Veterinarian

Dr. Carmela Panza is a holistic/integrative veterinarian who practices both Western and Eastern Veterinary Medicine.

Her passion is to heal pets naturally with wholesome foods and holistic alternative treatments by targeting the root of disease as well as preventing disease.

After graduating from Western University of Health Sciences, Dr Panza has practiced in Southern California for over 17 years mainly as a feline medicine specialist focusing on behavior, internal medicine, diagnostic imaging and surgery. As issues came up with her own senior pets she was determined to expand her skills to focus on healing pets naturally. In 2019 she started her journey to discovering holistic medicine and took an Eastern Medicine and Acupuncture course through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist in February of 2020. Since then she has continued to expand her skills by taking courses through the Chi University focusing on healing pets with food therapy, herbs and specialized acupuncture modalities. Her goal is to be able to prevent and treat disease through wholesome diets, natural supplements and holistic therapies.

As a former facilitator at Western University and as the Clinical Director for Platt College of Veterinary Technology, Dr Panza holds herself to the highest standards of medicine and is a lifelong learner as well. She is currently working towards completing a Certified Veterinary Food Therapy course through Chi University and aims to formulate individual diets to heal pets using Eastern Medicine practices. She is fascinated by how food can be used to heal and prevent diseases.

Dr Panza’s passion for healing animals began at the age of 5 when she lived on her family farm in North Carolina. She naturally gravitated towards nursing orphaned or abandoned animals back to health. Most of the time when her parents could not find her she was either in the barn with newborn sheep and goats or could be found exploring their acreage of land.

When Dr Panza is not working in the hospital she is at home caring for her own fur babies or at a local beach cleanup. She still enjoys spending time outdoors gardening, hiking in the local hills or walking at the beach with her dog Kaia and sometimes can be seen riding her motorcycle when the sun is out. She also loves spending time with her Italian family eating home prepared foods, making canned tomato sauce, wine or traditional holiday goodies. One day she hopes to have her own “rescue” ranch where all types of animals can live out their golden years in harmony.

Dr Carmela Panza is honored to heal your pets alongside the amazing team at Tustin Care Animal Hospital.