The first-of-its-kind animal rehabilitation center in Orange County. Holistic and integrative therapies under one roof, built around one pet at a time.
We are passionate believers in improving and restoring the quality of life for our four-legged family members. Our integrative and holistic therapies complement Western medicine with a gentle, alternative approach to treatment.
A collaborative care team of veterinarians and therapists uses current animal rehabilitation techniques to build your pet a customized treatment plan. Every pet goes through a thorough evaluation by one of our veterinarians before any treatment program begins.
Tell us who we are helping and what is going on. We will show you the therapies our care team would start with, and why.
Who are we helping today?
What is going on right now?
Choose everything that applies. Most pets we see have more than one.
This is a starting point, not a diagnosis. Every plan is set by one of our veterinarians after a thorough in-person evaluation. Call (949) 534-4654 and we will talk it through.
Integrative and holistic treatments administered by our professional staff of veterinarians and therapists, all aimed at restoring your pet's quality of life.
Nutrition and Chinese herbs run alongside all of it, because diet and supplementation change what every other therapy can achieve.
Low-impact movement for strength, conditioning, mobility and confidence. This is our own footage from the pool room and the treadmill tank, exactly as it looks when you walk in.
Aquatic conditioning covers recovery and everyday fitness alike, including swim lessons and fun swims.
Book A Pool SessionNutrition is one of the most important aspects of total body health. Optimizing diet and supplementing appropriately can have a profound effect in helping your pet overcome disease states, or in preventing cancer and inflammatory conditions.
Leveraging Traditional Chinese Medicine, issues from arthritis to immune disorders can be addressed with Chinese herbs and acupuncture together. It can be an independent treatment or a complement to the rest of the plan, and herbs are generally well received by pets.
Ask About This At Your EvaluationA collaborative team of veterinarians and therapists. Every plan is built together, not handed off.
Earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University, certified in veterinary acupuncture through IVAS in 2007, and completed an anesthesia residency at the University of Tennessee where she helped create the integrative medicine department. A recognized expert in animal rehabilitation and integrative medicine.
Began as a chiropractor working on people over 35 years ago and became AVCA certified in 2002. He has provided holistic animal chiropractic care for more than 23 years and serves as a chiropractic consultant to Cal Poly Pomona. He developed Aquapractic, offered exclusively here.
Obtained her veterinary medical degree with honours at the University of Florida, followed by a medicine and surgery internship, then joined an emergency and critical care team at a multidisciplinary specialty center in England. She is passionate about helping pets thrive in their golden years.
Brings a lifelong love for dogs and more than 30 years of sales experience in health care. After her Dogue de Bordeaux, Stella, needed TPLO surgery and there was nowhere in Orange County to rehabilitate her, she partnered with Barb West to build the facility the community had long needed.
Every pet goes through a thorough evaluation by one of our veterinarians before any treatment program can begin. Nothing starts before we understand what is actually happening.
Start With An EvaluationThe care team builds a customized treatment plan from the therapies that fit, and explains why each one is on the list so you can make an informed decision.
Sessions run in our separate treatment rooms and the indoor heated pool. Frequency is adjusted to your pet, because what works weekly for one animal will not suit another.
We show you what to carry on between visits, including simple massage techniques you can do yourself, so progress does not stop at our front door.
“I couldn't believe that there was not a rehabilitation facility in Orange County for my dog Stella. I searched and couldn't believe this place I had created in my mind did not exist yet in Orange County.”
Lourdes Biancardi, Co-Founder
Our well-equipped facility features separate treatment rooms, natural pet products, and an indoor heated pool for hydrotherapy. Pet parents drive in from across Orange County. Pick where you are coming from and we will show you the trip.
Pick your city and we will drop it on the map with the distance to our front door. Or just call (949) 534-4654 and we will give you directions.
449 W Bay Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 534-4654 · info@animalwellnessoc.com
Tuesday to Saturday by appointment.
You do not need a referral to book. Every pet goes through a thorough evaluation by one of our veterinarians before any treatment program begins, and that evaluation is where the plan comes from. We work alongside your regular veterinarian rather than replacing them, because our integrative and holistic therapies are designed to complement Western medicine. Call (949) 534-4654 to get started.
Both. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, laser therapy, massage therapy, nutrition and Chinese herbs are all used with cats as well as dogs. Acupuncture in particular is often a very successful tool for arthritis management in cats, and many dogs and cats experience dramatically improved mobility and comfort from chiropractic adjustments. The pool-based therapies are used with dogs.
Aquapractic was developed by Dr. Rod Block. It takes the principles of animal chiropractic and performs them in the heated swimming pool, and it is offered exclusively at the Animal Wellness Center of OC in Costa Mesa. Dr. Block became certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association in 2002 and has provided holistic animal chiropractic care for more than 23 years.
That is a call for the veterinarian at your evaluation, not something to guess at online. Hydrotherapy is used for post-operative recovery, and when combined with veterinary treatment it can significantly improve the quality and rate of healing following surgery or traumatic injury. Timing depends entirely on the procedure and how your pet is healing, so bring the surgical notes with you.
It depends on the therapy and the animal. Acupuncture sessions are generally best at weekly or bi-weekly intervals to start, then adjusted for the duration that works well for each animal. Laser therapy is generally done once or twice each week for best results. Shockwave treatments take 10 to 30 minutes depending on the size and number of areas being treated. Your plan sets the schedule.
Age is usually the reason to come in rather than the reason to stay home. Acupuncture offers a natural, drug-free approach for relieving pain in cats and dogs with arthritis, and veterinary rehabilitation is used for improved strength, prevention of muscle atrophy, better range of motion, pain reduction, mental stimulation and extended quality of life. Swimming is low-impact conditioning that builds strength without harming bones or joints.
We are at 449 W Bay Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, in Orange County. Open Tuesday 9:00am to 5:00pm, Wednesday 12:30pm to 5:00pm, Thursday 10:00am to 6:00pm, Friday 10:30am to 6:00pm and Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. Call (949) 534-4654 or email info@animalwellnessoc.com.
Yes. Aquatic conditioning including swim lessons and fun swims is great for preventive healthcare, not only recovery. Swimming is excellent aerobic exercise for low-impact body conditioning, fitness and weight loss, and it helps your four-legged friend build strength without harming bones or joints.
Tell us about your pet and we will call you back to set up the evaluation. Or skip the form and call us right now, we are happy to answer questions.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (949) 534-4654 during open hours.
