Healing Paws Animal Hospital

Fear-Free Certified veterinary clinic in Lancaster, PA providing skilled, attentive care for pets in an atmosphere that relieves stress

Dr. Carrie Vigeant, the main practitioner at Healing Paws Animal Hospital, grew up with an autoimmune condition that caused her to permanently lose her hair at the age of two. Strangers and children at school were not always kind, but her family and her pets offered unconditional love. Carrie was a small-town girl with a big dream, motivated by her own medical adversity. When she was two years old, her hair suddenly started to fall out. Her parents obtained medical opinions from many pediatric specialists, but they all gave the same diagnosis: alopecia universalis, an autoimmune condition. Experimental treatments were available—each with varying degrees of success—but there was no cure. By the age of three, Carrie’s hair had completely fallen out. It never grew back. Her hair loss magnified usual childhood trials and tribulations. Even while wearing a wig, she didn’t feel like she fit in with the other children. Each day, she looked forward to returning home to her refuge, where she would be enveloped in the loving warmth of her parents and many pets. The faithful, accepting companionship of those pets sustained Carrie through childhood and motivated her to dedicate her life’s work to healing animals. Carrie attended IUP and earned her BS in Biology with a double minor in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She then attended Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, where she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. She has been gratefully practicing small animal medicine and surgery for more than 15 years, including advanced training courses in Dental Surgery, Fear-Free Certification, Soft-Tissue Surgery in the Feline and Canine, and Orthopedic Surgical training. Today, Healing Paws returns that same affection to the animals that don’t judge us and who are always by our sides

Mission — At Healing Paws, our mission is to improve vet visits for pets and their owners. To Pet Owners: Healing Paws Animal Hospital vows to you, the animal lover, to be your loyal ally in providing an extraordinary life to your pet. We will always hear your concerns, cultivate a comfortable and low-stress office experience, provide state-of-the-art medical and surgical care to your pet, empower you through education to elevate your animal’s wellbeing, and comfort you in your time of sorrow. To Your Pets: We vow to you, the innocent beasts of the world, to be your advocate and your voice; to always handle you with compassion and respect in a low-stress environment; uplift your wellness and alleviate your pain and suffering