Chirovet is a holistic and integrative veterinary practice in Great Chart, just outside Ashford in Kent. I am a fully qualified vet who specializes in acupuncture, Chinese and Western herbal medicine, food therapy, chiropractic and homeopathy to treat dogs, cats and horses working alongside the care your usual practice already provides.
Acupuncture and chiropractic treatment for cats, dogs and horses
I am a vet offering a unique combination of acupuncture and chiropractic methods, resulting in a complete, holistic treatment for cats, dogs and horses.
From performance support for competitive animals, to palliative care, I can help your beloved pet be as comfortable and happy as possible.
Acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbs can help dogs and cats with many different ailments, including skin conditions, arthritis, cancer support and palliative care.
Find out more about how Julia can help your dog or cat
Acupuncture can also help horses with arthritis, sacroiliac pain, head-shaking and stiffness, as well as many other ailments.
Find out how acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help your horse
Holistic care for dogs and cats
My practice primarily focuses on providing dedicated holistic care for dogs and cats. Most clients come to me when standard conventional treatments have been exhausted, or when they wish to introduce complementary therapies to sit alongside existing veterinary regimens. I believe in assessing every patient as a whole system rather than treating a symptom in isolation. Our evaluation process considers the animal’s lifestyle, diet, exercise habits, temperament, medical history, environment, and emotional health. This thorough approach allows us to pinpoint the underlying cause of an illness or discomfort. Because every treatment plan is tailored to the individual animal, two patients with identical conventional diagnoses will often receive entirely distinct, personalised care pathways.
The things I am asked to help with most often are:
- Arthritis, stiffness and general loss of mobility, particularly in older dogs and cats
- Back pain, disc problems and IVDD
- Cancer support and palliative care
- Skin conditions, including lick granuloma
- Epilepsy and seizures
- Pain that has not responded well to conventional treatment
- Keeping senior animals comfortable and active for as long as possible
My services complement, rather than replace, your primary veterinary care. Standard medical procedures, including vaccinations, surgeries, diagnostic imaging and blood work, remain with your regular clinic.
I gladly collaborate and communicate directly with your existing vet to ensure cohesive, comprehensive care focused entirely on your pet’s wellbeing.
Veterinary chiropractic
Chiropractic is where the practice takes its name from. Gentle, targeted adjustments are used to restore movement where the spine or a joint has become restricted, which in turn takes the strain off the muscles that have been compensating for it.
It is used together with acupuncture rather than instead of it, particularly for back problems, hind limb weakness and dogs that have started to slow down without an obvious cause.
Where we are and who we see
The practice is in Great Chart, a couple of minutes outside Ashford in Kent, with parking on site. Owners travel to us from across Kent and the wider South East, including London, Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Folkestone, Tenterden and the surrounding villages. We do have a practice room in Forest Row that Julia visits every other week, which is a possibility as well.
If you are looking for a holistic or natural vet near you and are not sure whether our approach would suit your animal, please ring or email us, we are happy to answer any questions.
What happens at your first appointment
The first consultation is the longest appointment I offer, because I go through the full history, diet, environment and treatment options in one sitting rather than spreading it over several visits. Treatment begins at the first appointment.
After that, how often I see your animal depends entirely on your needs. Some need more frequent sessions to start with, others come every few weeks. The aim is to space appointments out as things improve, to find a timeframe with the most benefit. It will be evaluated at each appointment and spaced out as appropriate to your animals’s needs.
More on our Holistic Veterinary practices for horses
At Chirovet, we are dedicated to providing an exceptional holistic veterinary care, including herbal medicine and acupuncture to support your horse’s health and performance.
Our holistic approach combines Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, acupuncture and chiropractic methods to address various conditions, including arthritis, sacroiliac pain, head-shaking, stiffness and many more. We are committed to serving the local equestrian community and beyond offering tailored treatments to meet the unique needs of each horse.
Our goal is to enhance your horse’s comfort, mobility and overall well-being through natural and effective therapies.
Contact us today to learn more about our local equine acupuncture services and how we can assist your horse in achieving optimal health.
Frequently Asked Questions
A holistic vet treats the whole animal rather than just the symptom they came in with. In practice that means looking at:
- Diet and Nutrition: Evaluation of current food quality, hydration levels, and nutrient absorption
- Daily Environment: Assessment of stress levels, living conditions, and toxic exposures at home
- Physical Mechanics: Observation of posture, gait, mobility, and subtle signs of daily discomfort
- Emotional State: Identification of anxiety, fear, past trauma, or behavioral changes
- Medical History: Review of past illnesses, suppressive treatments, and genetic predispositions
My main tools are acupuncture, herbal medicine, chiropractic, and food therapy. I am a fully qualified veterinary surgeon, so I look at the whole picture to form a plan.
No, and I would not want you to. My patients keep their usual practice for vaccinations, diagnostics and surgery, and come to me for the holistic side. With your permission I will ask them for the medical history so that we are all working on the same page.
Mainly dogs and cats and horses at yards across Kent.
Great Chart, just outside Ashford in Kent, with parking on site. Owners travel to us from across Kent and the South East.
No. You can book directly.