MEET DR. LILY CHEN AND THE INTEGRATIVE PET TEAM

We’re happy to connect with you!
We are driven by our collective passion to create a healing space for you and your pets.

Our Veterinarians

Dianne

Dr. Lily Chen, DVM, CVA, CAAS

Owner, Lead Veterinarian

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About Dr. Chen
Dr. Lily Chen followed her passion and obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She then went on to the world-renowned University of California, Davis, to finish her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, graduating in 2007. Dr. Chen completed an internship at an emergency and specialty animal hospital, and she has been in general practice caring for dogs and cats ever since. She practiced for many years in the West Hollywood area before moving to the Palos Verdes Peninsula with her family.

Dr. Chen completed additional training and became a certified veterinary acupuncturist in 2013 by Chi University and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). Amazed by the miraculous results in many of her patients in response to acupuncture, she continued her training in veterinary food therapy and veterinary Chinese herbal therapy. Dr. Lily received her certification as an Animal Aromatherapy Specialist in 2023. In her more than a decade of clinical experience, Dr. Chen has found that traditional Chinese medicine complements and balances conventional medicine. Many chronic conditions and diseases can be successfully treated and managed with a more gentle and holistic approach. Treating the body as a whole promotes natural healing and better health.

Maria

Dr. Trina Hazzah, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), CVCH

Integrative Oncology Specialist

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About Dr. Hazzah
Dr. Trina Hazzah, a native of Washington D.C., stands at the forefront of veterinary oncology as the Integrative Oncology Specialist at Integrative Pet Wellness Center. Her educational journey in veterinary medicine began at Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine, where she earned her DVM. Following her graduation, Dr. Hazzah honed her skills through a small animal internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey and a demanding 3-year residency in medical oncology at the Veterinary Oncology and Hematology Center in Connecticut.

In addition to her conventional medical training, Dr. Hazzah expanded her expertise by becoming a certified Veterinary Chinese Herbalist, trained at the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. This unique blend of Western and Eastern medical practices enables her to offer a comprehensive, integrative approach to cancer treatment in pets.

Dr. Hazzah’s career is marked by a profound dedication to the field of veterinary oncology. Over her nearly 15 years in practice, she has been at the cutting edge of treating and managing cancer in pets, utilizing a range of therapies to include innovative, integrative methods. Her commitment to advancing veterinary oncology is evident in her continuous pursuit of new knowledge and techniques to enhance pet care.

Dr. Hazzah is one of the only four specialty integrative oncologists in the country and the only one specializing in cannabis therapy. Her experience with cannabis is part of her broader objective to explore all possible avenues for effective cancer treatment. She has been involved in educating veterinarians about the potential applications of cannabis in veterinary medicine and has conducted research in this area. However, her heart and expertise lie predominantly in providing compassionate, comprehensive oncology care.

At the Integrative Pet Wellness Center, Dr. Hazzah’s approach to cancer treatment is characterized by a blend of state-of-the-art medical oncology consultation and holistic wellness practices. She is deeply committed to not only treating pets with cancer but also supporting their overall well-being and quality of life. Her work is an embodiment of the center’s mission to offer innovative, empathetic care to pets and their families.

Karina

Dr. Stephen Durdle, DVM

Associate Veterinarian, General Practice

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About Dr. Durdle
Dr. Stephen was born and raised in Marin County, California where his love of animals began. He grew up with many pets including hamsters, lizards, turtles, frogs, birds, and dogs. Additionally, he was obsessed with watching Animal Planet and Discovery Channel, and his favorite animal was the Gorilla. He would frequently visit and celebrate his birthday parties at the San Francisco Zoo just to see the Gorillas and other apes, lemurs, and monkeys. Dr. Stephen was a very bright student in middle school and high school, so he went on to college at UC Davis on full scholarship to pursue pre-medical studies with the dream of becoming a human medical doctor. However, as a young man working in research at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the California National Primate Research Center, he had a change of heart and decided to dedicate his life to helping animals and their owners by proxy. After 6 long years of constant work and dedication after graduating college, despite adversity and rejection, he was awarded interviews with prestigious veterinary schools in 2018. However, it was not until February 2020, after two years of interviews, when he finally achieved his dream of gaining admission into veterinary school. Dr. Stephen attended University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and participated in various veterinary student clubs and events until graduating in May 2024. He currently resides in downtown Long Beach, California with his long-term girlfriend, Alice, and his senior dog, $krillah (rescued from the Sacramento SPCA in 2014). Dr. Stephen’s hobbies include skateboarding, listening to a wide range of music, hiking, marathon training, being outdoors, being a couch potato, being a loving dog parent, being a self-proclaimed foodie, and being social with friends and loved ones. Dr. Stephen was fascinated with the holistic approach to veterinary medicine, especially the eastern medicine techniques such as acupuncture and aims to be a life-time learner with regard to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine practices.

Our Lovely Team

Dianne

Dianne, RVT

Practice Manager

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About Dianne

Dianne was born in the Philippines and moved to California when she was nine years old. She grew up with large dogs, which led to her passion for animals, and she decided to pursue a career in Veterinary Medicine. Dianne finished her RVT license from Mt. San Antonio College in 2015. She has worked in a Cat Specialty for six years and is also known as the cat whisperer because of her calm energy around stressed cats in a hospital setting. Throughout the years of working in the field, she found enjoyment in doing pet dentistry. Since she started working here at Integrative Pet Wellness Center, she also learned about Pet Reiki Energy Healing and practiced this healing modality.

Dianne is a busy mom of three and has three small dogs, two cats, and a husband. During the pandemic, Dianne started doodling on her iPad and decided to open a small business that makes custom pet items (like stickers, mugs, and phone cases). You can find her Etsy shop here. Dianne is a Palos Verdes local, and you might see her cruising the area with her electric bike. In her spare time, she tries to learn French, going to boba shops, and hiking trails with her friends & family.

Dianne’s food for thought: animals are only in our lives for a short amount of time. Let’s cherish it and give them hugs and kisses every day.

Maria

Maria, RVT

Registered Veterinary Technician

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About Maria

Maria, a California native, is a registered veterinary technician with many years of experience in multi-specialty and critical care. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of California, Davis. Maria also attended the University of Tennessee’s Canine Rehabilitation Program as well as Ojai’s School of Canine Massage.

She enjoys working with all types of animals and seeing the results of integrative medicine. In her eyes, all animals can benefit from manual therapy, including massage, stretching, and range of motion exercises. Maria enjoys working hands-on with pets and supporting their individual needs. Her passion is to support the wellness path of our furry friends and their caretakers.

Maria also has a keen interest in animal behavior. There is so much welcome and, at times, unwelcome behavior from our furry friends. She likes to smooth out any wrinkles for a stress-free life for both pets and their caretakers.

In her time away from work, she likes to be out in nature. Maria loves hiking, yoga, photography, and restoring furniture. She lives with her two beloved dogs, Toochi and Lili, and her cat Eliza.

Lindsey

Lindsey, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

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About Lindsey
Lindsey is a licensed veterinary nurse and has been in the veterinary field since 2007 and licensed since 2010. Up until early 2023, she worked in general day practice where she honed her skills and developed strong relationships with coworkers and clients alike. She needed a change, though, as she was beginning to burn out from the challenges and mental taxation that could come from working in the field for so long. Lindsey now works her unicorn magic from home handling most of our communications, where she uses the knowledge she has amassed over the years to help our clients with compassion and empathy. While she misses some aspects of day practice, this change has been for the better. In the past, she worked with some integrative therapy doctors and loved seeing how more holistic modalities could change pets’ lives for the better, fill in gaps where Western medicine has fallen short, and improve the overall health and well-being of our companion animals.

Hailing all the way from beautiful northern Michigan, Lindsey loves to spend time with her husband and two cats, Archer and Malakai. Her hobbies include hiking, weight lifting, listening to music, camping, napping, and eating ice cream. She also enjoys creepy crawlies and keeps a few jumping spiders as “pets.” Lindsey has always had a passion for animals and distinctly remembers watching Discovery Channel with her dad growing up, gathering as many random animal facts as she could!

Maria

Mickie

Veterinary Assistant

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About Mickie

Mickie was born and raised in Torrance California. She found a love for animals early on in life through horses and family pets. The day after she graduated high school she moved to the southern sierras to work as a Wrangler. During that time she adopted a German shepherd who she named Dog. After working for 3 years, she decided to come home. With no plan she found vet assisting school, and for her externship she was placed at Integrative Pet Wellness Center. Although she was skeptical, she learned new ways of medicine and has been able to form relationships with the team and pet parents. Seeing how much everyone cares for one another, and a community that continues to grow everyday makes her exceptionally happy and proud to be a part of this team!

Maria

Karen

Veterinary Assistant

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About Karen
Karen was born and raised in San Pedro, California, and graduated from El Camino College in Torrance. From a young age, she has been passionate about helping and caring for animals. However, due to developing allergies to cats and dogs, Karen faced a setback in pursuing a career in the animal care field. She explored other job opportunities but found herself dissatisfied with her career direction.

Encouraged by a friend to return to school, Karen made the bold decision to follow her true passion—working with animals. During her studies, she completed an externship at Integrative Pet Wellness Center, where her dedication and skills impressed the team so much that they offered her a permanent position. Karen is incredibly proud of her decision to follow her passion and is thrilled to be part of such a wonderful team.

Her advice to anyone unsure about their career path is simple: follow your dreams and never let obstacles stand in the way, as the journey is truly worth it.