Lola
Before Lola turned 12 years of age, we received the news that she had been diagnosed with Lymphoma. It goes without saying that I knew without question that I would do everything possible to give Lola the best possible care.
After months of research and attempting chemo treatments which resulted in numerous negative side effects, severely diminishing her quality of life, we determined that chemo was not best for her, and instead – we opted for holistic approaches. We came across Healing Paws through extensive research and found some of the best care for Lola that we ever could have imagined.
The results were amazing…Lola’s behavior and quality of life improved drastically. We knew there was no “cure” for this devastating disease…only efforts to improve quality of life. As a result, Lola came in every week for acupuncture, B12 injections, and massage therapy to help make her comfortable for the last few months of her life.
Unfortunately, her Lymphoma was extremely aggressive, and she was later diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Failure, as well as Anemia. Two weeks before her 14th birthday, Lola passed with me by her side. However…despite the multiple devastating ailments that plagued her towards the end, I know that the entire staff of Healing Paws helped to make her time as pain-free as possible. I can honestly say that Healing Paws helped her quality of life in ways that chemo never could. The staff was incredibly thoughtful, caring, and accommodating every step of the way, and I will forever be grateful to them.
– In Memory of Lola Henderson (R.I.P. 04.15.2023).
Hercules Marko
This is my story of the most amazing dog I have had the pleasure of adopting. I adopted Hercules on November 13, 2016. As the staff at Healing Paws can attest Hercules was the most gentle and friendly American Staffordshire Terrier.
Hercules was diagnosed with possibly two different types of cancer. At the time I didn’t start any treatments because I really don’t believe in Chemotherapy and Radiation treatments.
Time went by and a large growth developed under the skin and on the right side of his throat. Hercules had surgery in mid-2020 to remove the growth, and it was a success. But they wanted him to go through Chemo and Radiation. Again, I declined and sought out a holistic veterinary clinic. Thankfully this is when I discovered Healing Paws and Dr. Diana Gersten. She put Hercules on a treatment plan of Acupuncture 1 x week, Subcutenaous ozone therapy 2 x week, Vitamin B12 shots 2 x week, Adequan Canine disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) 1 x week.
Because of this treatment plan Hercules had a great quality of life for about a year and a half. But as we all know old age can’t be prevented just slowed down a bit. After about a year and a half of treatment old age got the better of Hercules and I decided that it was time. He passed away at home with me peacefully, the end of July 2021. It has hit me hard, and not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and really miss him. I want to give my Love and Thanks to all the staff, Dr. Gersten and my friend David who took such good care of my boy Hercules! You guys are the Best! Thank You from the Bottom of my Heart!
Dexter
“Our sweet beloved chocolate lab Dexter, changed our lives from the day he arrived home on a gorgeous December day. Dexter stole our hearts the minute he got home. That’s when I promised him to love and care for him for the rest of his life.
When he was diagnosed in 2018 with severe arthritis and masses in his spleen and liver, he started loosing interest in his day to day activities and stopped eating. We simply couldn’t let him give up on life and deteriorate in discomfort or pain. It was very clear to both of us we didn’t want Dexter to go through painful surgery recuperations or discomforting traditional treatments at his age if his condition would have ever continued to escalate and so we decided to look for a holistic solution to his condition. That’s when we found Healing Paws Center. Something about that first call I did to the center told me it was going to be the best decision when choosing a treatment for Dexter. Dr. Jessie and her team are not only extremely knowledgeable in holistic healing treatments, they also treated our sweet Dexter with love, care, kindness, and compassion.
Throughout the process they became a big part of our lives and we started thinking of them as part of our family. Dexter loved his weekly sessions and barked with excitement every time we got to the entrance door of the center. Everyone would recognize Dexter’s bark and with genuine enthusiasm they would come out to the reception area to greet him with love and kisses. They immediately started him on herbal supplements and acupuncture to build up his immune system so he could better fight cancer and to get rid of the pain in his already frail body. He was also treated with physical therapy, massages, magnetic pain relief therapy, and my favorite, laser therapy. Soon we started to see a big difference in Dexter and we could tell he also felt it. What a big relief! We couldn’t have been happier with the outcome! Thanks to Dr. Jessie and her team, Dexter got to live three more happy and pain free years! When the time came for Dexter to go, Dr Jessie guided us with empathy and great compassion throughout the difficult and tough decisions we had to make. Dexter lived big!
From the bottom of our hearts we thank you and for always will be grateful,
Maria and Carlos Sampedro
Zoey
We took Zoey to the vet because she was limping very poorly and could not put weight on the left leg. On August 3, 2021, Zoey was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer on her upper left leg). When I received the news, it felt like my world came tumbling down. I was devastated, angry, and sad. I didn’t know what to do. The vet told me I had to amputate her leg and start on chemo and radiation ASAP! If I decide not to move forward with this, Zoey will only have 2 to 3 months to live. I felt helpless and pressured to do something that I wasn’t comfortable with. So I started to do my research on Osterocoma to educate myself about the situation better so I could make an informed decision and learn about the holistic approach. I did a google search, and that’s when I found Healing Paws Center.
I read the raving reviews and looked at their website to see what services they offer to pets with cancer. I loved what I read, so I decided to make a call. I loved the customer service. They listened to my concerns, and I felt very comfortable bringing Zoey to them. Long story short, my and husband and I agreed that amputating Zoey’s leg was not an option for us because she is a large breed that weighs 126 lbs.
We changed her diet from kibbles to raw, and she also takes Chinese meds, CBD oil, herbs like kelp, turmeric, and spirulina powders in her food. And thanks to the care and magic hands at Healing Paws Center, Zoey has been able to put her weight on her left leg and walk without hopping on three legs like in the past it was so bad that we had to put her in a wagon to take her out to the back yard to use the bathroom. She still limps a bit, but it’s way better than before because now she can put her paw down and walk.
Zoey’s treatment at Healing Paws Center is acupuncture and ozone therapy once a week. At home, I give Zoey a spa day every day, which consists of massaging her left leg with her favorite pet massager from Paw Wave and listening to spa music. With many prayers, keeping the faith, and thanks to the excellent staff and doctors like Dr. Gersten, and Dr. Jessie, Zoey is walking better, being good-spirited, and still alive.
I highly recommend Healing Paws Center because they genuinely care for Zoey, and she is in good hands with them. We are so delighted with Zoey’s progress, and I highly recommend they care for your pet! Thank you so much, everyone, at Healing Paws Center, for caring for Zoey and loving her so much as we do.
The Cortiella-Julca Family
