Could this be what’s been missing in your pet’s healing journey? Okay, pet parents… this might be the most unexpectedly fascinating episode we’ve ever recorded. Yes, we’re talking about poop 💩. But not just any poop. We're talking about fecal microbiota transplants (FMT), a powerful healing therapy that’s helping pets recover from chronic disease, regulate their immune system, and even change their behavior. If your dog struggles with chronic vomiting, diarrhea, allergies, or itching and nothing seems to work this episode might open a whole new door. In this episode, I sit down with our incredible vet assistant Mickie for part two of our candid conversation on holistic healing. We dive deep into how I got started with fecal transplants and where we think this is going. Imagine a future where we can select specific strains of bacteria to target specific diseases. Where you can personalize a transplant like you would a supplement blend, mixing and matching strains to target a specific health challenge. Come along as we explore where the fascinating world of microbiome healing is heading, because this might just be the future of medicine, and your pet deserves to be at the forefront of it. 

KEY INSIGHTS:

✨ How a pet parent’s research led to Dr. Lily’s very first fecal transplant and the results that blew her mind. 

✨ The origin of Dr. Lily’s now-trademarked Balanced Biome protocol (hint: it involved a lot of trial and error). 

✨ Why poop from the right donor can reset a pet’s immune system, behavior, and digestion. 

✨ The real reason fresh poop works better than powder and how we're thinking of building our own poop bank of super-donors.

✨ What the future of microbiome therapy could look like: personalized blends of specific strains to treat disease. 

✨ And why you shouldn’t wait until your pet is sick—microbiome therapy is a powerful preventive tool too. 

Download any of our free resources: 

⁠Itchy Pet Action Plan ⁠

⁠The Preventative Testing Guide That Can Help Your Pet Live (Almost) Forever⁠

⁠The Step-By-Step Pet Detox Guide ⁠

FOLLOW:

Mickie's IG: ⁠@mickiecurtice⁠

Integrative Pet Wellness Center: ⁠https://integrativepet.com⁠

Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: ⁠@integrativepet⁠

Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: ⁠@dr.lilychen⁠ ⁠@the.unicorn.vet ⁠

⁠Sign up⁠ to our newsletter to get more holistic pet care tips

In this episode, I sit down with one of our incredible vet assistants, Mickie, for a fun and refreshingly candid conversation about what it really looks like to go from total skeptic to full on believer in holistic medicine. When Mickie first joined us as an extern, she didn’t hold back—she was questioning everything from acupuncture to fecal transplants to crystals (especially the unicorn one 😅). But what she experienced behind the scenes changed everything. Mickie opens up about the pet patient that cracked her heart wide open and why she now believes that we’ve been conditioned to trust pharmaceuticals without questioning side effects—while dismissing holistic care that’s been used for thousands of years. This episode is about unlearning what we’ve been taught. About realizing that suppressing symptoms isn’t the same as healing. And about the power of keeping an open mind—because when we do, we just might witness something miraculous. This is a must-listen for any pet parent who’s been curious about  holistic medicine but isn’t sure what to believe.

✨ Why Mickie was completely against holistic medicine at first and what finally changed her mind.

✨ What happened when she watched a dog with Cushings fully heal with microbiome therapy, nanolight therapy, and acupuncture. 

✨ Why she thought acupuncture was nonsense… until she saw it work. 

✨ How we can use a pendulum to figure out where an animal is holding pain is when we can’t pick it up on an exam. 

✨ What conventional vet training gets wrong about healing, and why so many good techs and vets feel stuck in a system that doesn’t fix the root cause. 

✨ The emotional toll of working in veterinary care and how our team culture at Integrative Pet Wellness Centre helps us show up with empathy and presence. 

✨ What pet parents should look for when choosing a veterinary team and why team dynamic matters more than you think. 

✨ Why individualized care will always create greater results than “standard” protocols (even the “gold standard” ones).  

Download any of our free resources: 

Itchy Pet Action Plan 

The Preventative Testing Guide That Can Help Your Pet Live (Almost) Forever

The Step-By-Step Pet Detox Guide 

FOLLOW:

Mickie's IG: @mickiecurtice

Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com

Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: @integrativepet

Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vet 

Sign up to our newsletter to get more holistic pet care tips

This week, I’m joined by Dr. Tina Hansen (aka the Purple Vet), an integrative veterinarian from Norway with a global perspective and a huge heart for real nutrition. She’s worked with animals all over the world, from the UK to South Africa to the Caribbean to Argentina to Zimbabwe, and what she’s seen will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about pet food. In this episode, we dive into why some of the healthiest animals she’s treated aren’t eating premium kibble at all… and why ultra-processed food may be contributing to the chronic issues we see in pets today. Tina breaks down how to start feeding fresh without overwhelm, when raw food makes sense (and when it might not), and how nutrition can literally transform allergy, autoimmune, and gut cases…sometimes when nothing else has worked. This conversation is packed with insights that simplify pet care. Let’s jump in!

KEY INSIGHTS:

• Dr. Tina shares her incredible experiences treating pets and wildlife across the globe from South Africa to Argentina to remote Caribbean islands. 

• Why chronic disease was practically nonexistent in certain parts of lower income countries where kibble prices were super high. 

• Why feeding fresh food (even scraps!) often creates better health outcomes than expensive ultra-processed diets. 

• How pets might have a harder time absorbing synthetic vitamins in kibble than nutrients from whole food. 

• Why medications like steroids and antibiotics should be a last resort not the first line of care and how it makes it much harder for the pet to heal in the long term. 

• How nutrition can be the single most powerful healing tool (when used correctly!)

• How raw feeding can be done safely and simply even for beginners. 

• Why we need to rethink the “standard of care” in conventional vet medicine and how ignoring the root cause can cause more harm than good. 

• How a hair mineral analysis can give you deeper insight into your pet’s health. 

• Why early nutrition and lifestyle support can prevent years of struggle. 

• And a gentle reminder: Vets are under huge pressure to do it all and they really are trying their best. 

  
  

  RESOURCES:

  You can access Dr. Tina (aka the Purple Vet’s) amazing free resources and courses for pet parents 💜👇

  Purple Vet Courses

  
  

  FOLLOW:

  Dr. Tina: @purple.vet 

  Purple Vet: https://www.purple.vet/

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: @integrativepet

  Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vet 

  
  

  Sign up to our newsletter to get more holistic pet care tips

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Edward Bassingthwaighte, aka The Healing Vet, to explore one of the most fascinating (and sometimes misunderstood) topics in animal care: energy healing. Dr. Edward shares his deeply personal journey from working in conventional vet hospitals to creating his own method of intuitive bodywork and energy healing to being forced to heal himself from Lyme disease and chronic fatigue when western medicine failed. We talk about how therapeutic touch helped him relieve pain and trauma in animals, and why your emotional state directly affects your pet’s well-being, something I know many of us have felt in our bones. He opens up about telepathic communication with animals (yep, it's a thing), what it’s like to connect with pets across the globe via Zoom, and how every single one of us can tap into our own healing abilities to help our pets. If you've ever wondered if your pet would benefit from energy healing or body work this episode is for you. 

KEY INSIGHTS:

• How Dr. Edward’s own health crisis led him to develop the Whole Energy Body Balance Method. 

• How animals taught him how to heal with touch. 

• How you can support your pet with anxiety, trauma, or pain through bodywork. 

• A wild story about a rescue dog who kept running away… until one energy healing session changed everything. 

• The truth about pets “mirroring” your emotions (and how to help them by healing yourself). 

• The one daily grounding practice every pet parent should do, for their sake and their pets. 

• How Dr. Edward learnt a technique to help horses who are lame walk again. 

• How to spot common signs of stress in your cat or dog.

• What it means if your pet doesn’t seem to have the ability to learn. 

• And how you can take Dr. Edward’s course and learn to do energy work on your own pet. 

  
  

  RESOURCES:

  Want to learn Dr. Edward’s healing techniques? Check out his courses 

  WholeEnergyBodyBalance.com 

  
  

  FOLLOW:

  Dr. Edward: @the_healing_vet

  Dr. Edward’s holistic vet practice TheHealingVet.com 

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: @integrativepet

  Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vet 

  
  

  Sign up to our newsletter to get more holistic pet care tips

This week, we’re having a conversation that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime but impacts almost every pet parent at some point. I’m joined by Suzanne Cannon, founder of VetBilling, for a powerful and honest discussion about the money side of vet care and how we can make it less stressful, less overwhelming, and way more compassionate for everyone involved. Suzanne shares the personal story that inspired her to create VetBilling after experiencing firsthand what it’s like to be a loving, responsible pet parent who suddenly couldn’t afford care. Since then, she’s helped thousands of families access the treatment their pets need by partnering with clinics to offer flexible, judgment-free payment plans. We talk about the big difference between credit-based financing options like CareCredit, Scratchpay, or the All Pet Card and how VetBilling offers a completely different path, one that puts the relationship first and removes the fear of being denied based on a credit score. We also get into how VetBilling compares to pet insurance, and why, despite its growing popularity, insurance alone often isn’t enough to cover emergency or unexpected costs. If you’ve ever worried about how to afford vet care, want to feel prepared for the unexpected, or if you’re a veterinary professional trying to make it easier for your clients then this episode is a must-listen. 

KEY INSIGHTS:

• Why so many pet parents stay silent about financial concerns and how subtle hints often go unnoticed in the exam room.

• The emotional cost of care and why affordability isn’t just about price, it’s about flexibility and dignity.

• How clinics can create a “financially friendly ethos” with simple passive education (like social posts, brochures, and signage).

• The difference between someone who can’t afford care and someone who just needs time to pay.

• The psychology behind how we make financial decisions under stress and how that affects pet parents in emergency situations.

• Why CareCredit isn’t the right fit for everyone and how VetBilling fills the gap with human-first, clinic-controlled financing.

• How pet insurance works, why it’s not always enough, and how pairing it with a payment plan can make care much more accessible.

• Why it’s time to bring the same compassion we show during treatment to the financial side of care too.

• How VetBilling has helped thousands of families access care they would have otherwise had to decline.

• How Pumpkin Pet Insurance could be a game changer for pet parents. 

• And we explore how our fur babies really are our babies (and that’s why we’d do anything for them). 

  
  

  RESOURCES:

  We do offer payment plans through VetBilling for our clients at the Integrative Pet Wellness Center 💖

  
  

  And if you’re a vet and you’d like to implement this for your practise or you're a pet parent who wants to suggest this to your vet here is the VetBilling website 👇

  https://vetbilling.com/

  
  

  You can also find Suzanne’s free CE course on becoming a financially friendly clinic here

  https://www.introvetce.com/overcoming-barriers

  
  

  FOLLOW:

  VetBilling: @vetbilling

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: @integrativepet

  Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vet 

  Sign up to our newsletter to get more holistic pet care tips

This episode is a little woo… and a lot groundbreaking. We’re talking about magic mushrooms for pets. In Part 2 of my conversation with integrative vet and medicinal mushroom expert Dr. Rob Silver, we explore how psilocybin (the compound in psychedelic mushrooms) could offer new hope for pets with anxiety, PTSD, and trauma-based behavioral issues. Dr. Silver shares the story of his own rescue dog Ollie, who struggles with PTSD after early-life trauma, and what happened when he began microdosing him using small amounts of psilocybin. We unpack how this controversial yet promising compound is being used with humans in clinical therapy, and what it might mean for our animal companions. We also dive into the emotional root of chronic illness, how trauma manifests physically, and why being open to the “woo” might actually be the scientific edge we need. If you’ve ever wondered about magic mushrooms for pets this episode is for you.

KEY INSIGHTS:

• What psilocybin is, how it works, and how therapists are using it to help humans with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. 

• The difference between high-dose psychedelic use and microdosing and why Dr. Silver sees potential for microdosing in veterinary care. 

• The story of Ollie, Dr. Silver’s rescue dog, and how he’s taking psilocybin for PTSD. 

• How the Canine Microdosing Project is exploring psilocybin’s potential therapeutic benefits for pets.

• Why it’s time we take emotional trauma in pets more seriously, and how behavior labeled as “anxiety” could actually be trauma adaptation. 

• How Dr. Silver wants to develop safe dosing protocols before broader use. 

• Why Dr. Lily believes emotional healing is just as important as physical treatment, and how trauma shows up in the body. 

• How an animal communicator could help you get inside your pets mind and understand what they’re thinking. 

• And how your pet could apply to join the Canine Microdosing Project. 

  
  

  
  

  RESOURCES:

  Learn more about the canine microdosing project: Canine Microdosing Project

  Grab Dr. Rob Silver’s book: ⁠There's A Mushroom For That!⁠

  Shop vet-quality mushroom supplements at ⁠Real Mushrooms⁠

  Use the code DRCHEN at checkout to get 20% off any Real Mushrooms products for pets 

  
  

  FOLLOW:

  Dr. Rob Silver:⁠⁠ @docrobsilver⁠⁠

  Dr. Rob Silver: ⁠Well Pet Dispensary⁠

  
  

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center: ⁠https://integrativepet.com⁠

  Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: ⁠@integrativepet⁠

  Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: ⁠@dr.lilychen⁠ ⁠@the.unicorn.vet ⁠

  
  

  ⁠Sign up to our newsletter to get more holistic pet care tips

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Rob Silver an integrative vet to unpack one of the hottest topics in pet wellness right now: mushrooms. Dr. Rob is a true pioneer when it comes to using medicinal mushrooms to help pets heal and in this episode, we talk about how mushrooms can support pets facing cognitive decline, cancer (in particular hemangiosarcoma), allergies, Cushing’s, and boost overall immunity. We also dive into the red flags to watch out for when choosing a medicinal mushroom product, and what to look for if you want the real deal. If you’ve ever been curious about whether medicinal mushrooms could help your pet, this episode is definitely for you. 

KEY INSIGHTS:

✨ Why you should never feed mushrooms raw and why chopping them small helps your pet absorb all their benefits. 

✨ How the medicinal mushroom cordyceps is a beautiful support for kidney health and should be a part of every cat's preventative care. 

✨ How lion’s mane mushroom supports both cognitive function and gut health.  

✨ How turkey tail can be a powerful ally for dogs with hemangiosarcoma. 

✨ How reishi and chaga mushrooms act like natural antihistamines for pets with allergies.

✨ How scientific research shows that button mushrooms (yes, the common kind!) have anti-cancer and brain boosting effects. 

✨ Why shiitake mushrooms are so revered and how there are even injectable cancer treatments made from them in Asia.  

✨ Why lion’s mane might be the secret weapon for aging pets with signs of cognitive decline. 

✨ How mycelium-based products may look the same on the outside but contain fewer active compounds—and can slow results. 

✨ Why giving medicinal mushrooms a few weeks before your puppy or kitten’s titer test can strengthen their immune response. 

✨ And we’ll Introduce you to Dr. Rob’s book: There’s A Mushroom For That—your go-to guide for using functional mushrooms to support your pet’s health. 

RESOURCES:

Grab Dr. Rob Silver’s book: There's A Mushroom For That!

Shop vet-quality mushroom supplements at Real Mushrooms

Use the code DRCHEN at checkout to get 20% off any Real Mushrooms products for pets 

FOLLOW:

Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com

Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: @integrativepet

Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vet 

Dr. Rob Silver: @docrobsilver

Sign up to our newsletter to get more holistic pet care tips

In this deeply inspiring episode, I’m joined by the brilliant and truly one-of-a-kind Dr. Meghan Barrett—a holistic veterinarian, sound healer, and musician based in Honolulu, Hawaii. We talk about everything from harp music for horses to how tuning forks can do more than calm the nervous system—they can actually help move fluid, soften tight fascia, and support physical healing when needles aren’t tolerated. Dr. Meghan shares how she uses sound therapy with zoo animals, cows, and anxious dogs alike—and how even small changes in sound and environment can create big shifts in an animal’s healing. We also explore why most vet clinics (though well-intentioned) are often too loud, chaotic, and clinical for true healing to occur—especially for pets dealing with chronic inflammation. Sound, she reminds us, is a nutrient for the nervous system—and when used intentionally, it can elevate every modality we already use, from acupuncture and rehab to simple daily care at home. Whether you’re a devoted pet parent or a fellow vet—this episode will expand how you think about sound as a healing modality. 

KEY INSIGHTS:

• How the environment in most vet clinics is noisy, smells like fear, and overwhelms sensitive animals.

• How pets cannot fully heal if their environment keeps them in fight-or-flight. 

• How acupuncture and other therapies have a totally different level of effectiveness depending on whether the animal feels safe and relaxed or stressed and shut down—and how noise pollution in regular vet clinics can lead to less effective acupuncture sessions.

• How holistic care isn’t “woo”—it’s whole-body care, supporting both the physical and emotional side, and more pet parents than ever are seeking vets who truly understand that.

• How a simple “noise audit” in your home can reveal overstimulation you may have tuned out—and allow you to fix that for your pet.

• How consciously introducing nervous-system-regulating sounds (like ambient music, sound bowls, or gentle lullaby music) can create a healing field at home.

• The science behind sound as medicine: every cell in the body vibrates, and sound helps return the body to resonance and harmony.

• How tuning forks aren’t just a professional tool—pet parents can learn to use them at home. 

• And how you can access Dr. Meghan’s calming music for pets on YouTube—designed specifically to soothe and regulate.

  
  

RESOURCES:

Find calming music for your pet on Dr. Meghan’s YouTube channel 

Learn more about Dr. Meghan’s healing work and upcoming course → www.drbarrettvet.com

Get Dr. Meghan’s book From Basic To Bougie: A Blueprint To Upgrade Your Pet’s Diet Safely And Simply 

FOLLOW:

Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com/

On Instagram: @integrativepet

Dr. Lily Chen: @dr.lilychen @the.unicorn.vet

Dr. Meghan Barrett: @drbarrettvet

This week, I’m joined once again by the deeply wise and generous Dr. Nell—veterinarian, beloved teacher, and acupuncture wizard. In Part 2 of our conversation, we explore the magic of acupuncture for our animal patients. From kidney disease and seizures to tummy troubles, diabetes, and even Cushing’s... Dr. Nell gently walks us through how this ancient healing art can offer support when conventional medicine sometimes reaches its limits. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, Could acupuncture help my pet?—this conversation is such a beautiful place to begin. 

KEY INSIGHTS:

• How acupuncture isn’t just for pain—it is powerful medicine for chronic diseases like kidney issues, GI imbalances, seizures, pancreatitis, and hormonal dysregulation.

• How acupuncture improves circulation, balances the nervous system, and helps regulate complex conditions like diabetes and Cushing’s.

• Why idiopathic conditions (aka the ones with no clear Western cause) often respond wonderfully to acupuncture and herbal support.

• The beauty of working with patterns of imbalance instead of waiting on a definitive diagnosis.

• And how Chinese medicine and conventional care don’t have to compete—they actually work best together.

  
  

RESOURCES:

Finding a vet who does acupuncture: 

Ask your vet if they know of a vet who does acupuncture you could add to your team. 

Google.

Check out these directories 👇

American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncturists

Chi University 

College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies  

FOLLOW:

Integrative Pet Wellness Center: ⁠https://integrativepet.com/⁠

Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: @integrativepet

Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: @dr.lilychen

Dr. Nell Ostermeier: @people.and.pet

What if I told you your puppy or kitten’s first year is the single most important window to shape their lifelong health—and that some of the most common vet protocols (though totally well-intentioned!) might actually be setting them up for chronic issues later on? This is your loving wake-up call. In this episode, I’m joined by our amazing vet tech (and proud new puppy mom!) Dianne. We’re unpacking how these “normal” choices like routine deworming, kibble, and standard vaccine schedules might be doing more harm than good, and we share what you can do instead to support a healthy gut and strong immune system. If you’ve got a young puppy or kitten or you’re thinking of bringing one home, this conversation could save you thousands in future vet bills and, more importantly, so much stress and heartache. And make sure to stick around until the end—we’re sharing something super exciting that we created just for you! 

KEY INSIGHTS:

• Why the period between 8 to 16 weeks is the most critical stage of puppy development and how it shapes their lifelong health, socialization, and behavior.

• How colostrum, the very first milk, sets up a puppy’s immune system for success, and why missing it in the first 24 hours can leave a crucial gap in their early immune protection. 

• How weaning from mother’s milk to kibble shocks a puppy’s digestive system and how this early disruption can increase the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases in dogs later in life.

• Why it’s essential to slowly transition your puppy to fresh food instead of abruptly switching diets. 

• Why protecting your puppy’s microbiome is vital and how using natural alternatives to antibiotics, like ozone therapy, can support immune development without harming gut health.

• How asking your vet for a PCR fecal test for puppies (rather than a standard fecal test) can catch more parasites and help avoid unnecessary chemical deworming.

• How some parasites can be safely treated without harsh medications and why exploring natural parasite treatment options for puppies and kittens can help avoid side effects and drug resistance.

• Why vaccine titer testing for puppies is a powerful tool—and how it helps prevent the dangers of over-vaccination while still ensuring proper disease protection.

•  How investing in a titer test during the first year can save you thousands of dollars (and avoid major health issues) over your dog’s lifetime.

• What the latest research says about when to spay or neuter a dog—and how delaying sterilization or keeping certain breeds intact can protect against certain types of cancer.

• And we share an exciting announcement for puppy and kitten pet parents around the world!

  
  

RESOURCES:

Click here to learn more about the Baby Pearls Membership 💖🛎️👇🏻

BABY PEARLS MEMBERSHIP 

And if your pet isn’t a baby anymore, but you’d love support staying on top of their preventative health care, check out the Silver, Gold, and Diamond Tiers in the Concierge Membership  🛎️

FOLLOW:

Integrative Pet Wellness Center on Instagram: ⁠@integrativepet⁠

Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: ⁠@dr.lilychen⁠

@the.unicorn.vet 

Integrative Pet Wellness Center: https://integrativepet.com/

Dianne on Instagram:@mywildthyme

@diannemakesart 

Dianne’s puppy Mabel on Instagram: @withlovemabelroux