Pampering pets is all the rage in China

Chinese Culture

In this February 3, 2018, file photo, a French bulldog named Bao gets a bath while staff put bath toys into the water, during a spa treatment session at a pet groomers’ shop in Hong Kong. (Photo: Vivian Lin/VCG)

There are more than 70 million pet owners in China – and they’re spending big on their furry companions. Some Chinese pet owners pay top dollar, for everything from doggie day spas to kitty acupuncture.

CGTN’s Isbella Diaz shares just some of the ways China is bringing pet care to a whole, new level.

The pet spa SEXYSUSHI caters to cats and dogs in Hong Kong, complete with grooming, manicure, oxygen therapy, and milk bath services.

In this September 19, 2018, file photo, a poodle enjoys a milk bath while the staff sprinkles rose petals from time to time at a pet grooming shop in Taiyuan, Shanxi. (Photo: VCG)

“Sometime maybe they will drink the milk spa,” Naomi Cheng, a dog spa groomer at SEXYSUSHI said. “But, it’s ok. It’s healthy.”

These spa services can cost more than $127 per treatment.

In this February 3, 2018, file photo, a French bulldog named Bao sits inside a booth that provides oxygen and heat during a spa treatment session at a pet groomers shop in Hong Kong. (Photo: Vivian Lin / VCG)

Pet acupuncture can be even pricier, with ten sessions costing nearly $400 at the Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine and Neurology Animal Health Center. This center also offers a range of other traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remedies, including herbal and cupping treatments.

In this August 9, 2017, file photo, a cat receives treatment at Shanghai TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Neurology and Acupuncture Animal Health Center, which specializes in acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for animals. (Photo: Aly Song/VCG)

“In the past, Chinese people had a very weak notion of what a pet was, but now more and more families treat pets as a companion, or a family member,” said Jin Rishan, a TCM vet. “So they care so much about their pets, it is not like in the past.”

In this August 9, 2017, file photo, a dog and a cat receive treatment at the Shanghai TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Neurology and Acupuncture Animal Health Center, which specializes in acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for animals. (Photo: Aly Song/VCG)

There’s even “doga” (i.e. “dog yoga”) studios and videos that help pups find their Zen in a variety of poses.

In this March 15, 2009, file photo, a pet owner demonstrates a dog yoga pose in a Hong Kong studio. (Photo: VCG)

Chinese people have spent close to $25 billion on the pet industry so far this year, up nearly 30 percent from 2017.