China: Animal acupuncture, a growing trend in Beijing

poodle well tied nervously looks at veterinary who gently stick small needles into his back and legs using an ancient art Chinese acupuncture for the treatment of pain in pets.

Dunyu joins a growing list of traditional medicine patients in China, practices that its owners say are less invasive and have fewer side effects than conventional treatments.

In the office of Beijing herd pets all types and sizes.

“The advantage of traditional Chinese medicine is that there is no operationDuniu owner Zhai Chunyu, 38, told AFP. “In this way, the suffering of the animal is reduced.”

In just three years this miniature poodle suffers from Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which affects the head of the femur and can cause painful osteoarthritis.

“I was in so much pain that I could no longer put my paw on the ground” and “I had no appetite,” says Zhai, who works in the financial industry.

“The doctor advised me to remove the head of the femur. But I didn’t want to, because I have another poodle that happened to him and he suffered a lot from the operation and the consequences,” he explains.

And then a friend suggested to try acupuncture.

“After five or six sessions, we saw results. Duniu can now walk and even run a little,” he celebrates.

additional medicines

acupuncture in animals has a long history in China, says veterinary Li Wen, who opened his practice in 2016.

“Traditional medicine China it is not meant to replace conventional medicine” because “both have their strengths” and complement each other, he explains.

Before starting treatment, the veterinarian weighs animalHe checks his eyesight and the color of his tongue, takes his pulse, and asks his master a few questions.

Then continue to place needles at specific points for dogs and cats.

“Of the ten animals I receive on average every day, there are always one or two that rebel,” Lee admits. “You have to communicate with them, treat them with respect, reassure them that you are not harming them,” he explains.

To help you relax, the background music of the clinic plays soothing melodies of bamboo flutes and birdsong.

Lee especially works with cases of paralysis, limb weakness, epilepsy, pain, and urinary retention.

But acupuncture can also be used for conditions where there is no other treatment.

So it was for Xiaomei12 year old male Labrador Retriever suffering from nerve compression in the lower back.

“Last September, after swimming, he couldn’t get up. veterinary He told us then that it was impossible to treat and that he would soon be paralyzed,” recalls 41-year-old owner Ma Li.

“Thanks to the acupuncture, he still has difficulty, but he can walk normally and even run,” he explains.

“He loves it!”

“The first time I was scared,” he says. Yang Lihua your Pekingese Niannianwho suffer from a herniated disc.

“Now he loves it! After each class, he relaxes so much that he falls asleep in the car on the way home, ”explains the 65-year-old pensioner.

While the acupuncture market for animals it’s still limited, “since 2016 it’s been gaining popularity,” Lee says.

“As education levels and living conditions improve and incomes rise, more and more people are realizing the benefits of this drug,” he says.

At the end of the session, Labrador Ma climbs into the back seat of the car, looking pleased. “Doesn’t he look happy?” she celebrates.

AFP