ABVA Foundation Course in Veterinary Acupuncture
There will be both canine and equine practicals on this course (acupuncture point location only)
Dates: 12 - 14 November 2025
9 online modules must be completed prior to attending the practical in-person teaching
In-person teaching location:
Canine Partners, Ashby Road, Loughborough, LE12 9SR
Please note: Canine Partners do not allow non-training dogs on site and have a strict no dogs left in cars policy.
Price: Existing ABVA members £1200
Non-members £1300
This course is worth 28 CPD hours
Delegates qualify for 1 year free membership on completion of the whole course.
ABVA Foundation Course in Veterinary Acupuncture - Autumn
The ABVA Foundation Course is primarily a practical one for veterinary surgeons who are new
to acupuncture or those who wish to refresh their knowledge. The information we give you
stands firmly on a Western clinical diagnosis and an understanding of acupuncture’s
neurophysiological mechanisms; but to broaden your experience we would like to introduce you
to some of the historical and traditional concepts from which this ancient form of medicine
evolved. Acupuncture has been around for a long time. It’s an ancient art that we are now able to apply
to our patients on a day to day basis using traditional theories and new science to get the best
possible results. This is just the beginning of this fascinating subject.
The Foundation Course follows the following format:
Online lectures/modules provide an introduction to the neurophysiology of acupuncture, the principles of acupuncture point selection, myofascial trigger points and current relevant research. They are available six weeks prior to the practical sessions. (Please note: modules must be completed prior to attending the in-person teaching.)
In-person teaching over the first two days provides a foundation level in veterinary acupuncture, the approach to clinical cases and the practicalities of needling patients.
The final day of in-person introduces the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and it's application in acupuncture.
There will be both canine and equine practicals the current plan is for two canine and one equine although both are beneficial regardless of which species you eventually intend to treat.
A follow-up online module discusses introducing acupuncture into practice, professional communication, consent and financial considerations.
COURSE LECTURERS
Dr Mike Cummings
Mike has been Medical Director of the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) since 2001. This role involves running the BMAS London Teaching Clinic (LTC), developing and running BMAS courses in Western medical acupuncture, acting as an associate editor for the Medline-listed journal Acupuncture in Medicine, and representing the BMAS at academic and political meetings.
He is an Honorary Clinical Specialist at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, which is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where he supports acupuncture services.
His principal academic and clinical interests are musculoskeletal pain, and in particular, needling therapies in the treatment of myofascial pain syndromes. He has published several papers in this area as well as in the broader field of Western medical acupuncture.
Dietrich Graf von Schweinitz BSc DVM MRCVS CertVetAc
Dietrich is our main lecturer and course organiser. He graduated form the University of Georgia in 1982 and has been practising acupuncture for over thirty years. He is a past member of the Board of Directors and Education Committee for the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and is also a past president of the ABVA. He has carried out and published pioneering research in equine acupuncture.
Linda Boggie DVM
Dr Linda Boggie graduated from the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. She has trained with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, the Chi Institute and also a Daoist priest. Linda established a small animal holistic practice in the Netherlands in 2003 and she teaches acupuncture and herbal medicine all over the world. She is a past President of IVAS and a worldrenown speaker.
Taught by internationally recognised lecturers with a wealth of acupuncture experience
The only UK veterinary acupuncture course to include an introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine
Learn how to practice acupuncture safely in practice
Hands-on practical sessions in palpation and point-finding
Hybrid teaching allows time for learning and reading before in-person sessions
The first step towards ABVA Certification
One year membership to ABVA included in the course fees