Healing Arts Animal Care

Healing Arts Animal Care Veterinary acupuncture, rehabilitation therapy, physical therapy and athletic conditioning to the dogs and cats of Portland.
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09/06/2026

This is 100 percent fact.

09/05/2026

🐾 Rehab refusals are NOT rehab failures!

We hear it all the time: “It doesn’t look the same when I do it at home!”

First, don’t worry, just because we do these exercises all day doesn’t mean they look perfect for us every time either! 😂 We WANT you to tell us when an exercise isn’t working or doesn’t look right so we can adjust it and make it effective for your pet.

But sometimes our pets simply invent their own exercise.

Maybe it’s exuberance, like Percy here. 🤣 Maybe they aren’t quite sure they can do what we’re asking. Maybe they shift their weight onto the surgical leg while trying to go around the obstacle instead of over it. Maybe they’re working on balance in a completely different way.

And sometimes they’re just using that brain to say “Nope. I have a better idea.” A brain that may be VERY bored with post-op restrictions!

The funny thing is, their “wrong” version is often still doing something useful.

So if your pet gets creative with their homework, take a video! 📱 We can help you change your technique, modify the exercise… or sometimes decide that their version works just fine.

Rehab refusals are not rehab failures. Sometimes they’re just rehab improvisation. 🐕💜

09/04/2026

🐾 Fun Fact Friday! 🐾

What looks like pain, slowing down, or “just getting older” isn’t always pain, slowing down, or aging.

Meet Buddy! 💚 Buddy was developing weakness in his hind legs and struggling with stairs and walks. His proactive owner knew something wasn’t right and took him to a neurologist. His MRI was normal, but Buddy was still having trouble.

Then his thyroid was checked, and his levels were quite low.

While neuropathy isn’t one of the most common signs of hypothyroidism, it can happen. Once Buddy’s thyroid hormone was supplemented back to normal levels, his gait improved and he got back to action!

Buddy is a great reminder that a change in mobility deserves a closer look. Sometimes what appears to be an orthopedic or neurologic problem, or simply “old age,” may have something else going on underneath.

Keep asking why. 🐶🔎

💛 A Scheduling Reminder from Dr. Mandi 💛At Healing Arts Animal Care, family is at the heart of everything we do, includi...
09/03/2026

💛 A Scheduling Reminder from Dr. Mandi 💛

At Healing Arts Animal Care, family is at the heart of everything we do, including caring for our own families with the same love and dedication we bring to yours.

This August, Dr. Mandi’s son, Jackson, will begin a post-high-school job-readiness program. As he adjusts to this important new chapter, Dr. Mandi will be setting aside additional time to support him and help make the transition as successful as possible.

Because of this, Dr. Mandi will be available for evening appointments only during late August and throughout September. Recheck and acupuncture appointments may be more limited or require a little extra flexibility during this time.

We encourage clients who may need an appointment with Dr. Mandi to plan ahead whenever possible. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support as Dr. Mandi takes time to care for her family, too. We are incredibly grateful to be part of such a compassionate community. 🐾💛

Want to see our team lose all professionalism and squeal like a gaggle of nine-year-old girls?Show us a Border Terrier. ...
09/02/2026

Want to see our team lose all professionalism and squeal like a gaggle of nine-year-old girls?

Show us a Border Terrier. 😍

We simply cannot help ourselves.

Brio came to see us for a healing injury to his iliopsoas muscle. Fortunately for this handsome dude, the injury was already well on its way to healing. After just one myofascial trigger point release, he was moving beautifully and was cleared to start slowly adding back in the things that make terriers tick.

Sometimes rehabilitation is a long journey. Sometimes it's one visit, the right treatment, and a whole lot of good news.🐾💕

Bezi's got his new leg on! 🐾❤️Last summer, Bezi lost his front leg to a sarcoma. Hiking and exploring her family's cabin...
09/01/2026

Bezi's got his new leg on! 🐾❤️

Last summer, Bezi lost his front leg to a sarcoma. Hiking and exploring her family's cabin is getting tough. With one front leg supporting a big chest, those long walks through the woods tire him out much faster than his heart desires

And if you know Bezi, you know this… He's not really a "people person." 😅

Other dogs? Hard pass.

But walking in the woods with his people? That's his happy place.

Thanks to our friends at 3D Pets, we were able to create a custom forelimb prosthesis using a 3D scan of Bezi's chest and remaining front leg. That means the harness is made specifically for him, helping distribute weight comfortably while she explores.

Our favorite feature? The elbow.

Unlike a rigid prosthesis, Bezi's device has a spring-loaded elbow joint. When he's ready to lie down, he can simply lean into it, just like he used to with his natural elbow, and it bends with him. When he stands back up, it springs right back into position, ready to support hisnext adventure.

Engineering is pretty amazing.

But even more amazing is Bezi's family.

They've embraced every one of his quirks, met him exactly where he is, and have never stopped looking for ways to help him live his biggest, happiest life. 🐾🌲💜

While we have some adjustments and a learning curve, we can't wait to see where this new leg takes you next, Bezi. 🌲💜

08/31/2026

🎉 Sometimes it’s a LASER-PALOOZA! 🔦🐕🐕🐕

Sometimes our patients come to therapy in packs, senior dogs aging gracefully together, trainers bringing in multiple clients, or the unfortunate “how did BOTH of my dogs get injured?!” situation. 😂

When that happens, it’s all hands on deck and lasers everywhere!

This month we’ve been especially lucky to have an extra set of very capable hands. 💜 Meet Hanna! Hanna is a Veterinary Technician student at PCC who is completing an internship with us.

She has jumped right into the laser-paloozas, but she’s also been a huge help with all the behind-the-scenes things that keep the wheels turning at Healing Arts.

Thank you, Hanna, for working hard, learning ALL the things, and being such a wonderful addition to our team this month! 🐾

What happens when you have long ears, but your sister tells you this place has free peanut butter? 🥜🐶You wear a stockine...
08/31/2026

What happens when you have long ears, but your sister tells you this place has free peanut butter? 🥜🐶

You wear a stockinette on your head, of course!

At Healing Arts, peanut butter is serious business. It's one of our favorite ways to help dogs build positive associations with treatment, stay relaxed, and actually look forward to coming in. (Yes... there are dogs who drag their people through our front door because they know the peanut butter is waiting. 😂)

For our long-eared friends, though, we've learned a little trick. A soft stockinette keeps those beautiful ears clean while they enjoy every last lick. 🐾

Easy peasy, Nutter Butter... tidy ears, happy cheers! 💛

It's the little things that make rehabilitation fun, for dogs and their people. 🥜🐾

08/29/2026

Strength and Stretch Saturday. Scapular glides:

Small movements. Big results. ❤️🐕

For people, when our shoulders feel tight, we instinctively reach overhead or roll our shoulders in circles. That works because our shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, allowing movement in many directions. Our shoulder blade comes with it.

Dogs are different. Instead, much of a dog's shoulder mobility comes from the scapula (shoulder blade) gliding smoothly along the rib cage.

A dog's shoulder functions much more like a hinge joint. It isn't designed to make big circular motions like ours. Shoulder blades can be tight not only from shoulder injury, but most dogs who have a hindlimb injury or hind limb weakness carry much of their weight through the shoulder.

When injury, surgery, arthritis, or pain causes the scapula to become restricted, it can limit stride length, alter gait, and place extra stress on other parts of the body.

By gently restoring normal movement of the shoulder blade against the chest wall, we can help:
✅ Improve comfort
✅ Increase stride length
✅ Restore more normal movement
✅ Reduce compensatory muscle tension
✅ Support long-term shoulder function

Sometimes the key to improving a shoulder isn't moving the shoulder joint at all; it's helping the shoulder blade do the job it was designed to do.

08/28/2026

We love a good collaboration!

Nope... not influencers. 😄

We're talking about veterinary people who are lucky enough to work alongside other amazing veterinary people.
Meet Salvy, who will soon be undergoing surgery for a partial Achilles tendon tear.

Years ago, the plan was pretty straightforward: surgery, followed by weeks in a rigid cast with little to no movement. When the cast finally came off, everyone crossed their fingers and hoped the tendon had healed well enough to handle normal activity.

Today, we can do so much better.

Following surgery, Salvy will be fitted by his surgeon (shout-out to the incredible team at BluePearl SW!) with a custom ExoPets orthotic, coordinated through Healing Arts. Instead of waiting weeks to see what happens, we'll be able to begin carefully and progressively loading the healing tendon, giving it the controlled support it needs while it gets stronger.

It's one more example of how collaboration between surgeons, rehabilitation veterinarians, and orthotists is changing outcomes for our patients.

We're excited to be part of Salvy's team and can't wait to guide him through his recovery.

Let's get Salvy back to Full Golden Turbo! 💛🐾

Address

8505 SW Creekside Place Ste 120
Beaverton, OR
97008

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
Friday 9am - 8pm

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