I've yet to have a dog I couldn't get a needle into. Animals tend to relax quickly, and the needles I use are very different from hypodermics. They bring on a subtle, calming effect. As a result, you can get one in without a dog even knowing, and then another 20 in after that. I bring a bag of needles of various sizes when I go to see the animal, as well as a few other tools to test pressure and pain.

It's not very technical, really. The first time I saw acupuncture on an animal, I was a bit sceptical. I saw a horse being treated successfully and the process of seeing the animal respond seemed to give the owner a bit of happiness, too. There's a thrill when you see an animal get better. I've treated a camel, lots of horses, but mainly dogs. It's great for the owners. They know they're not pumping their pets full of drugs and I get to know animals and their owners on a more personal level.

I often travel to the animal, and those journeys can be quite a solitary experience. Driving around London is never great. My wife and I just had a baby, so I try to fit appointments around spending time at home.

My main worry in life used to be that I was not doing enough. When I was working with horses, I'd be thinking I should be at the surgery. It's hard to enjoy one thing. It's hard to feel happy in the moment.

But that's all changed since the birth of our baby. I look at the world differently. It used to be if I was five minutes late for a client, I'd drive myself mad. Now I allow myself to be calm. The needle becomes steadier.