About Us - Holistic Veterinary Care

Holistic Veterinary Care is comprised of a team of doctors and staff whose primary objective is to provide the best alternative holistic care available for pets. Our staff is committed to customizing each client’s experience based on their pet’s specific needs. Dr. Gary Richterleads a team of practitioners who provide wellness consultations, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and rehabilitative treatments. We also specialize in hyperbaric oxygen therapy, pulse signal therapy, stem cell treatments, cold laser therapy, and hydrotherapies such as swimming and underwater treadmill exercises.

What differentiates us from other clinics in the area are the services we provide. We are the only clinic in Oakland to have a rehabilitation center for pets and are also the only clinic in the Bay Area with a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Dr. Richter is on the cutting edge of animal stem cell treatment and has already seen many successes through this modality. We work together with other veterinarians in the area to interject holistic therapy as a complement to traditional veterinary medicine.

Our staff provides a fun and friendly environment for people and their pets. We treat every pet like we treat our own and focus on individualized client care. We give people access to pet tips and information directly from our veterinarians through our website and our social media pages.

Comprehensive Wellness Care: Includes physical examination and extended consultation to discuss everything from diet, vaccines, spay/neuter, preventative care, integrative care and more!

Practitioners

Gary Richter

MS, DVM

Dr. Richter is a certified veterinary acupuncturist and certified veterinary chiropractor. As owner and medical director of Montclair Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Richter understands the benefits of both conventional and holistic treatment methods. His professional goal is to provide a center where pets can receive effective holistic therapies in conjunction with the treatment and care from their general practice veterinarian. He also places great emphasis on the well-being of the pet owner, knowing that a sick pet can cause great strain and strong emotions. He instills this understanding in his staff and works to ensure that both pet and owner are treated with the utmost care and respect.

In 2007 and 2008, Dr. Richter and his Montclair Veterinary Hospital team received awards from the community, including Best Veterinarian in the East Bay from Oakland Magazine, East Bay Express, and KRON 4 TV.

Dr. Richter’s professional interests are in emergency, general practice, alternative care medicine, and wildlife rescue.

Dr. Richter has volunteered his time on the Board of Directors for the Alameda County Veterinary Medical Association as the president. He is also the California Veterinary Medical Association’s Alameda county representative regarding animal disaster planning.

Dr. Gary Richter is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelors of Science, a Masters of Science in Veterinary Medical Science and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating with honors, Dr. Richter moved to the Bay Area in 1998. His expertise and experience include time as a full-time emergency medicine practitioner in Berkeley at Pet Emergency Treatment Service and as a general practitioner at Berkeley Dog & Cat Hospital. Dr. Richter has been the owner and medical director of Montclair Veterinary Hospital since 2002.

Dr. Richter enjoys outdoor activities, traveling and vegetarian cooking. He loves to spend time with his family which includes Lee, Abbey, Charlie, Leo the dog, and Frieda the cat.

Dr. Richter is now an international best selling author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide.

Erica Ancier

DVM, CVA

Dr. Ancier grew up in Southern California where she graduated with honors in psychology from UCSB and received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences. Her clinical training was focused on rehabilitation and sports medicine for both small animals and horses.

While in vet school, Dr. Ancier was the national student president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, which allowed her to learn about a wide range of emerging holistic modalities from some of the leaders in the field. Dr. Ancier became certified in veterinary acupuncture for mixed animals at the Chi Institute in Florida.

She moved up to the Bay Area excited to join HVC with her fiancé and their small fur family consisting of their dog “Hannah” and horse “Red”. When not at the clinic, Erica enjoys practicing yoga, riding her horse, and exploring all of the beautiful nature that the Bay Area has to offer.

Kaylah Sterling

M.Ed., MTOM, L.Ac.,
Acupuncture

Kaylah is a licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist, and Tui Na (Chinese Medical Massage) practitioner. Kaylah

previously served as Clinic Dean of American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Director of Integrative Medicine at The Jewish Home for the Aged. She presently works at the college (ACTCM) as Professor, Clinic Supervisor, and has a private practice as well. Kaylah graduated from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 1995 and has been practicing acupuncture on human and animal patients for twenty years. Kaylah, a trained educator, will offer nutritional, behavioral, lifestyle suggestions to maximize your animal’s health, well being and happiness.

Kaylah uses gentle relaxation techniques to comfort you and your animal before and during acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture, herbs, and medical massage is highly successful

for a host of medical conditions for animals including: emotional issues (fear, anxiety, behavioral afflictions), seizures, immune support, musculoskeletal pains, upper respiratory/gastrointestinal/urogenital medical disorders, side effects from necessary medications, and is also used to maintain health to keep your animal feeling energetic as they age. Agility dogs gain great benefit from acupuncture to nourish muscles and relieve tight connective tissue, sprains, and tightness from sports competition. Kaylah’s extensive years of service using acupuncture in hospice will afford you and your pet the smoothest transition possible during this most difficult end of life passage.

Lisa Koenig

DC Applied Kinesiology

Lisa Koenig is passionate about the power of animals to heal.

She utilizes a broad base of modalities to help facilitate that healing process, including Applied Kinesiology, nutritional counseling, chiropractic, and food sensitivity testing. She strives to be the best practitioner possible and to serve her patients with all of her considerable skill and insight.

Lisa first entered the healing arts as a massage therapist, earning her license from the Swedish Institute in 1997. The following year, she moved to the Bay Area to pursue a chiropractic degree. She received her Doctor of Chiropractic in 2001 from Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward. During her time in school, she studied as many specialties as she could. After graduation, she volunteered her time caring for the homeless and underprivileged.

Lisa has provided chiropractic care to animals since 2004 and graduated from Options for Animals, a veterinary chiropractic school in Kansas. She is also a board certified Applied Kinesiologist, making her an exceptionally well-rounded practitioner.

Applied Kinesiology is a specific form of diagnosis using muscle testing as the primary feedback mechanism. Muscle testing facilitates communication between the animal’s brain and body and helps evaluate its structural, nutritional and mental health needs.

In 2004, she founded Kinetic Chiropractic, and for five years she taught workshops for the 100-hour Applied Kinesiology course. Lisa has completed more than 900 hours of postgraduate study in Applied Kinesiology.

At Holistic Veterinary Care, Lisa uses all appropriate modalities and techniques to help living creatures in need. And as a member of the local community, her goal is to serve, educate, and advocate in health and wellness for families and their pets.