Leilani Alvarez DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVCHM

Dr. Leilani Alvarez joins our team in The Tina Santi Flaherty Rehabilitation & Fitness Service. Dr. Alvarez combines Western medicine with Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). CAM includes therapies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy and physical rehabilitation, which help to increase the overall health of a patient and can often increase the success of Western treatments.

Prior to her practice in complementary and alternative medicine, Dr. Alvarez worked as an emergency veterinarian for over six years. Dr. Alvarez was featured in Westchester Magazine's Top Vets of 2011 and was also chosen as Top Vets of 2012. She was also featured in an article in March 2009 in US News and World Report, “Animals Respond to Acupuncture’s Healing Touch.”

Dr. Alvarez offers acupuncture to dogs and cats (including dry needle, electroacupuncture, aquapuncture, and laser acu-stimulation), physical rehabilitation (including low-level therapeutic laser, therapeutic ultrasound, under water treadmill, myofascial trigger point release, manual therapies and home exercise programs), food therapy, Chinese herbal medicine, homeopathy, and geriatric care.

In addition, Dr. Alvarez has completed over two years of training in Chinese herbal medicine and is one of very few veterinarians certified in this emerging field.

Dr. Alvarez is fluent in Spanish.
 

Education

• BS - Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Suma cum laude - double major in Biology and German, 1996.
• DVM - University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA,  Magna cum laude, and Certification in International Veterinary Medicine, 2002.

Postgraduate Training

• Rotating Small Animal Medicine and Surgical Internship - The Animal Medical Center, New York, NY, 2002-2003.
• Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist - International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, 2008.
• Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist - Canine Rehabilitation Institute, 2009.
• Certification in Chinese Veterinary Herbal Medicine - College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies, January 2012.
   

Recent Publications

• Alvarez, L. Acupuncture Treatment for a Bichon Frise with Pain and Ataxia following Cervical Disk Surgery. The Meridian. American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. Oct 2008, Vol 10, No. 4: 11-18.