The Future of Veterinary Medicine: Hot Topics Exploring Laser Therapy in Veterinary Applications

Rachel Starr, DVM
Owner/ Veterinarian
Pets and Their People, Inc.
3300 Wysong Road
Traverse City, MI 49684
www.petsandtheirpeopleinc.com

PERSONAL STATEMENT
I believe that health is not just the absence of disease but optimal physical, mental, and
social well-being. I would like to be a part of changing the way that we look at health
care in our country. I believe in promoting preventative care through nutrition and
healthy lifestyle. When disease does occur, I would like to mentor others in the use of
non-pharmaceutical and non-invasive therapies

EXPERIENCE
ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN, MAPLE RUN VETERINARY CLINIC, MT. GILEAD, OH — 2000-2002
I practiced as a mixed animal practitioner in a three veterinarian hospital, taking call for large and small animal emergencies. I provided herd health for several beef and dairy cattle herds, provided reproductive services for a Standardbred horse farm,
worked with small ruminants in an Amish community, and practiced small animal general medicine and surgery.
STAFF VETERINARIAN, CAPITAL AREA HUMANE SOCIETY, HILLIARD, OH - 2003-2005
I practiced shelter medicine, focusing on prevention of contagious disease within the shelter and spay/neuter surgery (cat/dog/rabbit, guinea pig/rat neuters), as well as any other surgeries needed by the shelter animals. I taught cat spays and neuters to veterinary students from The Ohio State University - College of Veterinary Medicine, where I truly enjoyed teaching and mentoring students.
ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN, SUTTONS BAY ANIMAL HOSPITAL, SUTTONS BAY, MI - 2005-APRIL 2024
I practiced general medicine and surgery, but was able to pursue my own interests which evolved over time. From 2005-2010, I was primarily a surgeon. In 2010, I became interested in alternative therapies and trained in Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation. In 2011, I added Laser Therapy and started to integrate nutrition. By 2015, I was fully a holistic veterinarian, seeing mostly nutrition appointments and adding in non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical therapies as needed.
ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN, ELK RAPIDS ANIMAL HOSPITAL, ELK RAPIDS, MI - 2009-APRIL 2024
In 2009, the owner of Suttons Bay Animal Hospital opened a satellite clinic in Elk Rapids and asked me if I would work there one day a week to offer a holistic approach
in that clinic, too.
OWNER/VETERINARIAN - PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE, INC.,
TRAVERSE CITY, MI - MAY 2024-PRESENT
In May 2024, I opened Pets and Their People Inc, Nutrition and Laser Therapy Center to provide non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical treatment options to the Grand Traverse area community.

EDUCATION
Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI - BS - Biology, 1996
Michigan State University - College of Veterinary Medicine, East Lansing, MI - DVM,
2000

ORGANIZATIONS
AHVMA Member - SAHVMA Committee Chair, AHVMA Strategic Taskforce Member

PUBLISHED AUTHOR
Starr, R. Nutrition Response Testing® in the Dissolution of Persistent Cystoliths and Choleliths in a Miniature Schnauzer. J Am Holist Vet Med Assoc. 2023;71:23-32.

LIVE SPEAKER AT VETERINARY CONFERENCES
Music City Veterinary Conference, March 3, 2024 - 1 hour on Laser Therapy
FETCH Nashville Veterinary Conference, May 17, 2024 - 2 hours on Laser Therapy
VETgirl NOLA Conference, June 29, 2024 - 1/2 hour on Violet Laser
AHVMA Annual Conference, September 30, 2024 - 3 hours on Laser Therapy
New York Vet Show, November 7-8, 2024 - 2 hours on Laser Therapy
FETCH Long Beach Veterinary Conference, December 7, 2024 - 2 hours on Laser
Therapy
Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Conference, January 24, 2025 - 2 hours on Laser Therapy
FETCH Charlotte Veterinary Conference, March 15, 2025 - 2 hours on Laser Therapy
Florida Veterinary Medical Association Annual Conference, April 11, 2025 - 4 hours on Laser Therapy
Mountain West Veterinary Conference, June 20, 2025 - 2 hours on Laser Therapy
FETCH Kansas City Veterinary Conference, August 23, 2025 - 2 hours on Laser Therapy
AHVMA Annual Conference, September 8, 2025 - 3 hours on Laser Therapy
Michigan Veterinary Conference, September 28, 2025 - 3 hours on Laser Therapy
Wild West Veterinary Conference, Reno, NV, 2025 - 2 hours on Laser Therapy

SKILLS
• Great Communication Skills/Training in Communication
• Enjoy Teaching/Mentoring
• Specialized in Laser Therapy
• Nutrition Response TestingTM Advanced Clinical Training Graduate (2018)
• Applied Kinesiology/“Muscle Testing”
• Extensive Surgical Experience
• Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation

PERSONAL
I enjoy hiking (backpacking), traveling, gardening, and horse-back riding. My husband, Jay, and I have three sons, (Abe, Jonah, and Ari), two dogs (Esca, Puck), and a ferret (Stix). My sister owns a USDA certified hobby farm, where I help at times. I maintain a colony of meat rabbits.