In Pictures: 'Purrfect' therapy – massage and acupuncture sessions are providing relief for injured pets

Resting on a bright yellow towel on the veterinarian’s table, one-year-old Nuomi looked curious but otherwise unbothered by the handful of acupuncture needles inserted into its tiny body. 

The treatment is routine for the Napoleon cat, which has been having weekly to twice-a-month acupuncture sessions for the last six months. 

Retiree Kenneth Chng, 44, took Nuomi for acupuncture to help with his pet's mobility issues.

The feline was unable to fully extend its hind legs due to spinal compression affecting its nerves. 

“Surgery to correct that would cost around S$30,000 and there was also a chance that Nuomi wouldn’t survive the surgery,” Mr Chng said. 

Dr Joyce Lauw, a senior veterinary surgeon at AVH Animal Ark, said that acupuncture, which is a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment, can be used to treat animals with mobility problems or to help them get some pain relief.

She explained that during a session, needles are inserted into acupuncture points with a high density of nerves and blood vessels. This causes the release of endorphins to help provide pain relief and relaxation. 

“They can feel the needle, but it’s not very painful. It’s like when you get a massage and you feel sore when certain spots are pressed.”

She believes that TCM serves to complement Western treatments. 

Mr Chng the cat owner decided to explore the alternative treatment due to the risks and costs involved with invasive surgery.

He has seen improvements in his cat’s condition through a combination of physiotherapy and acupuncture over six months.

“In the past, when Nuomi was sitting, he would just lay his legs to the side. By the third session, he was able to tuck his legs in,” he added.

“Now, he is able to jump off the bathtub and run around.”

However, not all animals have the temperament to undergo acupuncture.  

“Younger animals, sometimes they’re really active and are unable to sit still. If they are running around and shaking, all the needles will fall out,” Dr Lauw said. 

She added that the experience is not meant to be stressful for the animal and no restraints are used to keep the pet from moving.

PETS IN NEED OF A MASSAGE 

For some pet owners, getting their furry friend a massage could be another form of treatment to help with pain relief. 

Massage therapist Karen Lim, 52, service provider Paws Fur Life, said that massage works by acting on the musculoskeletal and nervous system, improving blood circulation that in turn relaxes the animal.

Over the last 10 years, Ms Lim has provided massages for a rabbit and several cats, but dogs make up the majority of her clients. 

Ms Lim said that she had completed a 10-month course on canine massage and is a member of the International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork, which is based in the United States. 

Ms Lim said she used to see mostly older dogs with arthritis and joint issues, but increasingly, she is attending to younger animals that are receiving massages as a form of care. 

The cost for a standalone pet massage that lasts 30 to 45 minutes can range between S$45 (US$34) and S$120, two centres offering such services told CNA TODAY.

Massage also serves as a form of examination of an animal, Ms Lim said.

“Sometimes I spot lumps on a dog’s body that the owner is not aware of. The owner can decide if he wants to go to the vet to have it checked out.”

Fashion designer Daniel Boey, 59, has been arranging massages at home for the past three to five years for his two dogs: Luna, a five-year-old miniature bull terrier and Leia, a 10-year-old Weimaraner.

The treatment was initially meant just for his older dog Leia, as a form of rehabilitation after she had surgeries to correct its hind legs.