Dr. Jodie Gruenstern, DVM, CVA
Jodie Gruenstern, DVM, CVA is a UW-Madison graduate and has been practicing veterinary medicine since 1987. She is a certified veterinary acupuncturist and food therapist by the Chi Institute. She has been a member of the AVMA, AHVMA, WVMA, VMAA, MVMA, and AzVMA.
Dr. Jodie is the former owner of the Animal Doctor Holistic Veterinary Complex, an integrated full-service small animal practice. Her facility was awarded Muskego Business of the year in 2013. She is a nationally renowned speaker. She has been an advocate for natural pet care through presenting, radio and television. She has written for Dogs Naturally Magazine, Integrative Veterinary Care, Animal Wellness, Nature’s Pathways, and Natural Awakenings. She is the author of “Live with Your Pet in Mind", a book to help pet parents become truly holistic! It is available on Amazon.
Dr. Jodie is an avid supporter of raw diets for dogs and cats. She uses multiple modalities in her integrative practice including acupuncture, laser therapy, whole food supplements, essential oils, western and Chinese herbals. Join her oils team by ordering your starter kit at www.docjodie.com.
Dr. Jodie is the founder of the non-profit iPAW: Integrating People for Animal Wellness, which supports the needs of pets who might have otherwise been euthanized. Learn more at www.iPAWaid.com
Dr. Jodie is the owner of Dr. Jodie’s Natural Pets which manufactures unique natural dog and cat treats and products. Learn more by visiting www.DrJodiesNaturalPets.com.
Dr. Jodie practices in Arizona. You may email her directly to schedule an appointment or email consultation worldwide: docjodie@drjodiesnaturalpets.com
Dr. Jodie Jodie Gruenstern DVM,CVA Certified Health Coach Author of "Live with Your Pet in Mind" Founder of Dr. Jodie's Natural Pets “Promoting Ideas and Products for the Natural Health of Pets and Their People" Dr. Jodie's Integrative Consulting iPAW 501c3 (Integrating People for Animal Wellness)
Diana D. Drumm, DVM
- Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (IVAS)
- Certified Veterinary Chiropractitioner – VOM
- Certified in Chinese Veterinary Herbology
- Certified Veterinary Ozone Therapist
Additional training in:
- Nutritional Response Testing / NRT
- Traditional Chinese Food Therapy
- Homotoxicology / Bioregulatory Medicine
- Animal Essential Oil Therapy
Dr. Diana Drumm grew up in Nashville Tennessee before attending the University of Montana where she received a bachelor of science in molecular biology with honors. She then returned to Tennessee to attend The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. After graduation, she went on to a residency in comparative medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego before entering private practice. In 2002 she left San Diego to join a mixed animal practice in Bishop California. The lack of access to specialists in this rural setting, and providing services to animals for 100 miles around gave her the opportunity to strongly develop all her medical and surgical skills in a variety of species.
In 2005 after reluctantly trying acupuncture treatment for of her own lifelong migraine headaches and finally finding relief, Diana began rethinking her staunch adherence to conventional medical disease treatment. Experiencing first hand the success of alternative treatment for a condition that was poorly addressed by Western medicine, she decided that she wanted to be able to provide her patients with the same additional treatment options for the conditions that previously had disappointing results or no treatment available at all.
Dr. Drumm received her acupuncture certification from the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2006. Finding success with this new treatment and desiring even more options for her patients she studied Traditional Chinese Veterinary Herbal Medicine finishing all her course work in 2007. Later that year, armed with new tools and a desire to truly integrate holistic and conventional medicine she started her own practice in Reno Nevada to promote an atmosphere of lifelong health and healing for her animal patients.
Dr. Drumm has continued to train in additional holistic methods: Homeopathy, Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation, Traditional Chinese Food therapy, and Western Herbal Medicine among them. She taught at Truckee Meadows Community College in the department of herbal studies. Her practice’s continued success is a testament to the nurturing healthful environment that integrative holistic medicine provides for our pets.
After 10 years in the Eastern Sierra, shoveling snow in the winter and battling drought in the summer, Dr. Drumm and her family returned to the beloved Pacific in Southern California where her journey as a veterinarian began.
California Holistic Animal Institute was born from Dr. Drumm’s desire to continue providing compassionate holistic care for individuals’ and families’ four legged companions to enhance the well being at both ends of the leash.
Evelyn Kass, DVM
Integrative, Holistic Veterinarian
Dr. Evelyn is an integrative holistic veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in both allopathic and holistic medicine. She now uses food and nutritional support as medicine for her patients and teaches pet parents how to create a healthy life style for their furry family members through educational workshops and individual consulting.
After healing herself from the damage caused by two autoimmune diseases using only diet and herbs, she realized the power of food to heal. Using the principals she learned from her own struggle, she then healed her older cat of pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease. By changing Phoebe’s diet and adding some nutritional supplements, she noticed in addition to healing her gut issues, that the excess weight and skin sensitivity that had been part of Phoebe’s life since she was less than a year old, disappeared. She knew then that she had to use this approach on her patients. They responded in the most amazing ways!
Her passion for nutrition has led her to create a nutritional consulting business for pets. Her website http://petnutritiondr.com provides information on choosing pet foods to optimize health through food choices. She includes topics ranging from the dangers of obesity to the concerns about genetically modified foods. Her goal is to prevent many of the chronic conditions that now appear in our pets, by providing information to help pet parents choose the proper food and supplements for optimal health.
She has been featured in Reader’s Digest and has been a guest on Your Vital Pet and Holistic Actions for Animals. Dr. Evelyn is an expert contributor on Dream Dog CBD and on the advisory boards of Animal Essentials and Ion*Biome.
She provides nutritional consulting directly with pet parents to help them understand their pet’s current condition and the ways they can improve it through diet, supplements and environmental adjustments. When needed she formulates individualized, balanced, whole food diets for those pets with serious illness or significant food intolerances; and sometimes for pet parents who want to do everything to avoid chronic disease In their furry family members.
Dr. Pamela Fisher, DVM
Pamela Fisher, DVM has a unique and direct perspective on how alternative healing choices can address physical and emotional imbalances to dramatically benefit the vitality of our pets. She comments: “Most of my patient challenges turn into miracles every day, and by providing proper nutrition and balance, our animals can use their innate ability to self-heal.” Her Holistic Pet Therapy Center and Natural Pet Store provide holistic health care, educational classes and public awareness of holistic options for pets and their owners.
In 2011, Dr. Fisher founded the non-profit Rescue Animal MP3 Project with her passion to improve the quality of life of shelter animals across the United States. Her organization donates free MP3 players filled with 30 hours pre-recorded music that is specifically formulated to provide a calmer environment for animals. Shelter Follow Up Evaluations show up to 95% less barking (an average of 54%) and the animals are an average of 58% more relaxed! Her non-profit project continues to donate calming music to over 1150 shelters across the United States.
Now, her dream of providing calming therapeutic music and innovative emotional support products to help balance all the animals has become a reality with the creation of her new company CALM MY PET. A portion of Calm My Pet purchases helps support the Rescue Animal Mp3 Project. This is her way of reaching out and helping as many animals as she can worldwide.
Dr. Robert Ness, DVM
Robert Ness DVM graduated from the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990 with a strong interest and determination in avian and exotic pet medicine. His first employment as a new graduate was as an associate veterinarian for the only all avian and exotic pet practice in the Midwest at the time. He spent 9 of the next 12 years at that practice, with the other 3 years serving as head exotics veterinarian for a prominent group of veterinary practices, also in the Chicago area. During his tenure at these practices, Dr. Ness continued to expand his knowledge and training, but kept believing that there was more to being an animal healer than just mainstream medicine. As frustrations grew over the limitations of standard conventional care for chronic diseases and common problems encountered in his patients, Dr. Ness began exploring the realm of holistic medicine and ultimately founded an integrative avian and exotic pet practice.
In June 2002, Dr. Ness started Ness Exotic Wellness Center as an alternative to the typical veterinary hospital. This practice serves as an integration of various holistic modalities with a strong foundation of diagnostic and medical knowledge in birds and exotic pets. In addition to being a full service avian and exotic practice, Ness Exotic also serves as a holistic care center for dogs and cats constituting about 10% of the practice. Dr. Ness continues to practice full-time at Ness Exotic Wellness Center, while managing the practice as well. He continues to develop his wealth of knowledge by adding new and innovative treatments to his practice, becoming widely respected and regarded in the field of Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine, especially in the field of Holistic Therapy. Dr. Ness became certified by AVCA for Chiropractic in 1998 and Chi-Institute for Acupuncture in 2002. He is presently one of the very few practitioners in the country practicing Holistic Therapy in an Avian and Exotic Pet practice.
Dr Ness continues to be spread his knowledge through presentations, consultation and writing. He is currently a regular speaker at both exotic veterinary conferences (ExoticsCon) and holistic vet meetings (AVCA & AIMLA). He also serves as consultant at various levels for veterinary related companies, including Animal Essentials, Oxbow Animal Health, Companion Therapy Laser, and Assisi Animal Health.
Dr. Priscilla Dressen, DVM
I am a South Dakota native, mostly raised in Colorado Springs, CO. I moved back to Mitchell, SD at the age of 16 and graduated from high School at the famous Corn Palace. My Ogallala Sioux grandmother, Isabelle Craven Stair, donated her Grand Piano to the Corn Palace after playing many concerts there. My great grandfather L.E. Stair photographed the original Corn Palace designs (real corn), some of which are still displayed in town. It was there that I began to realize my roots, value my families’ history and their stories.
I graduated from a Medical Assistant program at Nettleton Business College, Sioux Falls, SD in July, 1996. While there, I studied clinical lab techniques, phlebotomy, echocardiograms, radiology, and minor surgery techniques. I also interned at the 11 doctor hospital in Huron, SD.
I received my BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry 1982, at Black Hills State University. While living in the Black Hills, I gained a much deeper appreciation for wildlife, studying subjects such as Ornithology, where I began venturing across the state spotting birds in all sorts of environments. South Dakota is rich with birds such as pheasants, wild turkeys, ducks, grouse, song birds, hawks and eagles.
From 1984-1987, I worked as a Central Supply Technician at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. I completed the CSU Veterinary Program in 1993 and accepted an interim position as Clinical Instructor in the Exotic Animal and Wildlife department from 1994-1997.
While teaching at CSU, I cared for sick and injured raptors with the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program. We also worked with the Denver Zoo, The Big Cat Sanctuary, W.O.L.F. Rescue (Wolf Offers Life and Friendship), and with many wild and exotic pets. I was appointed to the W.O.L.F. board of directors as the CSU representative and continued on their board as Clinical Director for 17 years. I also volunteered multiple years with Wildkind, the local wildlife rehabilitation facility through the Larimer Humane Society, working with small mammals, reptiles and birds.
In 1998, I published “The Effect of Isoflurane Anesthesia on Hematologic and Plasma Biochemical Parameters in the American Kestrel (Falco spareverius); Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery. I began using therapeutic ultrasound on injured raptors, preventing ptagial tendon contractures on bandaged wings during rehabilitation. Concurrently, I coauthored with Dr. Jeff Wimsatt, et al; “The Evaluation of Ultrasound Therapy for the Prevention and Correction of Contractures and Bone Mineral Loss Associated with Wing Bandaging in a Domestic Pigeon (Columba Livia) Model; Journal of Zoo Animal Medicine.
I also became very involved in African Pygmy Hedgehog medicine; developing procedures on hedgehogs such as blood draw techniques, surgical and anesthetic techniques and studies of common diseases. I scheduled the first ever CT Scan of a hedgehog at CSU in 1995 and received a grant from The Flash and Thelma Memorial Hedgehog Rescue funding pathology studies and medical procedures. The grant also funded professional consultation to other Veterinarians through country, encouraging veterinarians to handle and treat hedgehogs. Our group defined Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome and I coauthored with Donnasue Grasser and Terry Spraker; “Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome: A Progressive lower motor neuropathy.”
Also while teaching at CSU, I met Dr. Narda Robinson as a junior veterinary student at CSU. Already a human D.O., she was pursuing her veterinary degree to practice acupuncture on animals. We began blending Western Medicine with acupuncture, treating raptors, pet birds, bunnies, rodents and reptiles. The results were unprecedented and I realized acupuncture must become a part of my life. Dr. Narda later created the Complimentary Alternative Program at CSU and a Veterinary Acupuncture Course. I completed the course in November, 2000 and became a Clinical Instructor in the program from 2001 to 2016.
I established North Star in 1997, treating exotic animals, wildlife and dogs and cats. After adding acupuncture to my practice I found the results so astounding that I left traditional medicine and became a strictly holistic veterinarian in 2006. My practice, North Star Holistic Animal Care, is in a sunroom, with a pond and a couch. I prefer to sit on the floor with my patients and practice in a very personal, calm and safe environment. Acupuncture, laser, massage and herbals are my main focus for treating patients with occasional traditional medicine. Pain management, balancing health, wellness, geriatric care and hospice are many commonly practiced areas of interest. I am happy to refer back to Western veterinarians, but find the majority of what a patient needs can be solved with a little more time and understanding.