Ex-China military dog handler offers low-cost pet treatments, has 5 million online followers

A retired military dog handler in China has become an online pet-saving sensation by curing cats and dogs in a spartan clinic with little medical equipment.Qian Yong, who opened the clinic in rural Tangshan, northern Hebei province, has earned the nickname Hua Tuo in the Vets Field, the China-news-service" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="34945" data-entity-type="organization">China News Service reported.Hua Tuo was a Chinese doctor who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty (25-220) and is generally regarded by the public as a Divine Doctor because of his great medical skill.Qian, 43, boasts 5 million followers on social media. Since May of last year, he has released 76 video clips, some of which garnered over 2.5 million likes.An array of dogs, above, waiting for treatment at Qian’s clinic. Photo: WeixinThe simple videos show Qian’s working processes in his bare-bones clinic.He usually touches the animals, takes their temperatures and talks to their owners before swiftly making his diagnosis. His prescriptions include cheap tablets and intravenous (IV) drips, with pills sometimes costing less than one yuan (US14 cents).This is in stark contrast with animal hospitals in cities which charge hundreds of, and in most cases, thousands of yuan for treating common illnesses.Qian said he does not charge consultation fees and does not use any equipment to carry out physical checks on animals.A selection of images taken from Qian’s social media account, above. Photo: WeixinHis customers only pay for drugs, injections or IV drips. He sometimes does surgery costing as little as 30 yuan (US$4).His services draw pet owners to drive from afar to have their pets treated.One video clip released in May showed a woman bringing a dying Rottweiler to Qian’s clinic.According to the woman, the dog had not been able to stand up for 24 hours, had vomited, foamed at the mouth and had a distended stomach.Further ReadingQian gave it two injections: one in its leg and the other in its neck, and gave it some pills. The details of the medicine were not disclosed in the video.Former military dog handler Qian gives a dog an injection. Photo: WeixinA couple of hours later, the dog stood up and could even run out of the clinic.The total treatment cost was only 45 yuan (US$7).“Thank you for saving my dog’s life,” the woman owner told Qian, offering to give him two packs of cigarettes as a gift because she thought the vet service was too inexpensive.Qian joined the People’s Liberation Army in 2001 and served as a military dog handler over the following eight years.After he retired from the army, he tried several jobs, including opening a small restaurant. He decided to focus on the veterinary industry as he found he loved dealing with animals.Between 2014 and 2017, Qian took courses on animal medicine at the Northeast Agricultural University through long-distance learning and received a degree.Internet users have dubbed him a Miracle Doctor, but Qian said he felt nervous about that, saying he is not entitled to the accolade.Qian’s social media page shows him in his military uniform and some of the animals he has treated. Photo: Weixin“My biggest advantage is the cheap price. I solely rely on my experience, unlike urban vet clinics where animals undergo a lot of physical check-ups. Therefore the animals with congenital diseases or have a drug allergy will have risks at my clinic because I cannot tell their problem through my observation,” Qian told the media.He said many rural families just abandon their sick pet animals because they cannot afford to have them treated.That is why Qian goes all-out to lower the prices at his clinic.“So farmers will take the sick animals for treatment. That gives a chance of survival to those ‘fur babies’,” said Qian, using the affectionate term in China for cats and dogs.One internet user said: “I just spent 6,000 yuan (US$900) treating my pet dog in a clinic in my city. Qian only charged 20 yuan for the same problem. I was moved to tears.”