Meet Michelle

Originally from a small town outside Buffalo, NY, Dr. Savigny knew from a young age that she was meant to be in the veterinary field. She grew up fostering dogs through a local rescue before finally landing her first veterinary job at the age of 16. Since that time, Dr. Savigny has worked in the veterinary field in one capacity or another.  After graduating veterinary school at Texas A&M and completing an Emergency and Critical Care internship and residency at Auburn University, she has made the beautiful Pacific Northwest home. 

 

Dr. Savigny spent most of her career working as a criticalist in different specialty hospitals in Western Washington.  In 2018, she adopted a Golden Retriever with severe elbow dysplasia.  While she had always had an interest in rehabilitation therapy, it wasn’t until then that she truly saw the benefits and potential that the field held. After two years of exploring different types of rehabilitation therapy with her own dog, Dr. Savigny decided that it was time for her to make the switch from emergency medicine to rehabilitation and integrative care.  

 

And she hasn’t looked back since!  Dr. Savigny enjoys focusing on each individual animal so that she can offer a comprehensive evaluation and detailed recommendations personalized for that patient, family and situation.  While she enjoys caring for all types of patients, she has a special place in her heart for older dogs and cats.  She utilizes a multi-modal approach of care that includes facets of both Eastern and Western medicine in order to offer every animal the opportunity to enjoy more good days. 

 

When not at her “regular” job, Dr. Savigny also works part-time at the Humane Society of Cowlitz County providing medical care to a plethora of dogs, cats, livestock, and even the occasional turtle. She still fosters animals from time to time but mostly spends her free time enjoying a glass of wine and time with her mixed menagerie.  Her slowly growing farm includes her three dogs: “tripawd” Newfoundland Willow, the notoriously goofy Golden Retriever Brix and rescue Heeler/Saint Bernard mix Torren, as well as her collection of cats and backyard flock of chickens and ducks. 

 

Balanced Paws was formed on the notion that life is all about balance.  We all have things we know we should do, and those things we want to do.  Rather than focus on either end of the spectrum, we instead need to work on finding the balance between the two that allows us to live longer and happier.