Integrative Medicine

Comprehensive care for your pets.

What is Integrative Veterinary Medicine?

Integrative Veterinary Medicine refers to the practice of veterinary medicine wherein traditional Western veterinary medical care is provided in conjunction with a combination of complementary therapies guided by the best evidence available. At Arcata Animal Hospital, one of our core values is Commitment to Excellence, which means we are committed to providing the best veterinary care possible. Combining the best of complementary therapies with the best of our traditional Western therapies allows us to expand our ability to provide the best possible care for our patients. Therapies that we integrate with our Western medical diagnostics and treatments include: acupuncture, herbal therapies, nutritional therapies, massage/exercise and rehabilitation therapies. An integrative approach to patient care allows us to utilize multiple therapies that are most appropriate for a patient to provide optimal global patient care.

What modalities do we currently integrate at Arcata Animal Hospital?

Our doctors are graduates of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (Dr. Joy and Dr. Bartlett), the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University (Dr. Schroeder) and Western University of Health Sciences in Southern California (Dr. Dossett). We are all continuously learning and expanding our conventional Western medical knowledge and skills to be able to offer the most advanced traditional Western medical and surgical care possible at a general practice.

Dr. Schroeder is also a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian (CHPV). She obtained her CHPV certification through the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care. This training has allowed her to provide a deeper level of support and guidance for patients entering into the final phases of their lives.

Additional Modalities

Dr. Joy is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA). She provides acupuncture services in addition to herbal therapies based on TCVM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) principles. She obtained her certification through Chi University in Florida. For clients that are interested in a TCVM approach to veterinary care, Dr. Joy is able to provide this care starting with a TCVM examination and assessment based on TCVM principles. There is a TCVM history questionnaire you can access through this link or find under the Resources tab. This should be filled out and returned to the hospital prior to the scheduled examination. A TCVM examination and assessment requires more time, please call us for more information. Dr. Joy is also in the process of obtaining certification in Canine Rehabilitation through Chi University. We do currently offer Rehabilitation/Physiotherapy Assessments and a variety of treatment modalities. These examinations also require more time than a standard physical examination and can be scheduled accordingly. Please call us for more information.

The specific modalities that we currently combine include:

Conventional Western diagnostics, medical and surgical therapies
Acupuncture
Herbal Therapy
Nutritional Guidance
Rehabilitation/Physiotherapies:
- LASER Therapy
- PiezoShockwave Therapy
- Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)
- Stem Cell Therapy
- Therapeutic Ultrasound
- Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)
- Electrotherapy (TENS, NMES)
- Manual Physical Therapy
- Customized Home Massage/Stretching/Exercise Programs