Hemlock Ridge
Integrative Veterinary Care
How Dr. Plavin can help:
Holistic care refers to a way of thinking. The animal is viewed in its entirety, rather than focusing only on a set of problems or signs and symptoms. The goal of holistic care is disease prevention.
A holistic veterinarian can treat a pet with either conventional medical therapies, such as pharmaceuticals and surgical modalities or complementary therapies - acupuncture, nutritional therapy, chiropractic, herbs - or both.
Herbal Remedies
Herbs or derivatives from herbs form the basis of much of the modern conventional medical armoury.
Having originated in the same environment as plants, it is not surprising that animals have an inherent instinct for herbal medication of their health problems, whether horses, dogs, cats or other species.
Chiropractic
This system of care is based on the correct alignments of the bones of the spine and joints. Nerves surrounding each joint and vertebrae communicate with the central nervous system, brain and all organs so that when there is a change in the alignment it can affect an animal’s comfort.
Acupuncture
Any health problem may be treated with acupuncture. The most common conditions treated are musculoskeletal, hormonal, neurologic and dermatologic. Although there are acupuncture techniques for treating all health conditions, some problems are dealt with more quickly by Western medicine or respond better to a combination of approaches.
Nutrition
At Hemlock Ridge we can teach you how to prepare food at home keeping nutritional requirements in mind. We offer nutritional consultations to help choose the best diet for your pet’s health.
Dr. Amy Plavin, DVM
Dr. Amy Plavin, DVM has been practicing veterinary medicine for 34 years.
In 1995, frustrated with the limitations of western veterinary medicine that so often offered little to alleviate debilitating chronic conditions, Dr. Plavin became certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine.
An interest in the biomechanics of horses also led her to become certified in Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy focusing on a combination of “chiropractic adjustments” and acupuncture to help both equine and dog performance athletes.
Dr. Plavin recently moved her practice to Brattleboro, Vermont; bringing Integrative Veterinary Health Care to southern/central Vermont and southern New Hampshire. She will continue to see horses in Western Massachusetts as well.
Integrative Cancer Treatment
Integrative clinicians work with oncologists to maintain the patient's quality of life by helping with nutrition and pain management.
The goal is to assist the body's immune system in the fight against cancer to improve energy and maintain the immune system.
A combination of herbal remedies, nutritional support and acupuncture can be helpful. .
