Dr. med. vet. Julia Ledger-Muennich Veterinary Surgeon, MRCVS
Graduating as a veterinary practitioner from the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, I completed the practical examinations for my thesis ´Ultrasonograhic examination of the equine mammary gland, a contribution to improving the examination of the mare’s udder’ in the Clinic for Horses in Kerken, Wachtendonk. This is a 46-box clinic with outstanding surgical facilities, specialising in colic surgery and orthopaedics. Here I worked exclusively on night duties looking after the inpatients, particularly the intensive care stable, involving both post surgical care as well as conservative treatment.
I gained broad experience in general equine practice where my case load was mostly first opinion ambulatory work but included lameness workups with nerve and intra-articular blocks, gastroscopies, bronchoscopies as well as anaesthetics for the hospitalised patients.
Over the years I found that traditional veterinary practice did not always improve the patients to my satisfaction, leading me further afield to explore acupuncture and chiropractic practice. I was looking for treatments not to replace, but to actively complement, the traditional veterinary methods. I subsequently found that a more comprehensive and wide-ranging approach to animal wellbeing was providing better results for my patients, so I opened up my own practice to include equine and canine chiropractic and veterinary acupuncture treatment. This soon led me to explore the Traditional Chinese Medicine more in depth as I was looking to treat the root not just the symptom of a problem. The practice created a happy medium offering a holistic approach to animal well being backed up by my veterinary qualification and broad experience. It proved to be such a successful tool that I now solely focus on Traditional Chinese Herbs, Food therapy, Acupuncture and homeopathic treatment where I find appropriate, while keeping up to date with the latest developments in conventional medicine.
Further Qualifications
I have undergone extensive training to offer a comprehensive solution to my patients in terms of holistic animal care- whether its small animal or equine patients. My Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) accredited work at four-star events allows me to support my patients up to Olympic standard.
I have been certified in animal chiropractic since 2008, following a one-year course.
I studied acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine in some depth, qualifying as a veterinary acupuncturist in 2011.
I am a certified Tui Na practitioner in Chinese manipulative therapy, a manual therapy to complement the chiropractic and bodywork. It is one of the four pillars of traditional Chinese Medicine: acupuncture; food therapy; herbs; Tui Na.
I am a Certified Chinese Veterinary Herbalist, following a two-year course, which is accredited by the World Association of Traditional Veterinary Chinese Medicine (WATCVM).
I am a Certified Traditional Chinese Veterinary Herbalist accredited by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). This course has further built on my previously completed Chinese herbal course knowledge. One can never know enough☺.
At the moment I am enrolled in Advanced Certification in Neuroacupuncture. I am determined to treat the Stroke/Epilepsy/ Geriatric/ Neurological patients with even more in depth and specific knowledge.
Over the years I have as well studied Traditional Chinese Veterinary Food Therapy, Myofascial Release Techniques only to name a few more.
I also have Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) veterinary accreditation that allows me to work as a FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarian at FEI events, where I have worked at Badminton Horse Trials, Burghley Horse Trials and the CHIO in Aachen, Germany.
The practice also utilises a small team of part time contractors, undertaking various support activities for Julia.