such as ‘worry’, the animal guardian will often be able to report whether the animal is a chronic worrier or over-thinker. Such animals may have ‘tics’ or habits that they are unwilling to deviate from. They may be easily upset by unexpected things that people/other animals do around them. Or they may get very upset with a change to their daily routine. Changing homes is another factor that can lead to worry and attack the Spleen, leading to digestive symptoms and diarrhea over the new carpets!

It is quite common for issues with Grief/Worry to occur concurrently when an animal loses a beloved human/animal friend, which not only creates Sadness but also upsets their daily habits. They may then have issues with eating/digestion and shortness of breath, eventually leading to Lung issues.

SP-3 Taibai is a good point to deal with Worry, in addition to HE-7 and BL-44 if necessary. BL-49 House of the Mind is used for Mental Burnout (e.g. after an event/strenuous training period).

Fear

Fear is perhaps one of the most potent emotions in the animal kingdom as it is deeply rooted to survival and the flight-fight response. Fear here includes a chronic state of fear/anxiety as well as sudden fear.

The animal guardian will often be able to tell if the animal is fearful, anxious, or easily spooked.

Fear depletes Kidney Chi and makes Chi descend. It is quite a normal response for animals experiencing fear to urinate, releasing Chi from the Kidney/Bladder downwards. Symptoms that Fear is at play include issues with toileting habits, including urinary incontinence and diarrhea. 

Fear becomes an issue when it is chronic, when the animal has no respite from sensations of fear, and/or when the animal is not sufficiently equipped to deal with these emotions. If Fear/Anxiety is a chronic issue for an animal, it is important to seek the help of a suitably trained animal behaviourist.

Chronic fear attacks the Kidneys, which in Chinese Medicine are associated with the storage of our Life Essence (Jing) and key to longevity. This could explain why many animals living in chronic dire situations have shorter lifespans, beyond the simple effects of diet or infectious diseases.

KI-9 Zhubin is a good point to deal with Fear. BL-52 Room of the Will Power is used to reverse depression and increase the "will to win".

Shock

Mental shock can be thought of as acute mental trauma, and history-taking may reveal a history of mental trauma with the animal. The effects of Shock can be quite similar to those of Fear, but more intense/acute.

Mental shock scatters Chi (life force) and affects the Heart and Kidneys. In some cases, the animal may be so traumatized they ‘lose’ a part of their personality or seem permanently changed.

Shock can deplete Heart Chi, leading to a smaller Heart, insomnia, breathlessness, and restlessness. Powerful shocks draw on an animal’s Kidney Jing when it is instantly transformed into Chi and Shen to deal with the incident. In this way, the effect of Shock can be to reduce lifespan, especially if the animal experiences multiple Shocks during their lives.

HE-7 Shenmen is a good point to deal with Shock. This is also the main point for anxiety, worry and stress-related insomnia.

Oppression

Here, oppression denotes any emotion which becomes unduly oppressive (‘all-encompassing’), amplifying the effect of the other six emotions. This is a type of emotion that the animal just cannot get away from.

For example, an animal with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) could be seen as having a more ‘oppressive’ version of Worry.

Oppression restricts the movement of Yang Chi and is particularly deleterious to the Spleen, Lungs, and Heart.

How to Deal with Emotions in Clinical Practice

As seen above, observation of emotions in animals can aid in:

• Diagnosis, as symptomatic emotions can provide clues to which disease pattern(s) are at play.
• Understanding causes of disease and ways to remedy them.

This means that the Animal Acupuncture Practitioner is in an excellent place to observe animal emotions/behaviours, translate them within a medical system that accounts for emotions, and provides common-sense recommendations for animal guardians.

More often than not, the Animal Acupuncture Practitioner will look to address the root cause of all linked mental/physical symptoms, rather than just focus on mental symptoms. For example, if an animal is frustrated/irritable and suffers from recurrent ear infections, addressing the root cause of the ear infections will go a long way to settling the animal’s behaviour.

This also means that if the animal is only suffering from behavioural symptoms, the first port of call should probably be a behaviourist or behavioral vet, rather than an Acupuncture Practitioner. If aggression is a problem, always refer the animal to a behaviourist.

Acupuncture Practitioners are in a great position to advocate for simple environmental changes or a more complete behavioural program to benefit the animal. They will be able to explain to the animal guardian how persistent negative emotions may be adversely impacting the health of their animal.

While detailed behavioural recommendations are beyond the scope of Animal Acupuncture, it is recommended Animal Acupuncture Practitoners create a network of referral to animal behaviorists, as AAPs are often the first to recognise problematic emotions in animals. It is also recommended AAPs educate themselves on common behavioral cues of their focus species.

Overall, the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to Emotions shows how Animal Acupuncture Practitioners can become advocates and great resource points to improve the physical and mental health of animals.

The AAA Certificate in Animal Acupuncture includes treatment plans for 40+ conditions for Small Animals and Equines, including Behavioural Conditions such as Depression, Fear, Anxiety & Sleep Disorders.