I was raised in Pennsylvania and used my Fisher-Price doctor’s kit to regularly examine my large collection of stuffed animals and provide bandages and medicines as I deemed necessary. I decided in nineth grade that I would be a veterinarian. I graduated from the University of Florida with my Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and then Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine with Honors in 2000. My support for families coping with pet loss started in veterinary school, as I volunteered for our Pet Grief Support Hotline. I completed a small animal and emergency internship in Tampa, FL at Florida Veterinary Specialists (now Blue Pearl). I remember, as an intern, I requested permission to perform euthanasia for my patients outside, if families preferred, rather than inside a sterile exam room.  I believed early in my career that our beloved pets deserved a respectful and peaceful farewell.

My first professional passion was practicing emergency and critical care medicine for small animals, exotic pets and wildlife. Then in 2007, my beloved chow chow, Hayle, in older age, developed hind end weakness.  The surgeon and neurologist said there was nothing they could do.  A colleague recommended acupuncture.  I knew nothing about it but kept an open mind.  Hayle was able to resume our walks and I witnessed how drastically it improved her quality of life.  I enrolled in the acupuncture certification program at Chi University, Ocala, FL.  

Having fallen in love with North Carolina, I relocated to Charlotte and continued practicing emergency medicine in Huntersville.  I continued studying at Chi University and became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Palliative and End of Life Practitioner and Certified Veterinary Tui-na practitioner. In 2010, I founded Shay Shay Veterinary Mobile to provide holistic medicine and end of life care in the comfort of home. I sought to further improve the quality of life of my elder patients by studying Physical Rehabilitation Therapy, Myo-fascial Release therapy and Dry Needling at North Carolina State University. In 2020 I moved to Los Angeles, CA to hone my skills practicing Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation Therapy.  

I am excited to return to this beautiful area and reopen Shay Shay Veterinary Mobile. It is my honor to serve pets and their families in the comfort of home by improving the quality of life of elder pets and pets of any age with chronic disease with the use of all the tools in my large toolbox.  My areas of expertise include arthritis and neurologic conditions that decrease mobility, pain management, kidney disease and guiding families as they navigate end of life decisions to prevent unnecessary suffering of their beloved pet companions.