Lisa J. Donato, DVM, CVA, FAAVA, CVT, CVH, CAC
(Integrative Medicine)
Education: Cornell University
Dr. Lisa J. Donato, DVM, CVA, FAAVA, CVT, CVH, CAC is a holistic veterinarian who was born and raised in Nassau County, Long Island, New York, just 20 miles east of New York City. Dr. Donato decided at the tender age of seven years that she wanted to become a veterinarian. Dr. Donato received both her BS in Biology and DVM degree from Cornell University. She has a strong background in conventional (Western) veterinary medicine and soft tissue surgery, having practiced for over 33 years.
In 1998, when her father, Mario R. Donato, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she began to research “alternative therapies” and found that some of these were indeed helpful to him. She realized that these same therapies could be used to help her own patients, and so began an exciting path into the world of holistic veterinary medicine and all it can offer.
In 2001, she received her Certificate in Veterinary Acupuncture (CVA) from The Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. Soon afterwards, Dr. Donato began working with Dr. Allen Schoen, a pioneer in veterinary acupuncture, animal chiropractic and other holistic modalities. Dr. Donato received a Certificate in Veterinary Tui Na (CVT), a Chinese medical massage or manual therapy, also from The Chi Institute. Dr. Donato continued to study at The Chi Institute and became Certified as a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) Practitioner and Herbologist (CVH). In addition, she attended The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University for advanced studies in Western Veterinary Herbal Medicine.
Early in 2003, Dr. Donato was asked to join the staff of a new and progressive specialty veterinary hospital, The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care located in Westbury, New York. She became the Chief of Acupuncture and Alternative Medicine. At this facility, Dr. Donato worked closely with other specialists, including internists, surgeons, oncologists and neurologists.
Furthermore, she has pursued advanced studies in homotoxicology (using homeopathic formulas based on Western diagnostics) and was awarded a Certificate of Completion by The Society of Homotoxicology of North America for their Homotoxicology Correspondence Course in February 2007. She often combines this modality with acupuncture, thus integrating two energy medicines. In the Summer of 2007, one of Dr. Donato’s clinical papers entitled “An Integrated Conventional and TCVM Approach to the Treatment of Suspected Cervical Disc Disease in a Weimaraner Dog” was published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (AJTCVM).
Later that year, Dr. Donato was honored as a Fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture (FAAVA). She was the ninth veterinarian in the United States bestowed with this honor.
Continuing her commitment to holistic medicine, Dr. Donato attended The Options for Animals College of Animal Chiropractic located in Wellsville, Kansas. After graduation, she became Certified in Animal Chiropractic (CAC) by The International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA) and became a member of The American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA).
In 2008, Dr. Donato founded her company, Veterinary Acupuncture and Healing Arts, PLLC. Furthermore, Dr. Donato taught other veterinarians Basic Veterinary Acupuncture with The Chi Institute at The Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Dr. Donato’s philosophy is to incorporate the best of Western and Eastern Veterinary Medicine in order to provide the finest healthcare possible to her patients.
Additionally, another clinical paper entitled “Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Tui-na and Food Therapy Integrated with other Conventional and Non-conventional Treatments for the Management of Chronic Renal Disease of an Abyssinian Cat” was published in the American Journal of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in August, 2010. Dr. Donato has been interviewed by many journalists and was featured on CBS evening news with correspondent Cindy Hsu.
In her spare time, she enjoys travel and fine dining and loves greyhounds, both large and small.