In perfect balance

The aim of acupuncture is to foster homeostasis, or internal stability, in patients by targeting specific areas of the body with needles. Dr. Keira Troxell discovered years ago that she would be imbalanced if she didn't seek homeostasis and only pursued one of her interests, which include science, animals and art. She needed to do work that stimulated her heart and both sides of her brain. So Troxell sharpened her attention on all three of her passions, becoming a diverse house-call veterinarian who offers a wide range of services including acupuncture, hospice care and euthanasia, and an accomplished artist who crafts lifelike portraits of dogs and horses. She seems to have found the professional harmony she was seeking. Find out more about Troxell's business, St. Francis Veterinary Housecalls, by visiting stfrancishousecallvet.com or calling 876-4094.

What are the challenges and benefits of being a veterinarian who only does house calls?

It's not the most lucrative way to earn. I can see maybe five or six appointments in one day because it takes so long to drive and set up, but I can go at a much more relaxed pace. I really like that. I can see animals in much more relaxed settings. We can do things to them that couldn't have been done at a regular practice. A lot of animals get pretty stressed out being taken [to the vet].

How did you get into animal acupuncture and why do you believe in it?

I get acupuncture done myself. When I started seeing my acupuncturist, we didn't address any actual physical concerns. She just gave me an Eastern diagnosis and after [several sessions] I noticed that the shoulder pain I've had for 20 years was almost unnoticeable. It's an amazing way to alleviate pain and I've seen it work really well on animals. Oftentimes an animal [in hospice care] can't be given the full range of pain medication, so acupuncture really adds to your bag of tricks.

What is an ‘Eastern’ diagnosis?

They assess an animal in terms of Chinese concepts that would not even apply to Western medicine. For instance, an animal that has weak joints and pain. You might look at the tongue and take the pulse, [ask about the animal's behavior and tendencies] and assess it as having a spleen-chi deficiency, which has no correlation in Western medical terms. But in Chinese terms they deem that the spleen channel is a little bit weaker, is causing some problems and needs balancing.

Besides joint pain, what types of ailments does acupuncture treat?

It can treat behavioral issues, some skin conditions that are very difficult to classify in terms of Western medicine. For some skin conditions, the best thing we have yet is steroids. If for whatever reason the owner doesn't want to give steroids to the animal, then we try to treat that with Chinese herbs and Chinese acupuncture.

Are some animals more receptive to acupuncture?

Some animals are difficult to acupuncture. They are very sensitive, they don't understand, they're having a hard time. But, oftentimes, those are the ones that for some reason seem to respond really well in medical terms.

Which animal species react best to acupuncture?

I'd say horses and dogs. Cats can be a challenge but they can also respond really well. Dogs are probably the easiest. They're less suspicious of needles.