Chocolate, a miniature dachshund, receives acupuncture therapy from veterinarian Satoshi Okada to help with lumbar disk herniation, at the Marina Street Okada animal hospital on April 12, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan.

Veterinarian Satoshi Okada prepares the acupuncture needles before treatment. The number of pet dogs in Japan has been increasing steadily to 11.5 million animals, almost one-fifth households. One-tenth of Japanese families have at least one dog, according to the survey of Japan Pet Food Association.

Vanilla anxiously watches as Chocolate receive his acupuncture therapy.

Being treated with acupuncture means the dogs can often avoid having surgery for certain ailments and degenerative injuries common to their particular breed.

The dogs receive acupuncture and laser acupuncture in a small room at the back of INS Dog store to help with ailments such as lumbar disk herniation, knee joint dislocation, and also to fix the flow of Qi energy and enhance their self-healing power.