The Integrative Veterinarian

Dr. Anna Rodriguez was raised in Northhamptonshire England. She new from an early age that she wanted to be a veterinarian. She earned her veterinary degree with honors from the Royal Veterinary College in 2003.

After graduation, she worked for two years in a mixed animal practice in the UK, then spent two years as a locum vet in the UK and New Zealand. She then joined the Anchorage Veterinary Hospital in Norwich, where she practiced for 14 years, eventually working in practice management.

A lifelong gardener, she capitalized on her love of plants in earning a certification in Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine in 2016, followed by a certification in Western Veterinary Acupuncture and Chronic Pain Management in 2017.

In 2019, she partnered with Dr. Chelsea Dawson to create an Herbal Veterinary Medical course. In 2020 they transitioned the course from in person to an online format to accommodate pandemic restrictions.

She left general practice to start her own practice, Green Balance Holistic Vet, in 2022. 

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Anna Rodriguez as we discuss her education, time in allopathic practice, holistic education, and her current holistic practice.

Dr. Quinley Koch was raised in South Central Kansas. She had a number of varied animals growing up, and had an intense interest in rodeo. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Fort Hays State University in 2002, her Master's Degree in Agriculture from Texas A&M in 2005, and her DVM from Oklahoma State University in 2010.

After graduation, she completed an Internship at Interstate Equine Services and then joined a mixed animal practice for a year. In 2012, she started her own practice, Elite Equine Veterinary Services. Two years later, she added chiropractic, becoming IVCA certified after taking the course offered by Options for Animals. In 2016, she was certified by IVAS in acupuncture.

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Koch has taught extensively, most recently at Oklahoma State University and in the IVAS Acupuncture course.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Quinley Koch, as we discuss her education, practice experience, and her use of integrative therapies in an equine performance horse practice.

Dr. Lauren Genow was raised in the East Grand Rapids, Michigan Area. She worked as a Sign Language Interpreter in Michigan and Tuscon, Arizona before deciding on a second career in veterinary medicine. She earned her DVM from Washington State University in 2014.

She had exposure to Holistic Medicine before entering veterinary school, and began her Holistic education while a veterinary student, getting her acupuncture certification from Chi University and becoming certified in Reiki.

After graduation, she moved back to Tuscon and started her mobile holistic practice, Prickly Pear Holistic Veterinary Care, serving both small and large animal patients.

She has since been certified by the Healing Oasis in Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy, by IVAS and CIVT in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine, and is in the process of taking the Professional Master Course in Veterinary Homeopathy from the Pitcairn Institute.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Lauren Genow as we discuss her education, beginnings in holistic medicine, her mobile practice, and her involvement in a non-profit dedicated to helping retired law enforcement canines.

Dr. Wanda Vockeroth was raised on a farm in southern Saskatchewan around dogs, cats, chickens, cattle, and horses. She knew from age 8 that she wanted to be a veterinarian.

She earned her veterinary degree from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon in 1992, and went into mixed animal practice afterwards. After changing positions a few times, she and her veterinarian husband purchased a mixed animal practice in Manitoba, then moved to Calgary about 7 years later.

Her initial exposure to acupuncture was in veterinary school, but she took the IVAS course while in Manitoba. The Basic and Advanced Pitcairn Homeopathy courses followed, and then Chinese Herbal Medicine and Osteopathy.

She worked in a few positions before starting her own Integrative clinic in Calgary, Healing Traditions Holistic Veterinary Clinic, five years ago. The practice now employs seven veterinarians and offers a full range of traditional and holistic care.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Wanda Vockeroth as we discuss her childhood on the farm, her education, practice experience, and her thoughts on building an Integrative veterinary practice.

Dr. April Linson was raised in a small town in West Virginia. She earned her veterinary degree from Ohio State University in 1985, then returned to West Virginia to join a small animal practice.

Afterwards, she moved to Ohio and worked in a few practices before starting her own practice with a colleague. After ten years, she relocated to the Los Angeles, California area, working in a few different practices before purchasing her current practice, Woodland Hills Pet Clinic.

While in Ohio, she began looking for additional help with her chronic disease patients. She trained in acupuncture, Chinese Herbal medicine, Reiki, and Craniosacral Therapy. She also employs essential oils, laser therapy, and ozone therapy with her patients.

Last year, she completed the Foundations course in Veterinary Homeopathy from the Veterinary Homeopathy Institute. Currently, she is undertaking training in acute prescribing from the Academy of Homeopathy Education.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. April Linson as we discuss her education, practice experience, holistic training, and thoughts on holistic practice.

Dr. Rachel Ramesar was raised in Central Illinois. While in High School, she got a position in a mixed animal veterinary practice and decided that she would make veterinary medicine her career.

She earned her DVM from the University of Illinois in 2000. She had been on a US Army scholarship during veterinary school, so she entered the Army as a Captain in the Veterinary Corps after graduation. She served for 3 years, then left the service and entered private small animal practice.

She held positions doing relief work and working part time at a few clinics before settling at her current clinic in Harker Heights, Texas. She started her holistic journey by taking the Animal Chiropractic course at Parker University, and has since been certified in acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Food Therapy.

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Ramesar is now teaching in the Animal Chiropractic program at Parker and is the Integrative Track Coordinator for the Southwest Veterinary Symposium.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Rachel Ramesar as we discuss her education, time in the military, holistic journey, and her professional activities outside of clinical practice.

Dr. Laura Taylor was raised outside of Toronto, Canada. She had her sights set on veterinary medicine from a young age, and earned her veterinary degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1989. After some time in small animal practice in Ontario and the UK, she relocated to Calgary, Alberta and began her holistic journey.

She took the Basic Chiropractic course at Options for Animals in 1995, then completed the Diplomat program there, when she had her first exposure to Craniosacral Therapy. With that interest, she took several courses in human craniosacral therapy from the Upledger Institute.

She was certified in acupuncture by IVAS in 1997, and in that same year limited her practice to acupuncture, chiropractic, and craniosacral therapy for both small animals and horses. In 2000, she did both Dr. Pitcairn's basic and advanced homeopathy programs. In 2004, she started training in visceral manipulation and osteopathy, taking courses for humans as well as horses. With this knowledge she started to develop her own system of osteopathy for her patients.

Dr. Taylor now sees small animal patients at a Holistic Veterinary Clinic in Calgary and has been teaching osteopathy since 2010.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Laura Taylor as we discuss her veterinary education, holistic training, and her practice evolution from chiropractic into osteopathic manipulation

Dr. Kimberly Schmidt was raised in the Chicago, Illinois area. She is the daughter of two veterinarians, and grew up in their Feline Only Practice.

She did her undergraduate and veterinary studies at the University of Illinois, earning her DVM in 2008. Afterwards, she did a small animal internship in private practice.

Following the internship, she moved to California and worked in general small animal practice for 7 years. It was during this time that she started her holistic education, looking for additional ways to help her patients.

She earned her acupuncture certification from IVAS, Chinese Herbal and Food Therapy certifications from Chi University, and a Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine from CIVT.

She started her own mobile holistic practice in Napa Valley California in 2016. Since then she has added two additional veterinarians to the staff. Dr. Schmidt is the President Elect of the VBMA and her practice also offers a Pet Loss Support Group (https://www.napaholisticvet.com/services#/pet-loss-support-group).

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Kimberly Schmidt as we discuss growing up in the family veterinary practice, her training, holistic interests, and her small family farm.

Dr. Viv Harris was born outside Wellington, New Zealand on a property with animals of all shapes and sizes. She knew early on that she wanted to be a Veterinarian.

She earned a Bachelor degree in Zoology and also one in Veterinary Science from Massey University in 1986. After graduation, she went into mixed practice in New Zealand briefly, then went overseas for five years; doing locum work in the UK as well as working with camels in Kenya.

Upon her return home, she purchased a small animal practice in Wellington and remained there for ten years. During that time, she started her holistic training, earning a certification in acupuncture by IVAS, certifying in NAET, and taking courses in Homeopathy, Trigger Point Therapy, Flower Essences, Herbal Medicine, and Neutraceuticals. 

While she was a practice owner, she also appeared regularly on radio and television, discussing veterinary medicine and natural living.

She sold the practice and now sees patients in a room on her property as well as attending to her four acre garden.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Viv Harris as we discuss her education, clinical practice, holistic education, and her approach to natural health and gardening.

Dr. Ian Bidstrup was raised on a farm in Victoria, Australia. He earned his veterinary degree with honors from the University of Melbourne in 1980. Afterwards, he spent time in small and mixed animal practices in Victoria and the UK, before returning to do an Equine Ambulatory Residency at the University of Melbourne in 1986. Following, he was a partner in an Equine mixed practice before transitioning to limiting his practice to Equine and Canine spinal care.

He was first introduced to Chiropractic while a veterinary student. He did some training in Chiropractic early in his career, then was exposed to Acupuncture and Chiropractic by Drs. Sheldon Altman and Allen Schoen at an Australian Veterinary Conference. In 1993, he and his family visited numerous holistic veterinarians in the United States.

In 1994, he was instrumental in bringing Dr. Sharon Willoughby to Australia to teach Chiropractic, and was certified by the AVCA and IVAS in 1995.

Between 2002 and 2009 he was one of the principle lecturers in the RMIT University Graduate Diploma program in Animal Chiropractic. He is also heavily involved in the study and teaching of proper saddle fit.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Ian Bidstrup as we discuss his education, holistic training, practice evolution, and upcoming CIVT webinar on Prolotherapy.