I just got back from Orlando, where I spent the week at two veterinary conferences—Uncharted and VMX (the biggest vet convention in the world).

And I need to tell you about a dinner conversation that’s still replaying in my head. 🦄

The Moment That Stopped Dinner

Picture this: I’m sitting at a table with several high-level veterinary executives—people who run hospital groups, make industry-wide decisions, and shape the future of veterinary medicine.

We’re talking shop. Swapping stories about veterinary practices.

And I start describing how we practice at IPWC—the longer appointments, the quiet healing spaces, the focus on prevention and truly getting to know each pet’s story.

Someone I’ve known for years stops me mid-sentence.

Looks at me with genuine surprise and says:

“Wait… you don’t have kennels?”

I paused.

Because it honestly took me a second to realize how unusual that sounded outside our little integrative medicine world. 😅

“No,” I said. “We don’t.”

The table went quiet for a moment. You could feel the gears turning in people’s heads.

And then the questions started flowing:

“So where do the pets stay during treatments?”

“What about hospitalization?”

“How do you manage workflow without kennel space?”

What’s Normal to Us… Isn’t Normal Everywhere Else

Here’s the thing: At IPWC, we don’t do hospitalization the way most vet clinics do.

We don’t have rows of stainless steel cages. No fluorescent-lit kennel rooms with dogs barking and stressed-out cats hiding in the back of their carriers.

And honestly? We wouldn’t have it any other way. 🦄💜

But sitting at that dinner table, I realized something:

What feels completely normal to us is still incredibly rare in veterinary medicine.

And that stopped me in my tracks. 💙

Why We’ll Never Be “Normal” (And That’s the Point)

After that dinner conversation, I spent some time reflecting.

And here’s what came up for me:

It took me years of practicing to understand what IPWC was meant to be.

When I first started, I thought I had to do everything. Be everything to everyone. Offer every service a traditional practice offers plus all the integrative modalities.

I was exhausted. Stretched too thin. And honestly? I wasn’t serving anyone well—not my patients, not their families, not myself.

But somewhere along the way, something shifted.

I realized: We CAN do everything conventional medicine does. We’re trained for it. We’re capable of it.

But just because we can doesn’t mean we should.

Because what I kept seeing—over and over—was this: There are gaps in traditional veterinary care. Not because vets don’t care. Not because they’re not skilled. But because the model doesn’t allow space for certain kinds of healing.

The kind that takes time.

The kind that requires deep listening and looking outside of the box.

The kind that addresses root causes instead of just managing symptoms.

The kind that treats pets as whole beings—body, mind, spirit—not just a diagnosis.

And THAT’S where IPWC belongs.

We’re not here to replace conventional medicine. We’re here to fill in the gaps. To offer what traditional models can’t—or won’t—provide.

Longer appointments. Truly individualized care. Root-cause healing. Partnership with families. A calm, stress-free environment where pets can actually relax.

And I think that’s desperately needed.

So no—we’ll never be “normal.” And I’m okay with that.

Because we’re building something that matters. Something that serves a real need. Something that helps pets (and their people) in a way they can’t get anywhere else.

The Future of Veterinary Medicine Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

Here’s what I came away from those conferences believing more than ever:

The future of veterinary medicine isn’t about choosing sides—corporate vs. independent, conventional vs. integrative.

Each model has strengths and limitations.

What matters most is knowing your options and choosing intentionally.

You might need:

A home-base practice (like IPWC) that sees the whole picture and holds your pet’s long-term health story

A conventional vet for quick visits or acute needs

Urgent care when something happens outside business hours

Specialists when their expertise is needed

And that’s okay! 💙

The best care happens when there’s collaboration. When different perspectives work together instead of against each other.

At IPWC, we’re proud to be that home base—the place where your pet’s story, patterns, and wellness are held with intention over time.

But we don’t replace everyone else. We work WITH them.

Why This Matters to You

You might be reading this and thinking: “Okay, cool story Dr. Lily, but why does this matter to me?”

Here’s why:

Because I want you to know what you’re walking into when you choose IPWC. 💜

We’re not like other vet practices. And that’s intentional.

If you’re looking for:

Quick in-and-out appointments

Conventional protocols only

A place that looks and feels like every other vet clinic

IPWC probably isn’t the right fit. (And that’s okay! There are great practices that offer that.)

But if you’re looking for:

A practice that treats your pet as a whole being—body, mind, and spirit

Time and space to actually understand what’s going on

Root-cause care that goes deeper than just managing symptoms

A team that sees you as a true partner in your pet’s health

A healing environment where your pet (and you!) can actually relax

Then welcome home. 🦄💙✨

We’re Building Something Different. Together.

That moment at dinner—when someone looked at me with genuine surprise and said, “Wait… you don’t have kennels?”—reminded me of something really important:

What we’re building DOES matter.

It DOES work.

And it’s okay that it’s not the norm.

Because honestly? I don’t want to be the norm. 💚

I want to be the place where pets are treated with the care, respect, and gentleness they deserve.

Where families feel heard, not rushed.

Where healing happens from the inside out.

Where prevention is the foundation, not an afterthought.

And where you never, ever have to worry about your pet being stressed in a cage.

Thank you for trusting us with your fur babies.

Thank you for choosing to do things differently.

And thank you for being part of this beautiful, unconventional journey with us. 💙✨