The quickly growing field of veterinary acupuncture has taken another large step forward with the recent acceptance of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncturists (AAVA) into the AVMA House of Delegates (HOD).

According the AVMA, the House of Delegates voted to admit the 900-plus-member veterinary acupuncture association as a constituent allied veterinary organization during the Jan. 11 HOD Regular Winter Session meeting.

“I am pleased to welcome the AAVA and its members into the AVMA House of Delegates,” said Clark K. Fobian, DVM, AVMA president. “Admitting the AAVA into the house will foster greater communication between this organization’s membership and the rest of the veterinary community.”

Veterinary acupuncture started to find its way into the U.S. veterinary scene in the 1970s but gained a firmer foothold beginning in the mid-1990s, the AVMA said.

Now that veterinary acupuncture is gaining more popularity with each passing year, the AAVA's addition to the AVMA HOD will give it a stronger voice to participate in the discussions that shape the policies of veterinary medicine, said AAVA President Ken Ninomiya, DVM.

“The AAVA represents a growing practice area among veterinarians and represents a general population of practitioners that cross state lines and species and practice types. We are comprised of educators, AVMA-recognized specialties, and small animal, equine, farm animal, avian, and pocket pet practitioners,” Ninomiya said. “Our contribution to the AVMA House of Delegates will benefit AVMA by voicing a wide spectrum of practitioners’ views.”