The Integrative Veterinarian

Dr. Cindy Lankenau has an alternative medicine exclusive practice in Colden, NY. She received her DVM from Cornell University in 1981. She was certified in veterinary acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 1992, in animal chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association in 1994, and in veterinary homeopathy by the Academy of Veterinary Homeopaths in 1997. Dr. Lankenau has extensive training in veterinary herbology. She has studied Chinese Herbal Medicine with IVAS, the Chi Institute, and the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies. She has studied Western Herbal Medicine with Rosemary Gladstar at Sage Mountain and also with CIVT. She is recognized as a Registered Professional Herbalist by the American Herbal Guild. She has worked private practice as a dairy practitioner, served as a veterinary officer in the Peace Corps, in mixed animal private practice, and now practices exclusively alternative medicine in her own practice. She has lectured nationally as well as internationally and is a CIVT faculty member as well. She has served her profession as a Board Member and President of the Veterinary Botanical Medical Association, the Committee Head of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine sub-committee for the New York State Veterinary Society, founder and Board Member of the New York Complementary and Alternative Medicine Association, a Board Member of the World Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, and as Secretary-Treasurer of the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine. In this conversation we discuss growing up on a dairy farm, being a female large animal veterinarian, how stubborn cases led her in the direction of holistic medicine, and how she works with her state veterinary association to promote complementary and alternative medicine. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Cindy Lankenau.

A brief update on what is happening at CIVT in August of 2020.

Dr. Erin Bannink is from Rochester, Michigan. She received her DVM from Michigan State University in 2002. She then completed a general internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Garden State Veterinary Specialists in New Jersey, followed by an internship and residency in medical oncology at the Animal Cancer and Imaging Center in Rochester Hills, Michigan. She was Board Certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, sub-specialty in Oncology in 2008. She was certified in Veterinary Acupuncture by IVAS in 2007. In addition, she has taken multiple advanced courses in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine. She obtained a Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine from the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT) as well. Dr. Bannink practices Integrative Oncology with Classical Chinese Veterinary Medicine at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She is a faculty member at CIVT and lectures to international audiences about integrating conventional cancer therapies with Chinese Herbal Medicine in veterinary cancer treatment. She is also a contributing lecturer for the A Time To Heal Classical Chinese Herbal Medicine courses. She has studied Yogic and Mahayana Buddhist Philosophy and meditation since 2003. She is also a certified yoga instructor and has led classes, workshops, and retreats on the topics of yoga, meditation, Buddhism, pranayama, kirtan, and mantra practice. Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Bannink as we discuss her Veterinary College experience, her introduction to Acupuncture, her postgraduate training in both Oncology and Chinese Herbal Medicine, and her Integrative Oncology practice.

Dr. Michelle Schraeder was raised in New Jersey, got her bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, and her DVM from Ohio State in 1985. In 1986 she and her husband moved to Bellingham Washingston and purchased a clinic there, where they practice to this day. She was certified by International Veterinary Acupuncture Society for Acupuncture in 1997 and is a charter member of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, the US affiliate for IVAS. She has also completed certifications in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine and Tui-Na. In 2006, she was one of the first veterinarians to become a Fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, which is the AAVA's Advanced Certification. Dr. Schraeder also has a Master's of Education in College and Continuing Education from Western Washington University. In addition to her clinical practice, she is chair of the IVAS International Education Committee, serves on the IVAS Board of Directors, is a member of the AAVA's Advanced Certification Committee, and is involved in teaching the Neuroacupuncture course through CIVT. She is also involved in IVAS' online education program. She has lectured on Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine both nationally and internationally. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Michelle Schraeder.

Dr. Carol Gifford is a native of Northeast Ohio. Veterinary Medicine was a second career for her; she graduated from the Tufts University School of Veterinary School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. She was certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2007. She then competed the Chinese Herbal Medicine course at the Chi Institute in 2012, followed by becoming certified in Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy from the Healing Oasis Wellness Center in 2016. She started a Complementary Care house call practice in the Boston area in 2013 and then again in 2017 when her family relocated to Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Gifford has served as a teaching assistant in the IVAS course and in 2014 passed the Advanced Certification Examination from the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture to become a Fellow of the AAVA. She has been on the Board of Directors of IVAS and currently serves as President of the AAVA. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Carol Gifford.

Here what's new at CIVT for the month of July 2020.

Dr. Liane Sperlich was born in Montreal Canada and earned her DVM from Washington State University in 1988. She purchased a practice two years later. She is certified in acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, in Chinese Herbal Medicine and Tui Na by the Chi Institute, and in Animal Chiropractic by Options for Animals. She also is a Fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. She has an integrative practice in Tacoma, Washington (Browns Point Veterinary Clinic) and also a satellite clinic in which she only practices holistic medicine. She also does charity veterinary work for low income clients and we discuss how she uses holistic therapies for those patients as well. Dr. Sperlich considers herself a lifelong leaner. She is currently studying Classical Chinese Medicine with Dr. Sabine Wilms, a Chinese Medicine scholar. She also practices Aikido in her spare time. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Liane Sperlich.

Dr. Patricia Baley has a PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Basel Biocenter in Basel, Switzerland. She was also a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Cell Biology at the Baylor College of Medicine. She got her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Texas A&M in 1999. She is certified in Veterinary Acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, certified in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine by the Chi Institute, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. She has a solo Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine exclusive practice in the Houston Texas area. Dr. Baley serves on the research committee of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, as a consultant for the Alternative Medicine Board for the Veterinary Information Network, and is a Past President of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. She has lectured nationally and internationally on topics related to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. In her free time, Dr. Baley is an accomplished fiber artist and teaches Aikido. Please enjoy this interesting conversation with Dr. Patricia Baley.

Dr Janice Huntingford is a 1984 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, in Guelph, Ontario and a Board Certified Specialist in Canine Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, 1 of 3 in Canada. She is certified in Animal Chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, in Animal Acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, in Chinese herbal Medicine, and is a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner. In 2007, Dr. Huntingford opened Ontario’s first salt water canine therapy pool and canine rehabilitation center. She lectures nationally and internationally on rehabilitation, acupuncture, geriatric medicine, herbal medicine, and pain management to veterinarians and veterinary technicians. She has authored or co-authored several text book chapters on Rehabilitation and published a number of peer reviewed manuscripts. She consults and sits on a number of advisory boards related to herbal medicine, laser therapy and holistic medicine. She teaches regularly at Cornell University and is involved in Resident Training for Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation for Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Huntingford is active in research into the treatment of animal pain. In this conversation Dr. Huntingford and I discuss her upbringing in Ontario, her veterinary school education, managing private practice while studying and passing her specialty boards, and what it is like to have a child follow her footsteps into Veterinary Medicine. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Janice Huntingford.

Get caught up on upcoming webinars and courses offered by CIVT this month!

Dr. Nell Ostermeier graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004 with a focus on small animal and exotic animal medicine. In 2007, she moved to Portland with her husband Dr. Preston and they have practiced there since. Her interest in nutrition and whole food supplementation led her to explore more advanced alternative medicine therapies such as acupuncture and herbal formulas for her patients. In 2010, she completed the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) Acupuncture Course. She also holds the advanced certification from the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. Dr. Ostermeier leads the Integrative Medicine Program at Lombard Animal Hospital, offering a variety of traditional and natural veterinary modalities. She is an Instructor for the IVAS acupuncture course and is the teaching associate coordinator. She contributes to IVAS' "Acupuncture in Practice" postings on Facebook and has lectured both nationally and internationally on various acupuncture topics. In 2017 Dr. Ostermeier created People and Pet Integrative Therapies in order to help other veterinarians realize their vision through business and communication coaching. Her mission is to make integrative medicines more accessible to animals worldwide and to improve work-life happiness in the veterinary profession. Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Nell Ostermeier.

Dr. Lisa Radwan was raised in rural New Jersey. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and is a 1991 graduate of North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She was certified in Veterinary Chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association in 1999. She was certified in Veterinary Acupuncture by Colorado State University in 2003. She continued her studies in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) and earned certification in Chinese Veterinary Herbology by the Chi Institute in 2010. In 2010, Lisa became the 14th person to achieve the status of Fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, an advanced certification in Veterinary Acupuncture. Also in 2010 Lisa earned her degree as a human Acupuncture Therapist from the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine and is a licensed human acupuncturist. Dr. Radwan is one of the principals of One Medicine Center in Pulaski, Wisconsin along with Dr. Crystal Urban. The Center is an Integrative Practice for both people and animals. In this unique practice arrangement, Dr. Radwan provides holistic care for animals, while Dr. Urban (a Naturapathic Doctor, Acupuncturist, and Herbalist) serves their human patients. The Center has room for patients to walk through the herbal plantings and hike on nearby trails. They will be hosting small events, seminars, and classes for people to learn more about wellness, health, and mind-body medicine in their unique setting. In this conversation Dr. Radwan and I talk about her upbringing, her Veterinary School experience, mixed animal practice, working in New Zealand, getting a Licensed Acupuncture degree while still in practice, and establishing a unique integrative practice for pets and people. Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Lisa Radwan.

Dr Alexia Tsakiris received her B.S. from Rutgers University in 2000 and graduated with her BVetMed from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2005. She then worked as a small animal veterinarian focusing on internal medicine. She was certified in acupuncture as well as Food therapy through the Chi Institute. She studied herbal medicine with the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT) and received her Certificate of Veterinary Herbal Medicine (Western) in 2014 and earned her Graduate Diploma of Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine (GDipVWHM) in June of 2017. The fall of 2018 Dr. Tsakiris joined the faculty of the CIVT.She studied under Ethnobotanist David Winston RH(AHG) in his two year Clinical Herbalist Program (2014-2016) and is working towards becoming a registered herbalist (the highest accreditation for human herbal medicine). She is also taking coursework in veterinary spinal manipulation through the Health Pioneers Institute.We had a great conversation discussing how she got an interest in Holistic medicine, the path that she took as she was getting certified in various modalities, and what her practice structure looks like today. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Tsakiris!

Dr. Bonnie Wright is a Veterinary Anesthesiologist and Pain Management Specialist, acupuncturist, and teacher. She got her DVM from Colorado State University, completed a residency in anesthesiology and critical care at the University of California, Davis, and was Board Certified in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2000. She is also certified in musculoskeletal ultrasound, veterinary medical acupuncture, and canine rehabilitation. She is also certified as a pain practitioner by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management. Dr. Wright teaches domestically as well as internationally. She practices at the Fort Collins Veterinary Emergency and Rehabilitation Hospital, the Animal ER Care in Colorado Springs, and consults with local clinics as well. She serves on the Board of the IVAPM and is a Past-President. She also serves on the Global Pain Council of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. She is also the group leader for the examination committee for the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and AnalgesiaDr. Wright volunteers at the Denver Zoo and provides her expertise in anesthesia, pain management, and acupuncture. In this conversation we talk about the events that led her to decide to make veterinary medicine a career, what it was like to be the mother of two children while in veterinary school, why she selected anesthesia as a specialty, and how her career has grown to include being active in clinical anesthesia, emergency medicine, teaching, and service to the profession.Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Bonnie Wright. 

This episode of the Integrative Veterinarian is a conversation with Dr. Jordan Kocen. He has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Rutgers University, and earned his DVM from the University of Missouri in 1986. He began practicing holistic veterinary medicine exclusively in 1995 after nearly a decade in a traditional practice. After having his practice located within a specialty practice, Dr. Kocen opened the Veterinary Holistic Center in 2015. He is certified in acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and frequently lecturers on holistic medicine for pets. Dr. Kocen is a member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, and the Veterinary Botanical Medical Association. He and his wife Janet (who is also a veterinarian) and their two children share their home with two Dobermans and many cats.

This episode is a brief update covering the podcasts, webinars, and upcoming courses for March of 2020 at CIVT

Dr. Susan Wagner received her DVM from Ohio State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. She completed a Master's Degree and Clinical Residency in Neurology at OSU as well. She has been on the faculty at OSU, working both in the clinic and teaching an Integrative Medicine elective as well. She also has practiced both Neurology and Integrative Medicine at MedVet, a large multi-facility corporate specialty practice headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Wagner's interests have included vibrational medicine, aromatherapy, and music therapy. She has also worked at an administrative level at OSU in developing Integrative Medicine in a One Health concept. Her recent focus has been on endocannabinoids, and that will be the subject of an upcoming webinar that she will present for CIVT.  

This is a brief conversation with Susie Willis, CIVT Communications Project Manager, on what is new at CIVT this month

Dr. Vargas received her DVM from Tuskegee University in 1994. In 1996, she established her AAHA accredited Orchid Springs Animal Hospital in Winter Haven, FL. In 2009, she began her studies at Chi Institute, eventually garnering certifications in Acupuncture,Chinese Herbal Medicine, Food Therapy, and Tui Na. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. She is one of just two Certified Balance Method Acupuncture practitioners in the USA. She is a Certified Veterinary Spinal Manipulator (aka chiropractic care for pets). Dr. Vargas obtained her Master's Degree in TCVM at Chi Institute, where she works as a Teacher Assistant and Lecturer for the Chi USA, Latin America and Peru. She has also worked as a consultant for the Disney Animal Kingdom.Dr. Vargas is also a Certified Veterinary Journalist and a prolific author of both scientific and motivational articles. Dr. Vargas has lectured at the World TCVM Congress (2015, 2016, 2017,2018,2019), AAVA Conference (2017,2020), AVMA (2011), and the CbVMA (2017).

Dr. Palmquist received his DVM from Colorado State University in 1983. He practices small animal Integrative Medicine in the Los Angeles area. He has served as the president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, as the research committee chair, on the Ethics committee, and on the editorial committee for the AHVMA as well. He also is a consultant on the Alternative Medicine board for the Veterinary Information Network. He also has a long history of teaching and publishing in various subject areas of Integrative medicinePlease enjoy this conversation with Dr. Palmquist as we talk about his roots, his exposure to Integrative Veterinary Medicine, and where he sees Integrative Veterinary Medicine in the future.