The Integrative Veterinarian

Dr. Greg Todd was raised in Florida. He was interested in veterinary medicine from a young age, and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Florida in 1983, and his DVM from the University of Florida in 1988.

His holistic education began with an apprenticeship with Acupuncturist Dr. Patrick Sullivan, who provided study materials and the opportunity for Greg to observe the treatment of human patients. He was certified in Acupuncture by IVAS in 1996 and by Chi University in 2008. Since then, he has additional certifications from Chi University in Tui-Na, Food Therapy, and Chinese Herbal Medicine. In 2023 he became a Fellow of the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine.

Dr. Todd works in the same small animal practice in Florida that he started in as a student. In addition to his clinical duties, he has lectured and written extensively and currently serves the profession as President of the American Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Greg Todd as we discuss his childhood, veterinary education, holistic practice, and his service in organized veterinary medicine.

Dr. Shantel Julius was born on a ranch in Northeastern South Dakota. She wanted to work in veterinary medicine from a young age.

During her undergraduate education at North Dakota State University, she worked in a veterinary diagnostic laboratory and was part of the McNair Scholars Program, performing research involving selenium and its effect on growth and cellular proliferation. She earned her degree in Veterinary Technology before attending the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and earning her DVM in 2011.

After graduation, she worked in small animal general and emergency practice. Following the tragic death of one of her own dogs after taking a prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, she began her training in integrative medicine. She is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist, and is also certified in acupuncture, spinal manipulation, Chinese herbal medicine, Tui-Na, Food Therapy, and End-of-Life care. Dr. Julius also completed a Master of Science in TCVM program.

Since 2018, she has left general practice and has her own mobile integrative practice in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

In addition to her clinical practice, she is the President-Elect of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Shantel Julius as we discuss her education, holistic training, and her Masters thesis research.

Dr. Theresa SaLee was born in Upstate New York and raised in Illinois. She earned her veterinary degree from the University of Illinois in 1999. Afterwards, she went into small animal practices in Southern Wisconsin and began her holistic education by taking the IVAS acupuncture course.

She has since earned certifications in Rehabilitation Therapy and Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy. She has studied Chinese Herbal Medicine with Drs. Mona Boudreaux and Steve Marsden, and recently earned a Graduate Diploma from CIVT in Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine.

After her time in Wisconsin, she worked for a few years in a large specialty practice in the Chicago area before joining and then purchasing her current Integrative practice, The Whole Pet, in Bartlett, Illinois.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Theresa SaLee as we discuss her education, work history, practice experience, and her positions as a Board Member and President-Elect of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Karin Olsen was raised in Brooklyn, New York. She began riding horses at a young age, and a health issue with her horse while she was studying Economics and Spanish at Middlebury College in Vermont sparked an interest in a career in veterinary medicine.

She earned her veterinary degree from Cornell University in 2003. During that time, she was exposed to acupuncture because of a demonstration by Dr. Allen Schoen at her school. After graduation, she worked in a few small animal practices before deciding to take the Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians course. She was certified in 2015.

After hearing Dr. Linda Boggie lecture at a conference, she enrolled in the IVAS acupuncture course and was certified in 2018. She has also studied Canine Rehabilitation at Chi University. In 2023 she became a Fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture.

She opened her own house call practice, Healing Hands Veterinary Acupuncture and Integrative Services, in 2019.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Karin Olsen as we discuss her childhood, education, holistic education, and her life as a solo mobile holistic practitioner.

Dr. Caroline Pattie was born in San Francisco and raised in Arlington, VA. She always knew that she wanted to be a Veterinarian, and earned her veterinary degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008.

After graduation, she joined a small animal practice in Virginia and after a year, the practice owner suggested that she follow her interest in acupuncture and she attended Chi University and earned her acupuncture certification. She stayed in the practice for 15 years, witnessing the practice grow into a 24 hour care center.

At the end of the pandemic, she left the practice and is working with Dr. Jordan Kocen at the Veterinary Holistic Center in Northern Virginia, as well as doing locum work in area practices.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Caroline Pattie as we discuss her education, practice history, holistic training, and her service on the AHVMA Board.

Dr. Marlene Siegel was born in Cuba and raised in Florida. She knew from an early age that she wanted to be a Veterinarian. During her undergraduate years, she worked as an emergency medical technician and was the first female Paramedic in the State of Florida.

She earned her veterinary degree from the University of Florida in 1985. Afterwards, she went to work in a five doctor small animal and exotic practice, then worked in emergency practice and did small animal locum work prior to establishing her own practice, Pasco Veterinary Medical Center, in Lutz, Florida in 1987.

Her introduction to holistic medicine came in trying to heal her own injured horse in 2004. She has since studied chiropractic, nutrition, Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, ozone therapy, and a host of other natural healing modalities, culminating in becoming a Certified Natural Health Professional in 2012.

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Siegel has written and lectured extensively. She also offers online instruction for pet owners, office staff, veterinary nurses, and veterinarians.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Marlene Siegel as we discuss her education, practice experience, introduction to holistic medicine, and her approach to holistic clinical cases.

Dr. Shauna Cantwell was raised in the Canadian Prairie Provinces. She earned her veterinary degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1989. After graduation, she worked in mixed and small animal practice before returning to the University of Saskatchewan to complete a Residency and Master's Degree in Anesthesiology and earn her Board Certification in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia.

She then served as a faculty member on the Anesthesia Service at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine for ten years, working not only in the clinic, but being funded for research and publishing in the areas of basic science, anesthesia, and acupuncture. In addition to teaching veterinary students, interns, and residents, she has lectured extensively in the areas of anesthesia and acupuncture.

Her holistic training includes acupuncture from Chi University, Veterinary Spinal Manipulation from the Healing Oasis, Veterinary Postural Rehabilitation, and Medical Qigong.

In 2007, she left academics to start her own practice, Medicine Wheel Veterinary Services in Ocala, Florida, where she serves both equine and small animal patients and provides anesthesia consultation.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Shauna Cantwell as we discuss her education, work history, and the change from academia to solo holistic practice.

Dr. Sasan Haghighat was born in Germany and raised in Iran. After earning his veterinary degree, he moved to Canada and worked at an SPCA in Newmarket, Ontario and then an emergency practice in Toronto.

After working for a short period in general practice, he began working at the Holistic Veterinary Clinic in Newmarket. He was certified in Acupuncture by Chi University, and trained  in Postural Rehabilitation with Dr. Judith Shoemaker. He also has training in rehabilitation and Matrix Repatterning.

He earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Bio-Regulatory Medicine from Bio-Medic.

Dr. Haghighat took over the practice in 2010 and has grown the practice exponentially since then.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Sasan Haghighat as we discuss his childhood, education, holistic interests, and how he manages patients using Nutrition, Acupuncture, and Bio-Regulatory medicine.

Dr. Aish Ryan always knew that she wanted to be a Veterinarian. She earned her Veterinary Degree with honors from the University of Melbourne in 2003. She then worked in small animal clinics in Melbourne and London prior to starting her practice, Vets at Home, in 2010. The practice began as a full service mobile practice, but as her interests evolved, it transitioned to be limited to integrative medicine.

Dr. Ryan earned a Graduate Diploma in Animal Biomechanical Medicine and is also certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and Animal Nutrition. She also has advanced training in Balance Method Acupuncture, Food Therapy, and Chinese Herbal Medicine.

In addition to her clinical practice, she serves as an Anatomy Demonstrator for the University of Melbourne Veterinary School.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Aish Ryan as we discuss her education, work experience, holistic training, and her new position at CIVT.

Dr. Monica Chapman was raised in Bethesda, Maryland. She knew from an early age that she wanted to be a Veterinarian, and she received guidance about medical education from her father, a US Army surgeon.

She studied biology as an undergraduate, and earned her veterinary degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. After graduation, she worked in small animal practice for ten years, then transitioned to shelter medicine for fifteen years.

At the end of her time in shelter medicine, she took a course in Western Herbal Medicine from the Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine, followed by an Internship in Western Herbal Medicine. She enrolled at CIVT afterwards and earned her Graduate Diploma in Western Herbal Medicine in 2017.

Monica has been a member of the CIVT faculty since then, teaching in the Western Herbal Medicine section. She also joined the Small Animal Practice at Piedmont Equine in The Plains, Virginia, where she practices Integrative Medicine.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Monica Chapman as we discuss her education, work history, earning her certification in veterinary acupuncture after over 30 years in practice, and her licensed hemp growing operation that provides raw material for her side business, Mojo Medicinals.