The Non-Traditional Veterinarian

Your dog has a fatty lump, and you've been told it's "just a lipoma" and a "normal part of aging". But is age really the entire explanation? In this episode, we explore fatty lumps beyond the lump to discuss metabolic health, environmental exposures, and the Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) concepts of Dampness, Phlegm, and stagnation. In this episode, we're discussing: What lipomas...

This year's American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) conference felt different for me. Last year, I attended without knowing anyone. I stepped outside my comfort zone, showed up, and immersed myself in a community that felt aligned with how I believe veterinary medicine should be practiced, without me knowing anyone there. This year, I walked in knowing familiar faces, having estab...

If your pet has chronic itching, recurring ear infections, red paws, yeast, hot spots, or skin infections that keep coming back, the problem may involve more than just the skin. In this episode, we explore the idea that chronic skin disease can sometimes be a visible sign of a much bigger internal picture. Inspired by the recent  Veterinary Practice News  article  “A Regenerative Approach to Chron...

Royal Canin has recently entered the gently cooked space with its new Fresh Health Nutrition line for puppies, adults, and senior dogs. In this episode, I break down what I think this shift means for veterinary nutrition, what I like about the move toward less processed food, and where I still have questions. We discuss: Why I see a major veterinary brand embracing gently cooked food as a positive...

I recently returned from a trip to Italy, and one of the things I couldn’t stop noticing had nothing to do with the architecture, the shopping, or even the food. It was the dogs. The pets I saw seemed happy, relaxed, connected to their people, and almost every dog I noticed was at an ideal body condition. It got me thinking about something I talk about often in veterinary medicine:  our pets don’t...

I practice differently than I was originally trained. But that does not mean I believe conventional veterinarians are doing it wrong. And it definitely does not mean I believe we need to tear down one side of veterinary medicine in order to make room for another. Most of us entered this profession for the same reason: we love animals, and we care deeply about the people who come with them. Veterin...

When a pet develops anxiety, reactivity, irritability, restlessness, fear, or other behavior changes, the first question I ask is not always, “How do we stop the behavior?” I wonder,  why is this happening? Of course, there are situations where the connection may be more obvious like a history of abuse, trauma, poor socialization, or a frightening experience can absolutely influence how a pet resp...

Being a non-traditional veterinarian does not stop when I leave the exam room. Many of the choices I make for my own pets happen inside my home, through small decisions about what we bring inside, what we clean with, what we sleep on, and what we use to prepare and store food. In this episode of The Non-Traditional Veterinarian®, Dr. Bimonte shares some of the household changes she has made to red...

Functional testing is often associated with pets who have chronic, complicated, or unexplained health concerns. While those pets may absolutely benefit from a deeper investigation, they are not the only ones who may be good candidates. In this episode of The Non-Traditional Veterinarian®, Dr. Bimonte explains why functional testing may be valuable for pets with ongoing symptoms as well as pets who...

We think about what goes into our pets' food bowls, but how often do we think about the air they breathe every day? From scented candles and plug-in air fresheners to laundry detergents, cleaning products, perfumes, and even pet shampoos, fragrances are part of many homes. But because pets experience the world primarily through their sense of smell, it's worth asking whether these everyday product...

Before launching my concierge holistic practice, I spent years working as a relief veterinarian in more than 100 veterinary hospitals across multiple states. That experience gave me something I could never have learned by staying in one clinic: perspective. In this episode, I share the biggest lessons I learned from working alongside hundreds of veterinarians, technicians, and support staff, and h...

This episode is a little different. Recently, I attended Ashley Brock's  Launch Your Ads Live  event, where I was honored to receive the  Rainmaker Award , an award recognizing the impact and growth created through effective marketing. What made the moment even more meaningful was that I was the only veterinarian recognized. As grateful as I am for the award, what stayed with me wasn't walking acr...

If someone asked me, "What would you do if this was your own dog?" this episode has some of my answers. As a veterinarian, I spend every day helping families make decisions about their pets' health. While every pet is unique, there are a handful of principles that guide almost every recommendation I make. These aren't about chasing trends or finding a magic supplement. In fact it's the opposite. T...

We tend to treat our vet's vacation, sick day, or "closed for Continuing Education" sign the same way we treat a delayed flight...as an inconvenience aimed personally at us. In this episode, I'm flipping that script. Just like I made the case in Episode #39 that a profitable vet is a  good  thing for you and your pet because profit funds better equipment, better testing, better continuing educatio...

I’m sharing something personal: what I did when my own dog got his very first ear infection. And honestly? For one day, I considered going the traditional route. Even as a more holistic veterinarian, I had that moment of, “Should I just treat this the conventional way and move on?” But instead, I paused. I slowed down. And I chose to do exactly what I recommend my clients and pet parents do: trust...

Many pet parents spend countless hours analyzing ingredient labels, looking up recipes, trying them them out for their pets. Yet, ingredients are only one piece of the puzzle. In this episode, I explain the difference between ingredients and nutrients, why some diets that look healthy may still be incomplete, and the common vitamin and mineral deficiencies she sees in dogs and cats. You'll learn:...

In this episode, I discuss why vitamin D plays a critical role in immune function, inflammation, muscle health, and overall wellness for your pets. You'll learn: Why dogs depend on dietary vitamin D Conditions associated with low vitamin D levels Why testing may be valuable for some pets Why guessing can be risky If your pet struggles with allergies, chronic inflammation, digestive issues, or simp...

When most people think about hurricane preparedness for pets, they think about food, water, and medications. Those are important! And, they are not the whole story. In this episode, I share several non-traditional hurricane preparedness strategies designed to help support your pet's health before, during, and after a storm. You'll learn: Why keeping food consistent matters How stress affects the g...

We've been taught to measure a pet's life in years. But years don't tell the whole story. In this episode, I'm breaking down one of the most important shifts in how I think about pet health, the difference between how long your pet lives and how well they live. It's a conversation that changes the entire approach to care, and it's one I wish more pet parents were having sooner. In this episode we...

What happens when you run functional testing on your own dog, not because something is wrong, but because you believe in being proactive? That's exactly what I did with my own pup, Bernard. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what I found, what didn't work, what I did next, and how following the data led me to a hidden mold problem in my own home that was affecting both of us. In this...

Feeding a large dog homemade food can feel overwhelming financially. And yes, it  is  an investment. But in this episode of The Non-Traditional Veterinarian®, I challenge pet parents to think about nutrition differently: not as an expense… but as a deposit into your dog’s future health span. Because what I often see is this: people avoid investing in nutrition now, only to spend the same amount, o...

What if the reason your pet still isn’t thriving… is because you’ve only been given part of the picture? In this episode of The Non-Traditional Veterinarian, I’m talking about one of the biggest patterns I see in integrative and conventional pet care alike: stopping diagnostics too early. Routine bloodwork matters. Microbiome testing can be incredibly valuable. Intolerance testing can provide impo...

I sat down with Dr. Judy Morgan to talk about one of the most important topics in pet health: how to help pets live healthier, longer lives naturally. In this episode, we break down the “Six Ways to Keep Pets Naturally Healthy” and discuss practical, real-world strategies pet owners can start implementing today. We cover: • Vaccines: which ones matter, how often they may truly be needed, and alter...

Cooking for your pet? This episode is for you! Home cooking can be one of the most powerful ways to support your pet's health, but there are a few common mistakes, or let's call them "gaps" I see over and over again that can quietly hold pets back from truly thriving. In this episode, I break down the three biggest gaps I see in home cooked diets and explain why they matter inside your pet's body....

Let's have an open and honest look at the growing conversation around peptides in pets. Lately I've had quite a few pet parents parents asking about peptides. I share my stance on them, and why I am not using them. This episode is a reminder that not being familiar with something doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value, it simply means knowing where your scope begins and ends. In this episode: • How to...