We defy anyone to find a lovelier cat than four-year-old domestic shorthair Archie. He arrived at Lort Smith with his three littermates at just four weeks old, with a severe case of cat flu.
Sadly, Archie caught the feline herpes virus, which he will carry for the rest of his life. The virus contributes to an ongoing problem with his sinuses, so Archie has constant nasal congestion. He is a chronic feline snuffler and the culprit of messy, wet sneezes. He also has skin and digestive problems.
Despite it all, "there is something very special about Archie," says his carer, Helen.
She has a beautiful gentle aura around her which transfers to the animal.
Helen, Archie's carer
A gold star patient
Archie was only expected to live for two years. He made the perfect "kitty-pig" for Dr Amanda, who had recently become certified in veterinary acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been used in veterinary practice in China for thousands of years to treat many ailments. For Archie, it has literally been life-changing.
"Dr Amanda's acupuncture treatment enables Archie's head to be relieved of his mucus by helping it to drain. He gets headaches so this helps relieve the tension in his head. It also covers a lot of his other health issues and keeps him on track," says Helen.
Dr Amanda holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. Since completing additional studies in Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine and acupuncture, she now also includes tongue descriptions and femoral tone in her clinical exam.
Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles into specific points on the body to achieve different effects. Unlike people, who often lie still, animals don't always give vets that luxury.
"On his first visit we were both worried about how he would respond to the acupuncture but he just sat there and let Dr Amanda do her work. She has a beautiful gentle aura around her which transfers to the animal. We have developed a great routine where Archie eats his treats throughout the procedure and then flops down to relax. He knows the drill!" says Helen.
"I have been working with Archie for two years now and through lots of positive reinforcement, coupled with his wonderful nature, he has become a gold star patient! He is very tolerant and mostly relaxes into his sessions, but does have certain spots he doesn't like the needles, such as his forelegs, which is common in a lot of animals as the area can be sensitive. In addition, there are acupoints that directly relate to his head and neck in his forelimbs which are often tender from his condition," explains Dr Amanda.
Dr Amanda aims for 15 to 20 minutes of needle time, but says even if an animal only gets five minutes before shaking or flicking the needles out, the acupoint has still been stimulated.
"The insertion of the needle stimulates the local tissues and will induce some local chemical changes which promote the energetic reaction we are trying to achieve," says Dr Amanda.
Archie has acupuncture in many different points, depending on how he presents at each session.
"Traditional Chinese medicine proposes that the essence of one's lifespan resides in kidneys. Archie has been unwell since birth. The essence of him has been affected, so I always try to boost his kidneys when he comes in," says Dr Amanda.
Good days and bad days
Archie still has good days and bad days. His skin and gut problems are now under control, but he still has congestion.
"Unfortunately Archie's sinus condition cannot be cured, but we can, and are, certainly making him more comfortable with acupuncture," says Dr Amanda.
As well as acupuncture, Archie has nasal flushes, a supportive diet and medical management.
"Both Archie and I can't thank Dr Amanda enough. She is such a gem and has helped Archie so much with his problems," says Helen.