Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Center


What our customers say


Monica and Freddie

Every year I transfer a few clipped comic strips to my new calendar. The first is a Peanuts strip in which Charlie Brown and Snoopy sit under a tree and Charlie Brown says, "When you have a dog, you should stay home and make your dog happy...That's what you should do...you should stay home." The other strip shows a man and his frisky dog walking a trail. The quotation, from Meister Eckhart, is: "If the only prayer you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice. These two ragged strips of newspaper contain a summary of my belief system. Over the past 1 1/2 years, I have been able to stay home with my dog, Freddie, a 16 year old beagle. My life revolves around a canine schedule of walking, eating and napping. It has been a healing, fruitful time for both of us.

What I see in Freddie's barking delight on walks, in her vocal demands for treats and in her security in falling into the crook of my arm for a nap, is a vibrant dog who enjoys every day of her life.

Her medical facts wouldn't show you the same picture. She is deaf, almost blind, has a history of seizures, has a significant heart murmur and has had several types of cancer, one of which necessitated a leg amputation. Through all of this, Dr. Jenny and the rest of the Creature Comfort staff have been our guardian angels.

Creature Comfort is a welcoming clinic with soothing rooms and people who adore animals. All of which is nice but trivial unless accompanied by the extraordinary skill sets that the staff members have.

All modalities are considered and the staff has a deep and wide competency in Western, Chinese and complementary medicine. I appreciate that none of the vets come into the room with a pre-designated treatment. Everything depends on how Freddie is, what she is communicating, and what is acceptable to both of us. At 16, she is not on any chronic Western medicine because the side effects are deleterious for her. Instead, she is on a well-thought out program of herbs, supplements and homeopathic remedies that are gentle but effective. She receives acupuncture once a week and chiropractic adjustments twice a month. She has had so many years of treatment that I can say that the superior care at Creature Comfort is a constant. I would entrust her to every staff member I know.

Dr Jenny has provided most of Freddie's care at the clinic and my thanks to her carry respect and awe at her skill. She knows my dog. I never have to worry about her accommodating Freddie's separation anxiety. If Freddie needs to be in my arms for a treatment or is more comfortable laying on the floor, that is where she is met, with love and acceptance.

Although it looks like all the care and attention go one way, Freddie has, in the most trying times of my life, given me comfort that was unsought yet absolute. Her joy, her intensity, her enjoyment of today without anticipating tomorrow, are amazing and touch me and everyone who knows her.

As she nears the end of her life, that each day continues to be good for her is such a gift. What Creature Comfort and Dr. Jenny have done for Freddie, they have done for me tenfold. My "thank you" to them is a prayer of thanksgiving, gratitude and love.


Rhea

Dear Dr. Jenny: Thank you for the excellent care you provide for my animals. I particularly appreciate your attention to the complete health of each pet and your genuine interest in my situation. You always take the time to share your thoughts and concerns with me, so I really understand the individual difficulty as well as the overall health of my pets and the ways in which I can best care for them. I have enjoyed and cared for many animals during my 72 years, always using Western medicine. I have met and been a client of many veterinarians, all competent individuals who did the best they could. However, when my German Shepherd, Parker, lost the use of his hind quarters, I learned about Creature Comfort and took Parker there. Dr. Williams took one look at Parker, jumped into the trunk of the car, and gave him acupuncture before even moving him. With continued holistic care, Parker lived a quality life for a full year. When Parker did die, Dr. Reed helped me deal with the end-of-life arrangements and the loss of my beloved animal. From then on I knew that Creature Comfort, an all-women holistic veterinary clinic, would be the medical experts for my pets. Zeno Hypatia, my energetic little St. Francis Terrier, became ill with hemangio sarcoma. I was told she would live a few days or at most a few weeks. Dr. Jenny took over her care and Zeno Hypatia graced our lives with her joy and love for eight months, dying peacefully on the bed at the end. My rescue dog, Charcoal, has been phenomenally healthy, but his physical checkups will be at Creature Comfort from now on. I have a new German Shepherd, Maya, whom Dr. Jenny has already seen and will spay at nine months. She also, along with our cats, will continue to be a patient at Creature Comfort. The entire staff at Creature Comfort welcomes me when I arrive, is expert in the field, gives loving care to my animals and shares with me the needs they perceive in my animals. I recommend Creature Comfort without reservation as the premier veterinary center in the area.

Sincerely,
Rhea Babbit


A special vet

My journey with Dr. Taylor (aka Dr. Jenny) and her staff began when she first opened Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Center in 2001. The reason that I am telling my story is because anyone can write words. Mine is a true story that reflects the type of care, passion and professionalism that Dr. Jenny and her staff shows their clients.

My story begins with my beautiful boy, Bear. He was diagnosed with bone cancer by another veterinary clinic; this was basically a death sentence for him. Other professionals explained to our family that there were few alternatives and to prepare ourselves for the end because there was no hope of extending his life. Bear was so young, only 7 years and our family was devastated.

An acquaintance told me about an “Alternative Vet Med” website which needless to say I researched fully. I found Dr. Taylor on the website and put in a call to the number listed. Her voice message stated that she had opened a practice in Oakland and to contact her at the office. It was a Saturday when I called; I made my first acquaintance with Debbie Trindade. Debbie promised that Dr. Taylor would call me on Saturday. Debbie gave me hope and peace with her kind words, soft voice, patience and vast knowledge. Debbie and I also connected on another level because we both have a love of Rotties!

To date, I have come to know all of the staff at Creature Comfort and they all have those same qualities and talents providing a client/person with hope and peace.

It was Saturday night and I had not heard from Dr. Taylor. I was sure that she would not be able to contact us until Monday. I was devastated because Bear had lost 21 pounds; he was lame and was beginning to refuse food and water.

To my great surprise and joy, Dr. Taylor took her own personal time on Saturday night, after working a full schedule, to call and talk with us. Dr. Taylor was very clear in her communication with us, explaining that she could not perform miracles. As we spoke I had a great sense of hope and relief as she agreed to see us.

After our first appointment, I began reading everything I could find on cancer, dog food, diets, and alternative medicines & practices. Dr. Taylor would mention a book or an author and I would find the book, read it and learn.

Dr. Jenny Taylor is an inspiration!

This is when we began to refer to Dr. Taylor as Dr. Jenny!!!!

This illustrates the special understanding and professional expertise that Dr. Jenny brings to both the patient and the family. In difficult times, this is what makes the difference when choosing the appropriate doctor and treatment for your loved one.

Dr. Jenny began a regimen for Bear to build his immune system and give him comfort to ensure quality of life. The diet was protein, vegetables, vitamins, supplements and homeopathic remedies. Acupuncture was used to stimulate eating, reduce stiffness, manage pain and to keep the bone cancer tumor from growing. With bone cancer there is always the concern of the bone shattering or breaking. We followed this regimen consistently. Bear and his human family had a wonderful additional 7 months of quality life. He was able to go for walks and rides (his favorite); in other words he was no longer lame! He was able to bark at the mail delivery person. His bone cancer tumor reduced and closed, he was hungry and ate well. He was happy, friendly and comfortable until he left this world.

The reason for this success story is the approach and philosophy that Dr. Jenny uses in her treatment of animals. She takes a holistic approach and looks at the whole animal before acting. She looks beyond the symptoms that the animal is showing. Dr. Jenny is tuned into the animal; she observes the actions and reactions, she builds the animal’s resistance and stamina by creating a healthy environment for the animal to flourish. This means promoting and building a healthy immune system.

Dr. Jenny combines Eastern and Western philosophies, medicines, practices and methodologies which ensure the holistic approach.

To continue on our journey…we rescued another boy from the local shelter; his name is Rodney. He was malnourished, had skin and thyroid problems, and fear aggression. It took a couple of years for Rodney to trust his new family, but he finally learned to trust us and he knew we only wanted to love him. Actually, Rodney loved Diana from the first day he met her. He always wants to visit with her at her desk, just like his predecessor Bear did!

Currently, Rodney has been diagnosed with cancer and inoperable tumors. He is comfortable, alert, happy and living with minimal pain due to the type of treatments that he is receiving. Again, combining eastern and western philosophies, medicines, practices and methodologies is the key to ensuring his quality of life.

Even though Rodney “had” fear aggression, he no longer has this problem. Through the consistent good works of Dr. Jenny and her staff, Rodney is very excited to visit Dr. Jenny.

Rodney’s regimen consists of the correct diet, vegetables, vitamins, supplements and homeopathic remedies. Acupuncture is used to reduce stiffness and manage pain. We use acupressure at home to help with stiffness.

Since Rodney has been diagnosed and treated by Dr. Jenny and her staff, he has been with us for an additional 8 months and we are hoping that he continues to stay with us for as long as he can…

…and our journey continues…

Update: Rodney passed away a month after Ferne wrote his story and will be missed not only by his family but by all of the staff at Creature Comfort as well. He was so lucky to have had such a wonderful family that cared so much for him. He will always hold a special place in our hearts.


From Zuzu with love

Zuzu had a host of health problems. She was absolutely terrified of going to her vet in Lafayette, and would start trembling as soon as we started to go through the tunnel. She had mast cell cancer and had several tumors removed. She had kidney failure from a bladder infection with no symptoms. She had a mass on her spleen, and a tumor in her lung that may have been related to the mast cell cancer, but the surgery to find out would likely have killed her. Her vet basically said "Sorry." I researched holistic veterinarians at that point, and after two others, I found Dr. Taylor. Between the acupuncture and the care she provided, I think we got an extra year with Zuzu that we would not have had otherwise. Zuzu always looked forward to her sessions with Dr. Taylor. I had asked my other vet why her hair had not grown back where she was shaved for tumor removal. "Well, she's an old dog." It grew back under Dr. Taylor's care. Instead of trembling, she would drag me in to her appointments! I had a terrible time getting her to eat. The staff would always gather around the scale to see if she had gained any weight. When we lost her, I had a friend call to cancel my appointment and let them know - there were flowers at my front door two hours later. I did like my traditional vet, but I really believe that using a holistic approach - the best of western and eastern medicine - will give your dog a happier and healthier life. Is there any wonder that I am trusting Layla's care to Dr. Taylor from the begining of her life?