Carrie Donahue, left. Happy patient, right.
Dr. Carrie Donahue first performed acupuncture on a dog when she was working at a conventional vet clinic in Milwaukee. Donahue took the job at the clinic to become established in Western medicine after earning her doctorate in veterinary medicine from UW-Madison in 2010, though she’d also recently completed training in veterinary acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutrition through the Chi Institute in Florida. Her goal was to provide an integrated approach to treating patients.
When a dachshund mix woke up from dental surgery unable to move his back legs, Donahue’s boss encouraged her to try acupuncture on their patient. “After one treatment the dog was able to stand and support himself,” Donahue says. She knew she had to continue using holistic treatments.
Since then, Donahue has performed acupuncture on many animals including a constipated cat and a dog that wouldn’t eat while recovering from surgery. Donahue put a needle in the tip of the dog’s nose — an energy point — and “the dog’s owner offered him chicken and within seconds he gobbled it up,” Donahue says.
Donahue worked at the clinic in Milwaukee for two years before returning to Madison to try to find work at a clinic that combined conventional medicine with holistic practices. Unable to find one, she opened her own on Atwood Avenue in 2012, where she shared space with Underdog Pet Rescue. Donahue moved Full Circle Holistic Veterinary Care to its current location on Monroe Street a little over two years ago.
At Full Circle Donahue offers all the same services a conventional vet clinic does— including vaccinations, blood work, nail trims and urgent care exams — but with a holistic approach. “A lot of people hear ‘holistic’ and think ‘alternative,’” Donahue says. “But for me, holistic means looking at the whole animal.” For instance, if your cat or dog needs a full-strength, conventional flea or tick prevention treatment, she recommends following up with an herbal detoxification.
When performing surgeries, Donahue uses acupuncture while pets are sedated to help with recovery.
Donahue is no longer the only veterinarian in town who incorporates holistic and other non-traditional medicines into practice. But Full Circle does stand out by maintaining a small shop with a variety of products including essential oils, raw food and herbal remedies. Among the latter is cannabidiol (CBD) oil, which Donahue says is “flying off the shelves.” Donahue recommends trying CBD oil for pets who experience anxiety from things like thunderstorms, fireworks, construction season or stressed-out owners.
Donahue understands that people want to do what is best for their pets, which often means doing whatever their vets tell them. “My job is giving information and empowering pet owners to make the best decisions for their pets for optimal health,” Donahue says.
Full Circle Holistic Veterinary Care
1931 Monroe St.; 608-620-4729; fullcirclepet.com
