Animal Wellness and Rehabilitation Center (AWRC)

For the last month and a half, Rey my 8 yr old retired GSD Search and Rescue dog has been doing physical therapy and rehabilitation for osteoarthritis in her stifles and IVDD in her back. Though you would not know it looking at her or watching her play, She was uncomfortable. I recognized subtle signs of pain. While attending a nosework trial, I met Hannah, who just happened to be the rehab vet tech at Animal Wellness and rehabilitation in Knoxville. I spoke with my K9 nosework instructor Rosana Dropkin who loves Dr Pittman, the owner of Animal Wellness and Rehab. I thought I'd give it a try with Rey! The entire staff at the clinic is outstanding! They love their patients! Dr Pittman assessed Rey and set up a plan to help make her more comfortable and pain-free as possible. Day by day, week by week I could see the improvement! I knew I was in the right place about 4 weeks into it, when Dr Pittman was assessing Rey and finished with a nice massage on her back. Rey loved it! When Dr Pittman was done Rey reached around and gave her a big kiss on her cheek. In turn Dr. Pittman gave Rey a big hug, and a kiss on the top of her head. In all my years owning dogs, and in the 36 years that I have had German Shepherds, not one vet hugged or kissed my dogs! As we progressed through the therapy program, it was evident Rey was more comfortable, and wanted to play more! My goal for the long run, is to decrease or eliminate the use of NSAIDs. We are not quite there but definitely on the road to our goal. On Thursday, Rey graduated from the program. We will come back monthly for therapy visits and assessments while continuing to still do exercises at home. I know that I can always call Dr Pittman and she will get back to me if I have questions or concerns. If you live in the greater Knoxville area and are looking for a good physical therapy rehab place for your pet, check out Dr Pittman and her staff at the Animal Wellness and rehabilitation clinic in Bearden!

I have an almost 13 year old golden retriever, Truman, who has developed mobility issues over the last 1.5 years. I knew Dr. Pittman from many years ago when she was at FCAH and I knew that she opened a holistic vet clinic using acupuncture and other services that other practices do not offer. I wanted to give my boy a chance so I made an appointment and it has literally made all the difference. Every person that has interacted with us has been extremely kind and so sweet with my old boy. Truman has been seeing Dr. Meires and she has been thorough in everything she has done. She listened to all my questions, concerns and has been so helpful in treating him. She is super gentle with him, loves on him during every visit and has been so encouraging. He started out with acupuncture then we started acupuncture with laser therapy and today did acupuncture with shockwave therapy. My boy still has weakness to his back end, but he has literally been able to go in and out of our home, down his ramp and into our yard without my assistance. He was needing continual help and I was having to lift his back end off the ground and support him to move him around the yard and in the house. That is no longer the case and he is now able to do those things without my constant help. He is not “completely fixed” but the improvement is phenomenal. I highly recommend Animal Wellness and Rehab to anyone who loves their fur babies and wants the best for them.

When our sweet boy, Dilly, was diagnosed with a torn cruciate ligament, we wanted to give him the best possible chance to heal without surgery. The staff at Animal Wellness and Rehabilitation Center were fantastic!! They made the laser therapy sessions as much fun as possible - the hardest part was keeping him still. But they all got down on the floor with him and made him relaxed and happy. Thank you all so much for your extraordinary care for our sweet boy!!

​I cannot recommend Dr. Pittman and the entire team at Animal Wellness and Rehabilitation highly enough. It’s clear that this isn’t your average veterinary clinic. ​They don’t just treat our pets, they treat us "parents" like family. The level of compassion and empathy they show is rare and deeply appreciated, even through the loss of one of our beloved pets they were so caring and kind. ​Not only is Dr. Pittman incredibly kind and caring, her innovative approach to treatment is top notch. She looks beyond the standard protocols to find the best, most effective path forward for your pet’s specific needs. It is so reassuring to work with a team that incorporates and considers many treatment options including acupuncture and supplements into our pet's plan of care. They truly think outside the box to do what's best for your pet. A special shout-out to Julian, who is consistently very helpful, kind, and attentive to every detail and request! ​If you are looking for a place where your dog will be loved and your concerns will be heard, look no further. They are wonderful!

Dr. Meiers and Meg took such wonderful care of my sweet Oakley during one of the hardest moments imaginable. She was very, very sick, and they both showed so much compassion, patience, and kindness while walking me through every step of the process. They truly treated her like she mattered, and that meant everything to me. Even in the end, I know Oakley was given the absolute best care possible and was surrounded by people who genuinely cared for her comfort and well-being. I will always be grateful for the love and support they showed both Oakley and our family during such a heartbreaking time. Thank you so much for everything. 5/5 stars ❤️