Pets in Balance

What Pets in Balance does

Pets in Balance is a privately-held, single-veterinarian integrative veterinary practice founded in 2015 by Dr. Lisa Starr and based in Lincolnwood, Illinois. The practice integrates conventional veterinary medicine with complementary therapies — veterinary acupuncture, veterinary spinal manipulative therapy (chiropractic), and a full physical rehabilitation stack — to treat dogs and cats with pain, mobility limitations, post-surgical recovery needs, arthritis, degenerative joint disease, neurologic injuries, and age-related decline. It also fits custom assistive devices (carts, braces, harnesses, orthotics, prosthetics) and supplies supplements, herbals, and homeopathics. Underlying technology consists of clinical modalities rather than software: Piezowave shockwave therapy (acoustic focused sound waves for tissue healing), Class IV therapeutic laser (photobiomodulation for pain and inflammation), and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for muscle atrophy prevention, combined with manual therapies (massage, passive range of motion, therapeutic exercise programming).

The business model is fee-for-service professional services paid at the point of care via credit card, cash, check, or Zelle, with house-call surcharges applied to at-home visits. The go-to-market is sales-led and referral-driven: a structured referring-veterinarian program (online and printable forms) is the primary mid-funnel channel, complemented by direct owner bookings through the website, online appointment scheduling, email/phone, and a Facebook page. Physical service delivery runs across two channels — in-office appointments at Christensen Animal Hospital in Wilmette, IL (Wednesdays 8am-5pm, alternating Fridays and Saturdays 8am-2pm) and house calls on the northwest side of Chicago (Mondays and Thursdays) for mobility-impaired or anxious pets. The customer base is fragmented across individual pet-owner households (SMB/consumer), with no enterprise accounts; the practice serves the Chicago metropolitan area exclusively. The practice is currently at capacity, not accepting new patients, with a waitlist exceeding four months.

Name

Pets in Balance

Legal name

Pets in Balance

Website

https://petsinbalancevet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pets in Balance is a single-veterinarian integrative veterinary practice in Chicago founded by Dr. Lisa Starr, offering acupuncture, chiropractic, and physical rehabilitation for dogs and cats with mobility, pain, and post-surgical conditions, delivered via referrals, in-office visits, and house calls.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy Centers (HLAMACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Companion Animal Maintenance & Wellness Nutrition (HLAMAHAB)

Keywords

• Veterinary rehabilitation services
• Pet acupuncture care
• Veterinary chiropractic treatment
• Animal physical therapy
• Integrative veterinary medicine

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincolnwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Services - In-Office: In-office veterinary services including acupuncture, chiropractic care, physical rehabilitation treatments such as laser therapy, shockwave therapy, therapeutic exercises, massage, passive range of motion, and electrical stimulation. Services are provided at Christensen Animal Hospital in Wilmette, IL.
2. House Call Services: House calls provided on the northwest side of Chicago on Mondays and Thursdays for patients that are difficult to travel with due to mobility issues or anxiety. Additional fees apply for house call services.
3. Assistive Devices and Products: Sale and fitting of assistive devices including carts, braces, harnesses, boots, orthotics, and prosthetics to improve patient mobility and comfort.
4. Supplements and Natural Products: Offering of supplements, herbals, and homeopathics which may augment or replace other medications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pets in Balance is a single-veterinarian veterinary practice that provides integrative care for dogs and cats, combining traditional veterinary medicine with physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, chiropractic (veterinary spinal manipulative therapy), and therapeutic exercise. Services are delivered through in-office appointments at a partner animal hospital in Wilmette, IL and through house-call visits on the northwest side of Chicago, with retail sales of assistive devices and supplements to support patient mobility.

Product overview

Pets in Balance is a veterinary care practice that integrates traditional veterinary medicine with complementary treatments to provide a comprehensive range of rehabilitation and wellness services. The practice offers a single cohesive service portfolio centered on Dr. Lisa Starr's specialized expertise, including House Calls for at-home care, Acupuncture and Chiropractic (Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy) for holistic treatment, and Therapeutic Laser and Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) using Piezowave technology for pain management and tissue healing. The practice also provides Assistive Devices, Orthotics and Prosthetics for mobility support, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, Therapeutic Exercises, Massage, and Passive Range of Motion for physical rehabilitation. Services are offered both at Christensen Animal Hospital in Wilmette, IL and through house calls on the northwest side of Chicago.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• House Calls In-home veterinary service delivering the practice's full suite of integrative treatments to pet owners on Chicago's northwest side who prefer or require at-home care due to pet mobility issues, anxiety, or convenience. Additional fees apply relative to in-office appointments.
• Acupuncture Traditional Chinese medicine treatment using sterile needle insertion into specific body points to address pain, nerve function, energy levels, and appetite in dogs and cats. Provided by a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist as part of the practice's integrative care offering.
• Chiropractic (Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy) Manual treatment of the spine and joints to decrease pain and improve biomechanics and range of motion through neurologic responses that restore normal body function in dogs and cats. Provided by a practitioner certified in Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (CVSMT).
• Therapeutic Laser Class IV low-level laser therapy that uses visible and infrared light to treat pain and inflammation, promote tissue healing, release endorphins, decrease scar tissue, and improve cellular function in canine and feline patients.
• Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) Piezowave acoustic shockwave therapy using focused sound wave energy to stimulate blood vessel formation, release growth factors, reduce inflammation through nitric oxide release, and treat tendinopathies, degenerative joint disease, trigger points, cranial cruciate ligament injuries, wounds, and bone healing indications.
• Assistive Devices, Veterinary Orthotics and Prosthetics Sale and fitting service for supportive devices including carts, braces, harnesses, boots, orthotics, and prosthetic limbs to improve mobility and quality of life for pets with amputations, congenital deformities, or unstable joints. Includes measurements or casts, fitting appointments, and acclimation therapy.
• Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Application of electrical stimulus to muscle groups to produce contractions that prevent or treat muscle atrophy from lameness or neurologic injuries, promoting muscle strengthening and joint support as part of the rehabilitation program.
• Therapeutic Exercises Customized therapeutic exercise program using equipment such as cavaletti poles, weave cones, balance discs, and stairs to improve function, strength, range of motion, and proprioception in canine and feline patients.
• Massage Manual massage therapy to improve circulation, achieve muscle relaxation, relieve pain and anxiety, and address muscle restrictions as part of injury prevention and rehabilitation for pets.
• Passive Range of Motion Manual therapy to improve joint flexibility and range of motion, reducing stiffness, pain, and lameness in post-surgical, arthritic, or injured canine and feline patients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dr. Starr's treatments have enabled senior pets to go up stairs again, play with toys they haven't touched in a long time, and improved their overall quality of life.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Christensen Animal HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristensen Animal Hospital in Wilmette, IL provides office space for Pets in Balance to offer in-office appointments. Dr. Starr sees patients at this location on Wednesdays, Fridays, and alternating Saturdays. The partnership allows Pets in Balance to serve clients in the northern Chicago area without maintaining a dedicated clinic.
• Fear Free PetsminorOthersDr. Lisa Starr is a Certified Fear Free Professional through Fear Free Pets, indicating training and certification in low-stress handling techniques for pets during veterinary visits.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Animal Medical Center (NYC): Large nonprofit veterinary teaching hospital offering specialty and rehabilitation services including acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and physical therapy. Comparable through comprehensive rehab and integrative service line and teaching/clinical authority position.
• BluePearl Pet Hospital: Network of specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals offering rehabilitation, pain management, and integrative services among broader specialty offerings. Comparable as a veterinary specialty provider with rehab-adjacent capabilities and referral-based intake.
• PetVet Care Centers: Network of general practice, specialty, and emergency veterinary hospitals across the eastern U.S., including rehab and integrative services. Comparable as a multi-site vet platform with comparable service mix including rehab.
• Thrive Pet Healthcare: Multi-specialty veterinary care network offering general practice, specialty, and rehabilitation services across the U.S. Comparable as scaled veterinary care platform with overlapping rehab, acupuncture, and integrative service offerings.
• Bond Vet: Modern, design-forward veterinary clinic chain offering primary and some specialty care with focus on client experience. Comparable as a multi-location, experience-forward veterinary provider in metropolitan markets.
• MedVet: Veterinary specialty and emergency hospital network with rehab and physical medicine services in select locations. Comparable as specialty/emergency vet with overlapping rehabilitation service lines and referral-driven patient flow.
• Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG): Specialty veterinary emergency hospital chain with open-floor care philosophy and direct-to-pet-owner intake (no referral required). Comparable as a customer-experience-led vet provider competing on differentiation in a commodity market.
• Modern Animal: Membership-based veterinary clinic chain operating in select major U.S. cities with emphasis on technology-enabled care and client experience. Comparable as a consumer-experience-led vet practice serving urban pet owners.
• VCA Animal Hospitals: Largest general and specialty veterinary care network in North America, with many locations offering rehabilitation, acupuncture, and pain management services. Comparable through overlapping service modalities and referral-based specialty practice structure.

Direct peers

• Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice: In-home veterinary hospice and euthanasia provider with strong referral network and house-call-only model. Comparable through the house-call service model, veterinary referrals, and intimate client relationship management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/petsinbalancevet

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pets in Balance