Would you dare stick pins into a lion? Vet performs acupuncture on animal's sore foot (after a VERY large dose of anaesthetic)

• Lucifer the lion had treatment to ease pain of earlier tumour removal
• The 11-year-old was given an anaesthetic before needles inserted in foot
• He is the first animal to receive acupuncture at Paignton Zoo in Devon
• Zoo staff say the lion will make a swift recovery following the treatment

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

You need the courage of a lion to stick needles into a big cat like Lucifer – or an extremely effective anaesthetic.

Happily for vet Nicki Grint the dose given to the 30st animal worked perfectly while she used acupuncture on a sore foot where a tumour was removed.

She has used the method on dogs before but not cats. 

And 11-year-old Lucifer is the first animal to have acupuncture at Paignton Zoo in Devon where he lives.

The needles stay in for 15 minutes and are being used with conventional therapy to relieve pain and improve blood flow to the wound to help it heal.

Read more: 

Albino alligator gets acupuncture in Brazil

Vets have used the ancient Asian practice of acupuncture to help the back problems of Bino the albino alligator at Sao Paulo Aquarium in Brazil.

Biologists say that acupuncture on animals is becoming increasingly common around the world.

Bino is regaining the use of his hind legs and tail thanks to what is expected to be a continuing course of treatment.

Tim Allman reports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23874522