OrthoPets Iowa
VCA Avondale Veterinary Hospital
Avondale, Iowa
515-262-6111
Christie Carlo, DVM, CCRT.
Dr. Christie Carlo graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. She spent the next 13 years seeing small animal patients (dogs and cats) in the Chicago western suburbs and Pella, IA. Dr. Carlo began searching for options to treat her patients with more than just a pill to manage their pain and discomfort associated with surgery, injury, and age. This led to her current position as a rehabilitation veterinarian.
In 2009 Dr. Carlo joined Avondale where she began to pursue certification to become a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI). Becoming a CCRT has opened many opportunities to learn and pursue various avenues of pain management, surgery, and assistive devices that make dogs and cats more comfortable and mobile.
Dr. Carlo's first orthotic case was in 2010. The owner was committed to the health and well-being of his dog so we continued to look for options to help her walk better. OrthoPets was contacted and the staff was extremely helpful making the stifle (knee) brace for this 13 year old Labrador possible. Since then Dr. Carlo has worked with patients placing braces on front and rear legs to support various tendon and ligament injuries. She also helped a stray shelter dog walk on all 4 legs after getting her paw severed in a trap by placing the dog in a prosthetic. Sadie was rescued by Animal Lifeline of Iowa and soon adopted into her forever home. Sadie's story can be seen at avondalevet.com.
In addition to general veterinary medicine, Dr. Carlo enjoys all facets of canine and feline rehabilitation medicine including massage therapy, underwater treadmill (hydrotherapy), stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), laser therapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, musculoskeletal ultrasound evaluations, nutritional consults, tissue mineral analysis, whole food nutritional supplements, exercise therapy, myofascial trigger point-dry needling, and assistive devices. Dr. Carlo works closely with a certified veterinary chiropractor and acupuncturist and a talented surgeon. All of these diagnostic and therapeutic modalities are available at Avondale Veterinary Healthcare Complex and allow Dr. Carlo to help her patients feel the best they can.
Dr. Carlo is a member of the Greater Des Moines Veterinary Medical Association (GDVMA), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA), the International Veterinary Association of Pain Management (IVAPM), and the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians (AARV). Dr. Carlo recently finished her 3-year appointment to the board of the AARV as Secretary.
Dr. Carlo can be reached at VCA Avondale Veterinary Hospital. Please call the clinic to make an appointment at 515-262-6111, email at vcaavondale@vca.com, and visit Avondale's website at https://vcahospitals.com/avondale.
