“Animal Chiropractor” and “Veterinary Acupuncture” certificates — and now a diploma in “Basic Fish Medicine” — grace the walls of the Woodside Animal Hospital in Royal Oak where Dr. John Simon has blazed new trails in veterinary medicine since 1970.

Simon, who treats dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, ferrets and an occasional iguana, admits he didn’t know a whole lot about fish before he became Michigan’s first certified fish vet. He received a diploma in Basic Fish Medicine from the University of Wisconsin, School of Veterinary Medicine, sponsored by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. 

As part of his training, Simon studied at the Moose Miller Fish Farm in Kalamazoo, where he learned the art of fish husbandry.

Pond-ering fish health

Does the vet's diploma mean he'll be treating pet goldfish?

“Aquarium and a ponds — there are some similarities,” Simon said. “After all, an aquarium is just a small fish pond.”

However, the nature of Simon's studies at the Moose Miller Fish Farm were of a grander scale. Simon looked at how to maintain larger fish farms — how to give advice on preventing disease, and where problems exist, making a diagnosis, and if necessary, treating fish.

But for Simon, it really wasn't so much about treating Nemo, as it was about being a "pathfinder."

“There was a hole in my education that I needed to fill,” said Simon, who isn’t exactly sure where this new fish knowledge will lead. “You never know what the universe will bring.”

Trailblazing vet

Simon, who lives in Franklin, graduated from Michigan State University and started his practice in 1967. Three years later, he moved to his current Royal Oak location on Woodward Avenue where he said he spent the first 10 years “doing what everyone else was doing.”

After a decade of having a traditional practice, the doctor started looking at alternative treatments.

“I have been a forerunner of new things that will one day become a mainstay,” Simon said, whether it is being an animal chiropractor, or practicing veterinary acupuncture.

The vet says he doesn’t like to do the same things over and over, so he offers his clients a variety of treatments when their pets have problems with things such as allergies, arthritis, incontinence, senility, chronic diarrhea or vomiting.

“We offer traditional and holistic treatment for animals,” he said. “We like to give people choices."

Alternative therapies at Woodside include:

• nutritional consulting
• anti-aging programs
• acupuncture
• behavioral solutions
• herbal medicine

The doctor also offers rehabilitation therapies that include healing laser, pulsed magnetic therapy, prolo therapy and energy medicine.

Lucky dog

Woodside was even the first animal clinic in Michigan to do in-house stem cell therapy.

Last year, Simon treated Reuben, an 8- or 9-year-old rescue springer spaniel with hip dysplasia, with stem cell therapy. Within a week, owner Pam Baumann said she saw improvement in her pet.

"We used to take him on walks and he would last about 20 minutes," Baumann said. "He would come home and curl up on the floor in a ball."

Fat from the dog's body was used for stem cells, which were injected into Reuben's hips in a stem cell surgery performed last January. Today, Reuben is able to go on hourlong hikes and still have energy, Baumann said.

"I am always encouraging people to try alternative therapy," she said. "It's a great option for older dogs. It's less invasive and yields quicker results."

Simon says

Simon is the author of several books on pet care, Basic Bird Care, Anti-Aging for Dogs, What Your Cat is Trying to Tell You, and What Your Dog is Trying to Tell You. The books are available at the Woodside Animal Hospital and through amazon.com.

For more information and articles written by Simon visit www.doc4pets.com or stay connected via the Woodside Animal Hospital Facebook page.