·      2 SINGLE guinea pigs for adoption.  Scooter and Max, males both about 1.5 years old, shy. 

·     Chlorine: A red eared slider water turtle, found at Cal Tech. She had head trauma and is now blind. But, she still swims and suns herself, and appears happy. She needs to be hand fed a few days a week, but it's fun to feed her and she loves to eat her little shrimps! 

 ·         Loki:  A male neutered rabbit, reddish tan in color, he was abandoned at Dr. Domotor's Animal House as a baby, with both rear legs fractured. He is very healthy and sweet, and is eager to get a girlfriend. He flirts with and grooms whatever rabbits are penned nearby.

·        Isis:  Also abandoned at Domotor's, Isis is a healthy spayed female rabbit, reddish tan, about 2 years old. She is outgoing and friendly. She is a medium sized rabbit with big feet.       
 ·         Peanut:  If you want a cute older bunny that thinks the litter box is just there to hold the hay, then Peanut is for you. He is a 7 year old, neutered brown dwarf with those cute little ears. He was a classroom bunny until his left eye was injured. It healed with a scar, but he doesn't notice.
 ·         Rosebud: She survived Santee Alley and bottle feeding, then was attacked by a cat. Her back was broken, she was in shock and had a bad wound on her head but she survived! Because she was so young and the back injury was so far down her back, she has completely recovered. She races back and forth at high speed, and loves to perch on top of a box. She is about 7-8 months old, and is an adorable petite little white bunny with red eyes.
 ·         Petie: Is he really up for adoption? If the right person came along, that could give him the care he needs. Petie is an 8 year old neutered black and white rex rabbit who is an ex-classroom pet.  He has a spinal injury and can't use his hind legs. He needs his bladder expressed twice a day, and needs his butt bathed and shaved regularly. What he really needs is someone to spend time cuddling him and perhaps even get him into a bunny wheelchair.         

Please call us at 626-405-1777 or email Kim if you are interested in any of the animals above. 

And then came an option that Dave never knew he had.  "Have you considered acupuncture, chiropractic, massage or Reiki for Max?"   These might help Max move around and enjoy life for a little longer,"  offered Max's veterinarian.  

A "little longer" turned into the gift of over one year for Max and his whole family.
 

Many of us remember, growing up, the choices we had when a beloved family pet was suffering. Did we want to let Rover die a "natural" death (albeit suffering from a disease state, not natural old age) or to have him put to sleep?  Perhaps the only time he saw the veterinarian was for his yearly vaccinations.
  

Isn't it ironic that in this day and age,  the age of the new millennium, it is the ancient medicinal practices  that we are turning to when Western medicine fails us. When it comes  to chronic illnesses with generic terms such as "fatigue syndrome" or "degeneration," we are left with the nagging "What is the origin and why did this happen?" We want so much as doctors to be able to answer that question for you, and to truly be the healer.
 

The medical practices of ancient civilizations are being unearthed, reevaluated, resurrected, and utilized to aid healing.  This is not to say that Western medical practices do not have value.  On the contrary, when it comes to battling disease, Western medicine has always been the warrior of choice.  But when it comes to nurturing, supporting, and activating an animal's own immune system to fight with all of its natural perfection, mainstream veterinary medicine falls down.
 

Mammals, birds and reptiles have amazing systems in place  to fight disease naturally, much as do human beings.   When we ignore or minimize these intricate systems and discount their ability to heal your pet, we are ignoring a huge component of natural healing.  Integrative methods of treatment can stimulate and enhance these systems.  These include acupuncture, chiropractic, pet massage and Reiki for your pet.  Nutritional supplements and herbs may complement or replace some medications traditionally used for chronic conditions.
 

So how are these methods applied to your furry or feathered friend?  Acuptuncture is familiar to most of us. Veterinary acupuncture is taught in different forms, some more or less consistent with traditional Chinese medicine. Some veterinary schools of acupuncture teach vets to treat symptoms, a more Western approach, thereby balancing neurotransmitters and resulting in healing using the body's own chemistry.  If your pet has been diagnosed with a chronic painful condition, organ dysfunction or is required to be on medication for life, acupuncture may help balance his/her own body chemistry.  Drug dosages can sometimes be reduced or replaced with Chinese herbs and nutritional supplements. 
 

Chemotherapy for cancer often seriously suppresses natural immunity.  Acupuncture can be a wonderful adjunct therapy to help the body heal in these cases.  This 34 year-old Amazon parrot has crippling arthritis in its foot and is responding to acupuncture.

A new "old" modality, electroacupuncture, is being used with some good results in people and may soon be available as a needle-free version of acupuncture for pets.
 

Veterinary chiropractic is offered by some chiropractors.  By law, these practitioners must work on animals under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.  This insures that all of the pet's medical issues are addressed.  If your pet is walking stiffly, unwilling or unable to jump as he used to, or otherwise "slowing down," this may be an excellent option for him.  Initially x-rays and blood work should be done to determine the location of the problem and to rule out more serious organ function problems.  If your veterinarian diagnoses osteoarthritis, spondylosis, hip or elbow dysplasia or other joint-related problems, chiropractic care may be the right choice for your pet.  If you choose an integrative veterinarian, often nutritional supplementation or glucosamine injections can enhance the effectiveness of chiropractic care.
 

Animal massage is also an excellent therapy, especially in the hands of a certified animal massage therapist who incorporates acupressure into the technique.  Physical therapy in conjunction with massage is often used for both chronic conditions, such as arthritic aches and pains, and acute problems such as an orthopedic surgical recovery.  A few veterinarians now provide the option of a massage therapist on staff.  Water treadmills are very useful for physical therapy; although difficult to find, a few veterinary offices do utilize them.
 

Reiki therapy, which has its origins in ancient Tibet and Japan, is the use of energy directed from the practitioner's palms and with directed intention to areas of the body in need. The practitioner will typically use their hands at a distance from the animal's body to detect areas of cold or heat, indicating need for therapy.
 

Whatever the modality, the meaning of "integrative veterinary medicine" is clear.  It tells you that in order to heal, your pet will do better with several complementary treatments than just one.  This is why, as a veterinarian, I have always been committed to integrative medicine and treating each pet as an individual, with a personalized program for healing.