Center for Integrative Animal Medicine

09/04/2024

Happy 12th Birthday, Hiro! This magnificent boy (on the left) is built like a Mac Truck and makes chirpy-screamy-trilling sounds that make us laugh every time. We've been seeing Hiro for over 4 years and recently began to see his newly adopted foster-fail sister, Nala, who is super sweet despite her resting dead-pan face. Hiro and Nala have amazing parents who provide them with everything a pup could want including a healthy birthday cake. 🎂🎉❤️

08/26/2024

National Dog Day is really all about Callie’s FIFTEENTH birthday! Wish our spunky girl a happy birthday!

08/24/2024

The AHVMF funds research on alternative/holistic veterinary modalities which is how they will (hopefully) gain acceptance in the Western medical world, as well as providing scholarships to veterinary students so they may attend the AHVMA Annual Conference. This conference is the big overarching conference for holistic veterinarians, providing continuing education in multiple modalities from acupuncture to ozone therapy, and opportunities to see other amazing practitioners from across the nation and even the world! Please consider supporting the AHVMF by donating directly to them or by donating to the silent auction that will be held at the AHVMA conference this year Sunday Sept 29 in Reno, NV.

08/01/2024

Miss Moo came in today for her spa treatment. She’s a super champ for all of her therapies including electro-acupuncture. She’s definitely big and scary looking but mom has done an excellent job training her so she gets doctor kisses on the top of her head. ❤️

07/02/2024

New(er) recommendations for cooling your dog off! We were taught differently in vet school so I’m pretty excited to learn something new. Best advice is to avoid your pets getting into this situation but be prepared - it can happen even in cooler weather.

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if possible immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

07/02/2024

We’ve got a lot to be cautious of this week and throughout the summer - fireworks, ridiculous heat, rattlesnakes and now this! If you see wildlife acting strange, you and your animals should stay away from it and contact the proper authorities.

Well, folks, much like a skunk, this news stinks: A rabid skunk was seen near the American River Parkway!

With the American River Parkway being a popular destination for outdoor recreation, here are some steps you can take to minimize exposure to rabies:
•Avoid contact with wild animals; call animal control if you see sick or injured wildlife
•Report unusual behavior of wildlife or domestic animals (e.g., stumbling, seizures, aggressiveness) to local animal control or wildlife officials
•Immediately wash all animal bites with soap and water and seek medical attention

Learn more: https://www.saccounty.gov/news/latest-news/Pages/Skunk-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-SacCounty.aspx

04/09/2024

We recommend and use Standard Process supplements and appreciate the support they give veterinarians and pet parents. Dr. Yamate has even lectured for them via webinar and in person to help educate pet parents and other DVMs on how to use their products.

Dr. Yamate has lost several DVM friends to su***de and sadly, is amongst the majority of vets to be able to say this. We are lucky - our clients are universally kind, caring and supportive but this is not the case for many of our colleagues. So please pass on the word that DVMs are doing the best they can. Be kind, voice your concerns politely and to the appropriate people. We share the same goals as you, to have the happiest and healthiest animals possible.

03/22/2024

We're so very proud of Dr. Yamate! She is the keynote speaker and lecturing at the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association annual conference.

AHVMA is excited to announce that Madeline Yamate, MBA, DVM, CVA, CVCH, CVFT, CVTP, CVSMT, FACVBM will be the 2024 Keynote Speaker, and will be speaking for a total of 3 hours, at the 2024 AHVMA Annual Conference at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada!

Dr. Madeline Yamate received her BA from Amherst College in 1982, MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in 1991, DVM from UC Davis in 2005 and completed her internship in veterinary acupuncture at UF Gainesville in 2007 under Dr. Huisheng Xie. In 2023, she became a charter fellow of the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine. Dr. Yamate is certified in veterinary acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, food therapy and tui-na by the Chi University, and veterinary spinal manipulative therapy by the Healing Oasis Wellness Center. She taught TCVM for the Chi Institute in the US and Spain, lectures internationally on integrative veterinary medicine, is the current president of the AHVMF and is in private practice in CA.

02/28/2024

“My wish for you is one day you find that dog, that one dog, that just is the best.” Our hearts go out to the Stewart family. They found that dog but sadly he has passed. This is how we feel about our animals, and this is how our clients feel about their 4 legged family. This, this is why we do what we do. ❤️

Jon Stewart bids a tearful goodbye to Dipper, his best boy and Daily Show OG. to The Daily Show:https://www.youtube.co...

02/24/2024

Our vet is back! Dr. Yamate delivered 4 hours of lectures on integrative veterinary medicine and co-taught a 4 hour acupuncture lab (flash back from earlier years in her teaching career) at the 96th WVC Annual Conference where there were 20,000 attendees! She was able to reconnect with vet friends from before, during and after vet school and make some new friends as well. We’re glad she was able to expose more vets to integrative medicine but are even happier that she’s back.

01/23/2024

Purchasing on-line may be convenient and is often cheaper, however you don't always get what you paid for. We've heard of fraudulent Chinese herbs as well which is why we buy our herbs, supplements and pharmaceuticals directly from the manufacturer or highly reputable distributors. We want to ensure our patients are getting what we prescribed and there is no contamination or substitution. "First, do no harm."

NOW Discovers Fraudulent Products Sold on Amazon Impersonating Prominent Industry Brands Bloomingdale, IL (April 13, 2023) – NOW® recently discovered mult

12/15/2023

Rose brought us good cheer!!

12/02/2023

Happy dance for the return of our internet and phones last night.

12/02/2023

Our phones and internet are offline as of Fri 12/1 at 5pm. As you can see, security is still on duty. Will update when we are back on.

11/21/2023

We hope you feel this much love for thanksgiving!

11/17/2023

This is Baron. You'll never guess his breed...graphs don't lie! For his breed he is a super super super senior - Join us in wishing him a HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY!!

10/03/2023

Almost doppelgänger! Peetie is also 15.5 yrs old and gave Keilani’s pumpkin 2 paws up. We think Petie and Keilani would make a super cute couple.

10/02/2023

Happy Fall, everyone! Keilani made this pumpkin for us (we think her mom may have helped) and we absolutely love it! Keilani is 15.5 years old and we’re so delighted we’ve been a part of her healthcare team for over 4 years. We should all age this gracefully 🙂

09/06/2023

It's National Service Dog Month which bears the question, "Mommy, where do service dogs come from?" Well, without getting into details, service dogs start out as puppies who have mommies like Patrice. Patrice could have been a service dog for Canine Companions for Independence but she was chosen for the super special assignment of MOM. She had 39 puppies who went to doggie college and, like many moms, she is very proud of her kids and now has a second career as a therapy dog. She sees Dr. Yamate regularly to keep her in tip top shape. Join us in acknowledging "team Patrice" for bringing so much good into the world.

08/28/2023

This is what 14 should look like! Callie turned 14 years old several weeks ago but you’d never know it if you saw her on the street. Bright, lively, active and happy!!! Her wonderful mom makes sure Callie gets the best care possible. Happy Belated Birthday, Callie!❤️

08/05/2023

We’re off to a delicious start to our weekend thanks to a couple of our very dear clients. Believe it or not, the produce was all grown from SEED!!! Dr. Yamate has finally admitted she’s a better grocer than grower so she’s in total awe of these beauties that our dear friend Beckye Stanton grew. And thank you to Shadow’s family for the delicious Kona coffee shortbread. They gave us just enough of a caffeine boost to finish up the day strong and peppy. Happy Friday, everyone!

06/21/2023

Here’s a quick update video of Bella, the 14.5 yo pug mix who was tetraparetic (very weak in all 4 legs, unable to walk) when she came to see us. Bella makes us happy 😊

06/03/2023

“No good deed goes unpunished”. That’s what I thought when I read Poppy’s file. Our client adopted Poppy 1/1/2023 after her original owner passed away. She immediately got Poppy the vet care that she so desperately needed but ooof! Poppy had horrible periodontal disease requiring extraction of many teeth, a heart murmur, elevated liver enzymes and her muzzle began to swell 3 weeks after she was adopted. Poppy was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma with erosion of her left upper jaw bone on 2/2/2023.
Poppy came to see us 3/7/23 (pics on top row) and we started her on herbs, supplements and a custom salve. She returned 5/2/23 and look at this miraculous girl! I now think “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Poppy’s new mom has tremendous will and we love her for that.

05/07/2023

We're GRATEFUL for the efforts of our local law enforcement who work tirelessly and continually put themselves at risk to keep us safe. We were uncomfortably close to the hub of activity related to the Davis stabbings and, though changed, we are relieved to be on the path to normalcy. Also a shout out to our own security team. They love their jobs and belly scratch bonuses.

04/28/2023

Alert - use code “Madeline” (omit the quotes) when registering for the course to get a 15% discount.
https://optimum-pet-vitality.mykajabi.com/a/2147548288/v2zjmEYz

This is a great course for pet parents who want to help their dogs OF ALL AGES improve their musculoskeletal system. Just like us , dogs need specific exercises to build and maintain different muscles. Dr. Laurie McCauley is a fabulous instructor and canine specialist in rehab and sports medicine, who is genuinely passionate about helping your dog achieve greater health, happiness and longevity. She will teach you how to help your dog do exercises in easy to learn steps. (note: link below doesn't work)

*We respect your privacy and won’t sell or share your information. By enrolling and/or subscribing, you’re agreeing to our Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Policy.

04/18/2023

It's a boy! To be precise, this is a male American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and TICK SEASON IS UPON US IN A BIG WAY!! If you happen to find a tick, this is a great resource https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/ They will ID from a good photo, the provide advice on potential diseases, likelihood of transmission and an estimate of how long the tick was attached. Do not squish or put the tick in rubbing alcohol if you want to submit it for disease testing.

03/10/2023

She’s one tough customer who knows what she wants!

02/18/2023

(Post edited) Some days being a vet is hard. Like kick you in the gut hard because you can’t help a patient who means the world to his/her person. Such was the case with Bella, a 14+ yo pug mix. She was tetraparetic, would scream throughout the day and night LOUDLY. Her poor mom couldn’t sleep and was frustrated/sad because nothing worked to stop the screaming. Her regular vet suggested euthanasia. Twice. I treated Bella twice and got small improvements. And my heart sunk each time I saw her. And then after her third treatment 🎊👏

02/14/2023

Jax decided he needed a longer appointment today so he pulled his mom back into the treatment room and jumped onto the table. We love you, too, Jax!

02/10/2023

Pilling a cat can be tricky. We recommend you start when they’re young but if you missed that window, here’s a great idea. Don’t forget to follow with a bit of water or squeeze tube treat like Churu to help the capsule/pill go down. And please use this great capsule idea with the bitter pills. Frothy mouths mean an unhappy cat.

This trick is the tip of the iceberg of medicating tricks and possibilities, but it is an excellent and often underutilized tool.

If you need help medicating your cat, I am here to help! However, I cannot recommend enough getting ahead of it and training your cats to take medications BEFORE they need medications. Here is a link to get you started if you would like guidance.

https://www.fundamentallyfeline.com/services/medicating-consults/