MOVING from conventional to holistic medical treatment was never the easiest thing to do for Dr Susanna Santhiram-Hofherr, but it was a dare by a friend that prompted her to explore this approach, which she is currently applying to her patients (pets).
Susanna is a pet lover, and for that reason alone, she became a veterinary surgeon in 1994 so that she could provide healing for animals.
As the years went on, Susanna then decided to open her first vet clinic in Kuala Lumpur in 2008, and it is called Asia Paws.
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.
Now, she is a holistic pet healer that focuses on helping to improve the lives of the animals that come to her seeking treatment.
“My agenda is to help the pets, but in some cases, there were not so good results if it was only acupuncture.
“When I was studying, the problem was that there wasn’t really any importance given to practising healthy nutritional intake among the animals.
“So, I went for courses in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia to expand my knowledge and develop my understanding of the importance of cultivating the dietary needs of animals.
“What I do is not only acupuncture services, but I constantly advise pet owners to think about everything from (their pet’s) lifestyle, food, supplements, exercise and which conventional medicines are actually useful,” Susanna said during an exclusive interview with Buletin Mutiara at Straits Quay recently.
Susanna, who hails from Austria, is happily married to Shankar Santhiram, a Penangite.
Meanwhile, during the interview, Susanna also said that every patient (pet) and owner is unique in their own way, and she has to cater to their needs accordingly.
“I have a very personalised approach towards all my patients.
“Yes, I do get tired at times, and sometimes I just don’t feel like doing anything. But then I constantly remind myself that I have a duty, which in my case, it is a duty to provide healing for animals.
“That keeps me going and of course, I have a husband who is the reason behind my success,” Susanna added.
Susanna currently operates her second clinic branch, called the Gesundheit by Asia Paws, at Straits Quay.
When asked about her experience staying in Malaysia so far, Susanna said she truly enjoys her time here because the people are really warm, and most importantly, a lot of them love their pets!
“That’s a beautiful thing to see. And of course, a topic we can never skip when in Malaysia is the food the country takes pride in.
“I really love Malaysia, and now with my new clinic here in Penang, it is heartwarming to see how pet owners actually care so much for the well-being of their pets,” Susanna added.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar