PictureDr. Crouse and Quimby

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About Me
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​Paws in Balance represents a change in gears and practice type for me. After spending the first 13+ years of my career helping pet’s in emergency situations, this practice has allowed me to help pets in a completely different way. I am happy to still be making a difference in their lives but on completely different terms. Building bonds with my patients and their families has been so rewarding as we watch them heal and their quality of life improve with the therapies I am now able to offer.  ​​

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 I graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. I followed my passion for emergency medicine and completed an internship in Emergency and Critical Care at the New England Animal Medical Center in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. I returned to Columbus to take a position as an Emergency Veterinarian at MedVet Medical Center for Pets.

After more than a decade, my life had changed, my kids were growing up and working the hours associated with emergency shifts became more difficult. In addition, I had a growing desire to develop ongoing relationships with my patients and be able to follow them through their lives. My experiences with acupuncture and holistic care for myself led me in this new direction. I began Small Animal Acupuncture training at the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and earned certification in veterinary acupuncture. I was able to use this new knowledge to help some of my ER patients although I rarely saw them more than once! I also used acupuncture to help the comfort and health of dogs at the Franklin County Dog Shelter while I was there helping as part of the Shelter Outreach Services of Ohio medical team. This still left me without the ability to help these pets over the long term and to truly get to know them.

​In February 2017, I took a leap of faith, rented a small office and opened Paws in Balance. This leg of my career path has been so rewarding and refreshing! I have met so many amazing animals and am so glad to be part of their lives. I have also received Small Animal Veterinary Medical Manipulation certification after completing the training at the Integrative Veterinary Medical Institute. While the name is confusing, this therapy is akin to chiropractic care and has been a great addition to acupuncture for my patients. In 2019, I took on certification in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS).  Herbal therapy is an important arm of Chinese medicine and can complement acupuncture therapy amazingly well.  While Herbal therapies were covered on an introductory level in my acupuncture training, I really wanted to have a deeper understanding and be able to help the more difficult cases who need more complex knowledge.  I love learning new things and am always looking for how I can increase the tools in my tool belt to help all of the pets who come to see me.
Another huge perk of starting Paws in Balance is the flexibility it allows me to schedule around family events. I have two young boys and enjoy being able to be involved in their various school and sporting events without a rigid work schedule. My husband is an ER veterinarian and can have pretty unusual hours but we are able to have a great balance with our schedules. Our furry family currently consists of Luann, an English Pointer, Lenny, a Pit Bull, and our 2 cats- Arnie and Maude. ​