Acupuncture is a Traditional Chinese form of energy healing that has been used to successfully treat a variety of chronic or painful conditions and geriatric ailments for thousands of years. Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body. This works along with the central nervous system and the ancient Chinese concept of “Qi” to stimulate points and redirect the energy. This releases stagnation and can help alleviate pain as well as treat other ailments. Acupuncture has been proven to work along with Western medicine and treatment plans as well, as it can replace parts or even all of those plans. Acupuncture, along with herbal therapy and food therapies, reduces the use of Western medications, helping to alleviate the risk of long term side effects from those medicines. Occasionally, it can replace standard treatment plans, forgoing the need for surgery or invasive and expensive procedures.

Food therapy is the art and science of using selected food ingredients to feed each individual based upon their inborn tendencies, age, species, geographical location, personality, and current disharmony or disease. My goal is to treat or prevent illness and maintain health in your pet by formulating recipes using specific ingredients of various flavors and energies to formulate balanced home-cooked meals for your pet(s). Recipes tailored to individual patients improve pet health on a regular basis, prevent climate-related and seasonal problems, and directly treat clinical conditions including skin issues, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiencies. Food therapy is complementary to integrative and western medicine treatments of diseases such as ear infections, urinary crystals and stones, UTI, inflammatory bowel disease, congestive heart failure, cancer, kidney failure, and liver failure.

Tui-na (manual therapy) involves the use of various massage techniques applied to acupuncture points and meridians, as well as special limb-stretching movements, to prevent and treat disease. These techniques can treat painful musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, disc problems such as IVDD, peripheral nerve paralysis, general wasting/weakness, and internal medicine diseases involving organ dysfunction. Geriatric and pediatric patients are especially good candidates for Tui~na due to its gentle application. Tui~na can be used effectively as a stand alone treatment for soft tissue injury, pain management, and anxiety. It can also enhance the effects of acupuncture and herbal medicine for a variety of chronic illnesses. I teach all of our clients Tui~na techniques at each visit to enhance the human-animal bond. It’s fun and therapeutic for the pet parent and the pet.

Imagine herbal medicine as your pet's daily dose of acupuncture. I select herbal formulas to support your pet’s diagnosis. Herbal treatments tend to be gentler than conventional medications, work with minimal side effects, and work in a way that supports the restoration of health and balance of the body. I often recommend herbs in combination with changes in diet and lifestyle, as well as acupuncture, to improve overall benefits. The herbal formulas I prescribe are primarily sourced from Jing Tang Herbal, which manufactures its products in the United States and adheres to the FDA cGMP regulations on dietary supplements. The herbal formulas are created by the company’s founder, Dr. Xie, a veterinarian and third-generation Chinese herbalist. Dr. Xie also founded Chi University where I did my TCVM training.