BEIJING — Strapped in tight, the prone
poodle nervously eyes the vet as he gently sticks fine needles into its back
and paws, summoning the ancient art of acupuncture to treat the pet’s aches and
pains.
اضافة اعلان
Duniu is just one of a growing number of animals
being signed up for traditional medicine in
China — care their masters say is
less invasive and comes with fewer side effects than conventional treatments.
In one Beijing practice, pets of all shapes and
sizes come for treatments.
“The advantage of traditional
Chinese medicine is
that there is no surgery,” 38-year-old Zhai Chunyu tells AFP, accompanied by
Duniu, his poodle.
“So the animal’s suffering is reduced.”
At just three years old, Duniu suffers from
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which affects the thigh bone and can lead to
painful osteoarthritis.
“He was in so much pain that he could no longer put
his paw on the ground” and “had no appetite”, says Zhai, who works in finance.
“A doctor advised me to have the head of the femur
removed. But I didn’t want to because I have another poodle who has been there
and he suffered a lot from the operation and the after-effects.”
But then a friend advised him to try acupuncture.
“After five to six sessions, we saw the results.
Duniu manages to walk and even run a little now,” Zhai says.
‘Treat them gently’
Animal acupuncture is centuries old in China, says veterinarian Li Wen,
who founded his practice in 2016.
“Traditional
Chinese medicine is not intended to replace conventional medicine” because
“both have their strengths” and are complementary, he says.
Before starting
the treatment, the vet first checks the animal’s body, examines its eyesight
and the color of its tongue, takes its pulse, and asks its owner questions.
He then plants
his needles at acupuncture points specific to dogs and cats.
“Out of the 10
animals that I receive on average every day, there are always one or two who
rebel,” Li says.
“You have to
communicate with them, treat them gently, reassure them that you’re not here to
hurt them.”
Recordings of
soft bamboo flute music and the chirping of birds are played at the clinic to
help the animals relax.
Li mainly deals
with cases of paralysis, limb weakness, epilepsy, pain, and urinary retention.
But acupuncture
can also be used for ailments when no other treatment is available.
That was the
case with Xiaomei, a 12-year-old male Labrador suffering from nerve compression
in his lower back.
“Last September,
after swimming, he was unable to get back on his feet. A veterinarian then told
us that it was impossible to treat and that he would become paralyzed,” his
owner Ma Li, 41, tells AFP.
“Thanks to
acupuncture, he still has difficulties but can walk normally and even run.”
‘He loves it!’
“The first time, he was scared,” says Yang Lihua, a 65-year-old retiree
accompanied by her Pekingese Niannian, who is suffering from a herniated disc.
“Now he loves
it! After the session, he is so relaxed that he sleeps in the car on the way
home.”
The acupuncture
market for animals remains limited for the moment, Li says.
“But since 2016,
it has been gaining popularity,” he adds.
“As education
levels, living conditions improve and incomes rise, more and more people are
realizing the benefits of this medicine.”
Ma’s Labrador
jumps into the back seat of her mistress’s car after her session, looking
content.
“Doesn’t he look happy?”
she exclaims.
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