Henna looks up to her owner, Mike Gould, as she receives accupunture by Dr. Huisheng Xie at the University of Florida Veteranary School on Tuesday. This was the second time Henna received treatment for a skin infection.

For Mike Gould, it's a matter of "like person, like pet" when it comes to Henna, his 5-year-old mutt.

Henna has a skin condition, but instead of getting anti-inflammatory steroid shots from a conventional veterinarian, the dog is being treated with a different type of needle by Dr. Huisheng Xie at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

"I had a stroke three years ago and got acupuncture. I had no concerns about getting acupuncture for Henna," Gould said. "With alternative healing you are addressing the problem, not covering it up."

Gould is part of a growing number of pet owners nationwide who are taking their companions to acupuncturists, chiropractors, herbalists and other practitioners of alternative medicine. Costs can range locally from $50 to $250, depending on the treatment.

Officials at UF and the American Veterinary Medical Association say demand is booming as more folks embrace alternative medicine for themselves and are thus willing to try it for their cats, dogs, horses, rabbits and birds.

Association spokeswoman Sharon Curtis Granskob said an increasing number of veterinarians are taking courses in alternative medicine to keep up with the demand.

Granskob added the association is open to alternative medicine, but cautions that pet owners should try to find a veterinarian versed in it rather than a non-veterinarian who treats animals through acupuncture and other methods.

"It seems like everything from chiropractic to acupuncture to homeopathy - they are all areas people look at for their own health and also how it could be beneficial for their pet's health, particularly when conventional medicine has not had the desired results," Granskob said. "That being said, there is a concern with protocol and making sure that people who claim they are able to do these techniques are actually who they say they are. The AVMA recommends that a veterinarian be involved."

Granskob said the association is also interested in trying to find the science behind alternative medicine - if it works, and how and why it works.

Those are also questions asked at the UF veterinary college. Dr. Eleanor Green, chairwoman of the large-animal clinical sciences department, said the college wants to learn more about the effectiveness of alternative medicine and why it is effective.

Skeptics of alternative medicine for pets are scientists and veterinarians, not the public, Green said.

The college hired Xie five years ago because of his background with alternative medicine and the fact that he is a top-notch veterinarian and researcher, Green said.

"We've had many people asking for (alternative medicine) when they can't get it. The question isn't convincing people - the clients have been more receptive than the scientific community," Green said. "Alternative and complementary medicine is increasing. So here we are with a dilemma. I believe, and most people do, that some of these things work but we don't know at all times when they work or why they work. So, do we employ them or do we not?"

Xie is from China, and generations of his family have practiced acupuncture and herbal medicine. The treatments have been used for thousands of years on animals in China - from military horses to the pet dogs of the royal family. His job is part researcher, part teacher and part clinician, treating animals at the college's hospitals for large and small animals.

Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles in various points along the body to influence physiology. It is based on a belief that energy flows through the body and can be channeled in ways to improve health.

Xie said he treats pets for three purposes.

The first is pain management for ailments such as arthritis and sore joints - "It makes them more comfortable. If you make the joints work better, you make the quality of life better."

The second is when no other options exist - "If the animal is dying and nothing else works, this is something we can try. We can make their conditions more comfortable and extend their survival."

The third is prevention - "Before the real problem comes we are able to prevent it. The Chinese concept is basically to treat for prevention. This could prevent some skin problems or allergies."

Xie said he rarely has to wrestle with cats and dogs to give them acupuncture. Horses - his customers include high-strung thoroughbred racers from Ocala - are especially easy to deal with. He has about 20 acupuncture clients a week.

With Henna, Xie started by working three needles into the top of her head in spots that calm her. He then inserted several needles along her spine and in her rear legs. The only needle that seemed to momentarily distress Henna was the final one in the tip of her tail.

Gould said Henna appears to feel better after the treatments, which included injections of vitamin B-12.

Another believer in alternative medicine for herself and pets is Michelle Manderino of Gainesville. Manderino's dog, Girl, gets chiropractic treatment from Dr. Janine Tash.

Manderino has gotten alternative treatment for herself, and her family sells herbal supplements. When Girl, who is 13, developed nerve and muscle problems in her rear legs over time Manderino sought conventional and then chiropractic solutions.

"The alternative is to keep her on analgesics until she couldn't walk," Manderino said. "Doing this is definitely worth it because of the improvement we've seen. She's much better."

Tash got interested in chiropractic about two years ago and learned the practice from a board-certified veterinarian.

She does not manipulate bones, a standard manual chiropractic method, but instead uses a device called an activator. It puts a force against vertebrae to align them, which in turn restores normal nerve transmission. She also uses a device that massages the animals.

Initially Tash was skeptical, but she quickly became a convert. She now has about 50 clients, and she works on lots of dogs at agility shows.

"I started playing around on some of my dogs and some of the employees' dogs. We had a couple older dogs with arthritis who had trouble getting up and down. We started treating them and they all started getting much better. I thought, wow, this really works," Tash said. "It's amazing the number of people I've talked to who are interested in this. It definitely works as a preventative. And with some of these cats and dogs, where we've done all the tests and can't figure out what is going on, it seems to help. It's a way to not keep them on painkillers all the time."

Tash is now studying with Xie to learn acupuncture.

Xie, meanwhile, said he believes alternative medicine for pets will continue to grow in popularity. He believes Eastern and Western medicine will become more blended.

"I think it will integrate. There is beauty on each side," Xie said. "Conventional medicine is good because you get a clear understanding of what is going on physiologically and pathologically with MRIs and X-ray. You get a very clear diagnosis.

"But Chinese medicine is so good with treatment and problems and quality of life. I think the best medicine is to integrate from both sides."