BY SKYLER, DEB AND TIM SMITH
SHOCKING SCENE ~ Recently there was an unusual event that went down in Mendon which you may not have heard about. A woman was seen pushing numerous sharp objects into a man’s pet Newfoundland and the man sat idly by and watched. And if you think for a minute that I’m making any of this up I can assure you that you’re wrong because I witnessed the whole thing. Multiple aspects of this story were surprising.
First off the woman inflicting the objects was a doctor. Secondly, the dog remained very content during the entire experience. And finally the owner in question is one of the greatest animal lovers I have ever met.
COMING CLEAN ~ Okay, I’ll come clean. The scene described above was acted out at the Mendon Interactive Veterinary Medicine facility (hereafter referred to as MIVM). The cast of my story featured Andrea Williamson as the doctor and Dave Allerton as the pet owner, but the real star of the show was Lola, as the Newfoundland. The full details of this encounter I will be sharing with you down the road. It’s a great story; look forward to it.
THE GOOD DOCTOR ~ Dr. Andrea Williamson actually works at two different pet facilities in the hamlet of Mendon. She is a licensed DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) and CVA (Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist) employed by the Mendon Village Animal Hospital and she is the owner and operator of the MIVM. It is a mutually symbiotic relationship.
EAST VS. WEST ~ The key word in the practice’s title is “integrative.” The use of that word is to convey the fact that Dr. Williamson considers both the Eastern and the Western philosophies of veterinary medicine when she makes her diagnoses and treatment plans. Western medicine is the most popular type of veterinary treatment in North America. This practice is scientifically based and uses diet, medication and surgery to treat illness.
The Eastern philosophy of treatment covers a diverse body of medical theory that originated in China and has developed over the past two thousand years. It is based on the concept of balance (Yin-Yang), using acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, and food therapy. It too is scientifically based.
This is where the benefit of integrative medicine comes in. It avoids the possible pitfall of having the Western or Eastern practice focusing on its own therapy at the expense of the other. When the integrative approach is taken all options are considered and each animal is assessed on an individual basis. Integrative medicine embraces the incorporation of alternative therapies into mainstream Western medical practice.
ONE OF A KIND ~ Here’s what makes MIVM truly unique. Some veterinarians in Rochester offer acupuncture services as part of their general practice (like in a regular animal hospital). But no other veterinarian offers only the Integrative Services MIVM does. It is the only standalone practice offering these services not associated with a general practice.
Come back next week and I’ll share with you a more personal introduction to Dr. Andrea Williamson.
