Q and A with Dr. Kate Steinhacker
January 2008
Dr. Kate Steinhacker makes house calls for your cat and dog vet needs. Read more about her here.
Town:South Portland
Title: Doctor, Veterinary Medicine
Education: BA Columbia University, DVM University of Wisconsin-Madison
Own pets: Persian cat "Puddles" and domestic shorthair cat "Scoochie"
Favorite Pet Movie:Russian Ark
Q: What is Integrative Medicine?
A: Integrative medicine is a purposeful decision on the part of the practitioner to combine Western medicine with additional therapies (such as acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic services, etc.) with the goal of producing the greatest possible health benefit to the patient.
Q: Why do you make house calls?
A: Many animals and people find the experience of going to the clinic stressful. For the kind of medicine that I practice, I prefer the most relaxed environment possible for the patient. Most animals are more relaxed at home.
Q: What is the most common problem you see?
Obesity due to overeating and/or poor diet quality and insufficient exercise.
Q: What is the strangest problem you've ever encountered?
A: A dog with an extra foot emerging from the right temporal aspect of his cranium. I discussed amputation with the client, but ultimately it was decided that a simple nail trim would suffice.
Q: How do you diagnose your patients?
A: Through physical examinations, detailed histories, and laboratory testing.
Q: What are nutriceuticals? Are nutriceuticals important to pet health?
A: Nutriceuticals are natural or semi-natural substances that generally do not require a prescription from a doctor. Some nutriceuticals are important to pet health, such as omega-3 oils found in fish oil and flaxseed oil.
Q: What is pet acupuncture? How does it work?
A: Pet acupuncture is the same as human acupuncture. It works by stimulating certain points on the body with extremely fine needles. These points, once activated, cause the bodyıs natural neurotransmitters and hormones to circulate throughout the body. This often enhances the bodyıs innate ability to heal.
Q: What is pet massage? How does it work?
A: Pet massage is the same as human massage. It works by enhancing blood flow and neural stimulation to the area of the body being massaged. This results in relaxation of tight muscles and tendons, which can alleviate pain and discomfort, thereby facilitating the bodyıs innate ability to heal.
Q: What is the best part about being a vet?
A: Being able to help animals and people simultaneously in a nurturing way.
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