Veterinary Service

Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Laser Therapy

Dr. Angela Riffice is a Veterinarian who is Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and Chiropractic for both Small Animals and Horses. Dr. Riffice also specializes in Food Therapy and Herbals and will provide a TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) evaluation on the first visit. Dr. Riffice will determine which forms of Acupuncture would be most appropriate for your animal by taking into account history and any current medical problems, and TCVM findings.

Acupuncture is rooted in Eastern Medicine and is thousands of years old. It is based on Meridian/Energy lines that run along the surface of the body. Acupuncture may be used for any condition, whether chronic, acute, or atypical. It is most helpful with: Musculoskeletal conditions: Arthritis, cruciate ligament tears, pain, stiff and sore joints, soft tissue injuries.

Neurological disease: Disc disease in the neck or back, Degenerative Myelopathy; paralysis.
Gastrointestinal diseases: IBD, Colic, Constipation, Diarrhea
Behavioral issues: Anxiety, hyperactivity
Cancer: Side effects from Chemotherapy including nausea, vomiting, anorexia, pain.
General Wellness Acupuncture: Incorporating it along with yearly health exams, exercise, and proper diet can provide many health benefits.

Some forms of Acupuncture include:
Dry Needling: There are multiple points for each organ in the body. Treatment is performed by inserting needles at various depths into these points under the skin where they remain in the body for 15-30 minutes. The technique in inserting needles is very gentle resulting in minimal to no discomfort for your pet.

Electro-Acupuncture: Once acupuncture needles are placed, wires are attached to the needles and connected to an electro-acupuncture stimulation unit. The unit delivers a gentle electrical current to the needles. Most animals love electro-acupuncture! In fact, some can fall asleep.
Aqua-Acupuncture: This incorporates a water based solution, typically with a vitamin formulation that is injected into the points where needles would otherwise be inserted.

Animal Chiropractic focuses on the health and preservation of the neuro-musculoskeletal-skeletal system. The spine is a complex framework of bones (vertebrae) ligaments, nerves, and muscles. If the movement and biomechanics of the vertebrae become dysfunctional, they can interfere with the performance of the nerves that are branching off of the spinal cord and going to all of the muscles and organs. As this occurs, your animal can lose mobility, resulting in stiffness, tension, pain and even organ dysfunction . When normal movement is affected and not treated, it will impact your animal's quality of life. Chiropractic treatment restores the normal motion of the vertebrae. This removes neurological interference; and when the nerves can efficiently communicate with all the structures in your animals' body, they will begin to heal from within.

Laser Therapy: a non-surgical and pain-free treatment used in rehabilitation to speed up the body’s natural healing process and relieve pain. It’s a great option for post-op procedures, geriatric animals, animals living with chronic conditions like arthritis, cruciate ligament injuries, and tendon injuries.