KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Love seems to be what makes the world go round for Dr Susanna Santhiram-Hofherr who runs a veterinary clinic specialising in alternative therapy for pets faced with all sorts of ailments.

It was her love for animals that got her started as a veterinary surgeon back in 1994, as it was her love for her man that made her decide to set up shop in Malaysia in 2008.

But it was her scepticism that paved the way for her to dive headlong into the age-old art of holistic animal therapy pioneered by the Chinese thousands of years back.

Initially a staunch non-believer of acupuncture, she took up a dare from a friend who regularly sought the needly treatment — and has never looked back since.

While she got her start by jabbing needles along her patients’ meridians, Santhiram-Hofherr has since broadened her scope to advise clients on everything from diet to their living environment as a means to improve the well-being of not only the family pooch, but the family itself.

Arguably the first holistic pet healer in South-east Asia, she shares her experiences in her own words:

• That was the only brave decision I made in my life (changing from conventional to holistic treatment). I actually started trying to prove a friend not to give me rubbish about acupuncture. I thought, “Fine, it’s just a few needles.” But after the needles were put in, I started feeling better. In my head I was going, “How could this be?”
• I started slowly and very gradually. My agenda was really to help the pets, but in some cases there were not-so-good results if it was only acupuncture. The problem is there is nothing in vet school that they teach about proper nutrition. All they have are what the big companies provide them and nothing more. So I went for courses in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia... I am constantly studying but I’m a nerd so I love doing it.
• I started with doing house calls in 2008. At the time, I had people tell me; “Why are you doing this lah? Malaysians don’t care for their pets.” But I found that people very much love their pets here.
• Every patient and owner is a very unique package, and because of that I need to tailor my treatment for them. My approach is very personalised. Sure, I get tired and sometimes don’t feel like going to the clinic but then I ask myself; why did I become a doctor? Because I want to help others, and not just the patients but also their owners.
• What I do is not just acupuncture. I also try to convince owners to think about everything from (their pet’s) lifestyle, food, supplements, exercise and which conventional medicines are actually useful. The biggest success is when they change their pet’s diet. Kibbles are okay, but home-prepared food which may be a bit difficult to make give better results.
• I choose my patients based on their conditions. I don’t want people to think that acupuncture is a shortcut. Maybe in the case of a broken leg, acupuncture may reduce the pain but the dog will keep using the leg and it will break even worse. I have to tell them I’m not a miracle worker. I’m not a bomoh yet.
• I’ve had quite a few quadraplegic patients, and those were really sad cases... one thing about acupuncture is that it helps the patient move on peacefully. Sometimes, at the very least that is the last gift to the patients.
• Malaysia is the best place to be. I think the potential here is huge, and there are still a lot of trees and greenery. It’s the green stuff that I treasure.
• There is (a future for holistic pet therapy). I hope I set the standard in a way. It’s not witchcraft, that’s why we keep it professional. In order to look to the future, we have to do it properly. Don’t disregard conventional medicine, but also don’t disregard things that you are not able to prove or visualise, for example chi.
• A holistic doctor is ready and willing to engage the patient and the owner. Holistic medicine involves everyone, it’s all about teamwork. It’s very fulfilling, but you have to get off your little pedestal of “I’m the doctor”... once you go holistic, you never turn back!