Different Strokes

Isthmus, June 14, 2018

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.