Posture & Purpose With Dr. Michelle Carr Frank
Welcome to Posture and Purpose where both healing and community come together! An inside look into Carr Chiropractic and Dr. Michelle Carr Frank.
Posture & Purpose With Dr. Michelle Carr Frank
Pets, Pain, And The People Who Love Them; Dr. Angie Sanders
A wag, a step, a pause at the bottom of the stairs—tiny moments like these tell a full story about your pet’s health. We welcome Dr. Angie Sanders from Companion Animal Hospital of Lafayette to explore how veterinarians translate posture and gait into practical care plans, why cats require “wild-leaning” home setups, and how to navigate the noisy swirl of social media trends without losing sight of real science and your pet’s quality of life.
Together, we dig into the most common issues in dogs and cats—dermatology and allergies, stress-linked feline illness, and the quiet ways pain hides in everyday movement. Dr. Sanders shares when a shortened step points to cervical discomfort rather than a sore paw, why home videos beat in-clinic walks for anxious cats, and how small shifts in routine can ease mobility challenges in seniors. We also talk exercise with nuance: enrichment first, breed limits respected, and consistent routines that prevent the “too much, too late” trap. For cat parents, you’ll hear practical, evidence-backed ideas for litter layout, vertical space, and play that satisfies natural hunting behavior.
You’ll also hear about options that many owners don’t realize they have. From compassionate oncology protocols designed for comfort to rehabilitation tools like red light therapy, we separate what’s promising from what’s just trending. Dr. Sanders offers a powerful recovery story—a dog returning from traumatic injury to a grandfather’s side—that shows how medical progress restores family rituals and emotional health. And behind every plan is a team mindset: dermatology, orthopedics, oncology, rehab specialists, and trainers working together, plus the professional boundaries that keep care clear, steady, and humane.
If you’ve wondered whether your pet’s “slowness” is normal aging, if that Instagram diet is worth the hype, or how to spot pain before it escalates, this conversation gives you a calm, practical roadmap. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves their animals like family, and leave a review to tell us what subtle sign you’re watching for at home.
Yes, and I'm sure that's difficult at times.
SPEAKER_02:It is, but sometimes that remind us, you know, we have two legs. They have four. And if we had to walk on our arms and our legs, we can figure ways to navigate, but yet we're still uncomfortable, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yes, yes, it's maybe that's interesting. You have to change your mindset to their world. That's right. That's right.
SPEAKER_00:Welcome to Posture and Purpose, where both healing and community come together. Make sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. Let's get into this episode with Dr. Michelle Car Frank.
SPEAKER_01:Welcome to today's episode of Posture and Purpose. Today I have Dr. Angie Sanders with Companion Animal Hospital of Lafayette today. So thank you. Thank you for having me. Thanks for being here. So tell us, uh, did you always know that you wanted to work with animals? Actually, yes.
SPEAKER_02:That's kind of a um a funny topic just because having children myself and realizing not everyone is given, I guess, a maybe the gift of knowing what they want to be. That is something that pretty much since I was a child I always knew I wanted to be. Never strayed from.
SPEAKER_01:And was there ever or was there something that happened in your childhood that that kind of drew you towards uh animal care?
SPEAKER_02:I think I grew up in a pretty large family with lots of siblings, and I think my parents just included the pets as another one of the children because maybe the more the merrier. But I always took it kind of as my role, I guess, from young age that I wanted to be their primary caretaker. So um maybe that's where it started. And then very young, I mean grade school age, um, I really took to the veterinarian in our town. I'm from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Okay. And he took me under his wing as early as 10 and allowed me to come help out. And back then, veterinary medicine was a lot different, you know, just very small hospitals. But I think he mentored me to where that's where my love really just went, I guess, excelled from there. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. And some people say yes. I was young when I figured things out, and that might mean 20. I know it's odd. And that is a wonderful uh fact that I did not know about you. And I should mention that Dr. Angie is my personal family veterinarian from my little Louis Pierre. So freshness baby. Yes, we know Louis. And she uh is the best. So um I always ask people about their profession. Is there anything that is misunderstood about veterinary care?
SPEAKER_02:I think it does. I think there are some definitely misunderstandings. Um, and maybe more recently, because of maybe the world we live in and social media. So I think that's kind of, you know, maybe sparked some different things in people's heads, but um maybe not so much with me. I feel like I'm kind of in a place where hopefully when someone does come to see me particularly, they know what what they're gonna get, or maybe I'll surprise them. Um maybe the big biggest misunderstandings is I guess marketing things that people really see from social media that really is not backed by any good information.
SPEAKER_01:And social media, my goodness, in any profession. That's chiropractic as well. I'm sure you see the TikTok and all the videos and the cracking uh going on. So, yes, we don't do that here. But very common uh misconception. So tell us about the most common health issues that you may see in pets. Okay, and possibly how uh we as pet owners could possibly avoid those things. Okay.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I think what's interesting about what we do is that we treat more than one species. So I would say I'm a small animal veterinarian, treat companion animals, which would be your dogs and cats. So they are different. Um, I guess in in dogs, generally the biggest health issue we see is gonna be, you know, anywhere from a young age to an older age would be allergies. So dermatology issues are a huge part of what we have to, I guess, figure out and help the clients navigate. And maybe that's the environment we live in. I'm sure pollution effects in the environment take a big um should be a big problem contributing to that. Um, and then also just as patients get older, I love senior medicine. So helping people with geriatric and senior pets and what's maybe normal behavior versus related to pain or even cognitive issues.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Um, and then in the cat world, cats are just I say a very unique species. How so? Why would you have a big thing? Oh my goodness. Well, they're not, I love cats, but they're not small dogs. You know, maybe people think that because, well, they're a companion and they live in your house. But they are to me like the closest species that are like a wild animal. And if we don't mimic maybe some of their nor normal habits inside your home or in your environment now because they're domesticated, it brings on illness. So a lot of the illness I help people with with their cats, they may not realize are caused maybe just from stress, you know? So urinary issues, diabetes, and also um bowel issues that are related a lot of times to be.
SPEAKER_01:Take it for granted. No, cats have been around and living in houses forever. That's right. That's right. Not so much the case. So what signs do you think pet owners often overlook with symptoms uh such as those?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Um I would say signs would be when we think about pain, we think about maybe the way that we can say we're in pain. If an animal comes in limping, to me that's pain, right? But because they don't whimper or cry, that's not really perceived all the time by the pet owner that they're in pain. And that's something I really just have to sit and really kind of put into perspective, maybe with the owner.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, and I'm sure that's difficult at times.
SPEAKER_02:It is, but sometimes I remind us, you know, we have two legs, they have four. And if we had to walk on our arms and our legs, we can figure ways to navigate, but yet we're still uncomfortable, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yes, yes, it's interesting. You have to change your mindset um to their world. That's right. And how they have to uh, you know, manipulate surroundings. Exactly, exactly. Exactly. And you you you mentioned limping, so that brings me to my next question. How does mobility or the posture or gait of an animal, how does that um, what does that tell you about their overall health?
SPEAKER_02:I'm sure a ton. And I feel like I'm evaluating that regularly, you know, not just in our older patients, but even young patients. Um, again, maybe because they have a they're slower to get up, but yet they're not gonna limp. Well, that will tell me there's definitely some difficulty, probably what you deal with, you know, in the spine, lower spine. Um if they're a little off on their front leg or a short step, well, then that can be cervical pain that may be coming from the neck and not the paw, you know, something that's easy to see. Sure. Um, so that I guess that's something that I really try to evaluate. Very, again, difficult in the cat because they're different at the vet, right? Right. They may have a time limit. So it's scary.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's very a different environment for the cat.
SPEAKER_02:So sometimes I have people send me videos from home of the cat and say, okay, in their normal environment, what are they doing? Because you get them in the office and they're good, they may want to hide. They're not going to be as open to walking around the exam room like a dog would be.
SPEAKER_01:Right, right.
SPEAKER_02:But I think it can tell us a ton of things.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh, so many things to think about with that, and our own pets at home. So, in your experience, how do pets owners, how does that impact the owner's emotional or physical wellness? And for me personally, I know I got my little Louis Pierre after losing my mother who uh suffered uh with pancreatic cancer, and I was her caretaker. So I didn't know what to do with myself after I didn't have anyone to take care of at that level. And so my little Louis has her. So much joy. So I imagine you must see that a lot in your life.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, that's the best part. Yes. And I mean, I see your face light up when you say Louie's name. So that just kind of confirms what we're saying. Right. And we see people from all walks of life, right? Maybe someone who is now with a pet that sat with their dying parent for years, or a spouse that was bedridden, and um, they're now the primary caretaker for that pet. Right. And maybe they didn't know they wanted a pet. Um, so we help them, you know, through those. But oh, pets are just amazing and really help people get over the loss, and I'm not saying a replacement, but definitely the loss of even maybe another pet or a family member.
SPEAKER_01:That's true. I hear a lot of uh my patients, they share with me a little bit about their their pets at home because they are like family members, and they'll have two pets, and if they lose one, the other is either depressed or uh lonesome, um however um you want to categorize it, but it makes a big difference. And the other pets help. So can you share a story uh of a pet or the recovery that you've seen start to finish that has deeply impact you personally? Okay, unfortunately being a vet, you have to see the bad side as well. So is there one story that you can recall that really affected you personally?
SPEAKER_02:So the impact could be, you know, maybe this isn't impacting me personally, but just for us to witness, right? I mean, for instance, today, literally this morning, I had a patient who um was in a very bad, traumatic, uh, unfortunately, hit by car situation, you know, what two months ago, and really did not know where we would be today. Um, fortunately, with great care and dedication from the owners. And today she is walking. Oh, um, she came in today for her evaluation. We're now two months into this process, and she is also a very important family member to not only the family who owns her, but also their elderly grandfather, who now he's taken a very big loving to. And so again, emotionally today, yes. I mean, we were like, wow, she's gonna be able to now be with him and sit with him when we didn't think we would have her, you know, if that makes sense. So I could just see the happiness on the owner's face, you know, to say, okay, no, look, she can go back in the swimming pool today. Like really, you know, get her back in there and let Pawpa take her in the back and you know, hang out with her.
SPEAKER_01:Getting her back to those normal routines that also probably comfort them as well. So are there any emerging treatments within the veterinary care that you have seen or that you know that we're, you know, right on the cusp of?
SPEAKER_02:Uh yeah, and if it's not treatment, maybe it's just different palliative care that we didn't have access to. Um, I do enjoy oncology, so really helping people navigate if they think they have no decisions or they only have one decision to make, or maybe there's only one option to keep their pet around, um, but yet they're not ready to lose them.
SPEAKER_01:Right.
SPEAKER_02:Then I can provide, yes, with in terms of chemotherapy options for pets, um, is really amazing. There are way more options out there than you may realize. To have to decision.
SPEAKER_01:You know, um anything that's exciting, anything new coming out, like with AI or technology or tools.
SPEAKER_02:Probably not a lot of what I in my practice am working with. I mean, I know in the world of even rehabilitation, there's some really cool um I will use the term products, you know what I mean, on the market that we probably have to do a little bit better of narrowing down what's going to be the most effective. Am I making it clear? Just, you know, think about like you red light therapy, right? For for people and in horses, they've been using that forever, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_02:So I do think there are some great products out there. It's just again, maybe using them enough to see which ones are really making the difference and for what reason. Um and not just grabbing it.
SPEAKER_01:Right, right. Right. Um, any popular trends you mentioned social media about pet care specifically, that you wish people would stop asking about or stop following.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think it's kind of funny and fun because I I try to stay very, I really do open-minded. You know, social media is an outlet for everybody right now, and we look at it all the time. So I don't blame someone who comes in and says the biggest thing is pet food, right? Pet food on, I guess it's on Instagram maybe, and you see these good-hearted movie stars or famous people out there marketing their this, yes, their pet food that is the end all be all. And unfortunately, we don't have anything to back that up. Right, but but but Brad Pitt said something. I know, I know, and he's so cute. So we have to buy it.
SPEAKER_01:Right, right.
SPEAKER_02:But um I don't mind talking about it. And what I try to tell people is that this is your baby, and if I know if you can show me what you're looking at, if I know for sure there's nothing in there that's gonna harm them, I'm leaving it to you to try, as long as we can definitely follow up with you know, evaluating your pet regularly and and and so forth. So, but I would say pet food's the biggest.
SPEAKER_01:Pet food, yes. I wouldn't have thought of that. And what do you feel? How do you feel about musculoskeletal health with pets? Walking, exercise. How does that all play a part? We all know it's important, but how important is it? And what have you seen with musculoskeletal health?
SPEAKER_02:Oh gosh. So I think there are breeds, see, in in veterinary medicine, there are breeds of animals that really are not meant to have a lot of, let's say, strenuous exercise as others, right? We have our um fun little smushed-face, cute dogs that snore and can't breathe very well, that really do not need to go on that three-mile walk every day. But it is, I would say, more beneficial for mental stimulation for our pets, um, if that makes sense, right? Very much so. So I think taking your pets on walks outside um is really good for their routine because it gets their mind off of, you know, being at home, maybe when you're at work and they're bored, getting their mind off of food. Um, so I do think then it does help their musculoskeletal health.
SPEAKER_01:Sure.
SPEAKER_02:But we have to remember pets age so much faster too. So if we don't start those activities until they're a lot older when we realize, oh, they are limping, maybe I need to get them moving, maybe that's not the right time. Because they need time to heal.
SPEAKER_01:Sure. Um just like people, just like humans.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_01:And um speaking of that, do you ever collaborate with other providers or trainers for rehab or specialists when it comes to heading?
SPEAKER_02:Yes. And that's one thing that I love. I've really I I've been in this field now since 2003. So I've been practicing for what, 22 years. And um I really think as veterinarians, just like most professions, if we collaborate, we can do a lot better job, right? Sure. It is not a one-all-fits-all approach. Right.
SPEAKER_01:The patient will only benefit together.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, so when it comes to things, you know, especially specialty and veterinary medicine, y'all. We have oncology specialists, dermatology, rehabilitation specialists, and that's their passion orthopedic specialist. So I definitely use that to make the best decisions for my patients, right? I know for me for sure, even though I have special interest in things and I love treating them, if there are problems that may be out of my realm, or I feel like, okay, wait, there could be a lot more options. Let's consult and let's get a referral. There are specialists, many, many of them in Louisiana that we can reach out to.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so you do you guys have I'm sure have a great network of people that you can reach out to. Absolutely. And you said you were from Baton Rouge. What brought you to Lafayette?
SPEAKER_02:Well, um, I graduated from LSU, so I'm an LSU vet school grad. And really, it was just meeting the right Yeah, go tigers. It was really meeting the right person. Um, Dr. Don Dwarren was actually um the first veterinarian I worked for here in Lafayette.
unknown:Okay.
SPEAKER_02:And it was just making that decision. I knew I wasn't sure I wanted to stay in Baton Rouge. I was willing to take an opportunity and moved to Lafayette and thought it was a great place to raise a family too. So stayed. Here I am.
SPEAKER_01:So yes, now you plan it. So that's it. And what is the most surprising improvement that you've seen in an animal? I know you mentioned uh getting hit by a vehicle. Anything else that br that comes to mind? I'm sure you see a lot of those, unfortunately, but anything, either a cancer patient or something. Oh, sure, sure.
SPEAKER_02:I mean definitely we we have right now, you know, treating a cancer patient with lymphoma, and we are now on our protocol that we're using. We are, I think, week 24, which is pretty remarkable, with a great quality of life. And I emphasize that because medicine, we know, can keep us around and our patients, but it does not do justice if their quality is not good at that time. So to see them bouncing in at 24 weeks, ready for their next treatment, and they're happy and they go home and they can go to daycare and they can go still their normal activities happily, that is remarkable. Makes it all worth it, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yes. And as a woman in veterinary medicine, what challenges or strengths have shaped your career? Because I know as a chiropractor, being a female, when I was in school X amount of years ago, um, there weren't many women. Yes. I wonder, is that this was that your experience, or have you just seen that really change dramatically over the last several years?
SPEAKER_02:Yes, I have seen it change dramatically. Um when I was in school, we did have an equal balance, I believe, of female and male.
SPEAKER_01:That's good to hear.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. I think though what's like probably you see too is just balancing being all of it. I want to be the best veterinarian and yet still raise a family and figuring out how to do that without feeling the pressure that you can't do it.
SPEAKER_01:Or do it well.
SPEAKER_02:So I think surrounding myself with just yeah, it's a village. Yes, right?
SPEAKER_01:We all need that village, we all need that support for sure. Okay, so if a young girl is listening, a 10-year-old Angie that would love to become a veterinarian. What advice or what would you tell her today?
SPEAKER_02:I would tell her that veterinary medicine is not just all the fun stuff, you know, playing with puppies all day.
unknown:Sure.
SPEAKER_02:But there are so many possibilities when you are a veterinarian of what you get to experience. So what I would tell them, and I love, love talking to young people, children, students, um, the best thing is to get your hands dirty and find a place that you can just volunteer your time, even if it's during the summer a couple times, just to have be an eye-opener, maybe, for what it's like.
SPEAKER_01:Sure. It might not be what you're doing.
SPEAKER_02:It may not be. It may not be. But if you get as lucky as I was, which I do believe is so rare, a mentor who really you're like, okay, this is awesome and I want to follow them, then go with it. And you find that passion. Yes.
SPEAKER_01:Uh and what is one thing that the community should know about veterinary medicine? You this is your opportunity.
SPEAKER_02:Veterinary medicine is based should be based on, right? And most of us are based on our compassion and wanting to help an animal in any shape. We will never let it we take an oath that we will never have an animal suffer that's in front of us, no matter what. So you can count on us to definitely be the advocate and spokesperson for your pet. And we're here to navigate that with you. And a veterinarian is also supposed to have a pretty deep relationship, not only with you, but your pet, so that we can help you make the right decisions of what's right in that moment and for their lifestyle. And if you can't find that, there are plenty, plenty of wonderful veterinarians out there.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, I think we're lucky to have you and Lafayette for sure. And if anyone is looking for a veterinarian in Lafayette, please um do yourself and your pet a favor and call uh Dr. Angie's office. Thank you. Well, it's true. It's true. And uh do you have any uh a local story of a pet or a family uh or even your family, how a pet maybe personally has left a mark on your family. Do you have pets at home? Oh yes. Well I'm sure that's a silly question.
SPEAKER_02:We've always had many, no. I mean, we we have five cats and we are with our one geriatric dog right now. What kind of dog is it? He is a Beagle foxhound mix. Oh god. So we have always adopted and fostered our our dogs, clearly, just because they're in they're they're in front of me all the time. Sure. Um, but I would say all of them have left their impact and still with us, my family, forever. The the funny things that you experience with your dog, we call brother the worst, best dog ever. Because the terrible things he may do and naughty still be still, yes, yes, for 14 years. Yes, but you get to share those stories, right, with each other, and um they always leave an impact. I don't have one particular one.
SPEAKER_01:Who doesn't remember? Remember their family pet from either childhood or growing up. Everyone, everyone has that favorite pet. Okay, do you have a funny story? I know we've talked about uh medical and more serious topics, but is there a funny story? Like what is the funniest thing that has ever happened in an exam room? Can you share that?
SPEAKER_02:Oh my gosh, those may be not appropriate. No, I'm joking. They're just that's why I asked. You know, a veterinarian gets their hands really dirty when we deal with the nasty ends of all pets. Yes. So um, you know, it's God bless you. Oh my, it is no joke. And I guess no surprise that animals have the unjust forbidden, the anal glands, right? Oh, true, true. You know, you will hear just a part of it. Yes, you know, a nurse ah, you know, and the anal gland will s squirt across the room and hit the wall. We know what's going on in there. Yes, yes. So I would say other than that, it's really just the the funny moments of like positions we have to get ourselves in, like physical positions. Right.
SPEAKER_01:To Yes, you guys need chiropractors.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, every day to examine a dog on the floor. We do a lot of our exams on big dogs on the floor so they're more comfortable or geriatric ones. And sometimes I'll have a nurse just snap a picture of us in our treatment area because we'll have one jumping around acting a fool to get the pet's attention on them. One is straddling the floor to get as low as them, and then another one drawing a blood sample from a back leg.
SPEAKER_01:Right, all of that together, all of that together. We're play twister. That that uh tells you how passionate you are and your team, because I know you have a great team there as well. Thank you. And this is the question I've really been waiting to ask you. If you could describe your own personality as a dog breed or a cat personality, what would it be? And tell us why.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, I'll go with the dog breed, and my husband is probably gonna listen to this and laugh. Okay. Um as focused as I am at work, and maybe you can appreciate this, I am very self-diagnosed ADD, right? You know, just from one topic to the next, right? Because I want to do it all. And so I always think of myself as, believe it or not, uh like a golden doodle because they are precious and loving, and you can't help but love them.
SPEAKER_01:Just like you, Dr.
SPEAKER_02:Can be extremely, you know, from one thing to the next, one thing to the next, maybe difficult to train. So I I do laugh when they come in and the owners are like, oh my gosh, they're so cute, but my lord, when can I get them trained? And I'm like, yeah, you know, time. I understand that I would be difficult to train, but I just understand that, you know, birds, squirrels, just one thing to the next.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, but it's makes such a fun pet at the same time. Are there any animals that you've been excited or scared to work with? Like, okay, not doing horses, not doing birds, or I don't know how that works. Right, right. Pretty differentiated.
SPEAKER_02:Well, well, I knew from probably from vet school what I did and did not want to um work with. And I really believe when you we can help all pets, but I know what I know the most of, right? And the more you do it, you become even better. So I'm very good at, you know, if someone calls and says, Hey, I have a, you know, a bird, I'm like, Yes, that's not for me, but I can direct you to the right person who can help you. Sure. My son had a bearded dragon, and I learned a lot from that over the past few years. Oh my gosh. And so, but I have a you know, collaborated with a veterinarian in town who really specializes with exotics. So I kind of use it to him, you know, him.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Really. I mean, you gotta work out. Yeah, dogs and cats are my thing. Dogs and cats. Okay, we'll remember that. So, my last question of the day is always how do you maintain your posture while pursuing your purpose in life?
SPEAKER_02:I have many purposes. I do believe in life, right? So I want to be the absolute best veterinarian I can be for my clients and my pets. I want to be a wonderful wife to my husband and most importantly, my children, right? We want it all. I really try to set boundaries, if that makes sense. Boundaries, absolutely, right? Especially owning my own practice. And it took a lot of years, yes, the first 20 years of my life in my career to my career to learn how to do that. And that may sound silly running a business, but I am able to. And that really does allow me to have when I can be the most present, is when I have those boundaries. So I can be a better veterinarian if I'm not working 24-7 on call, right? There are again plenty of places I can have your pet seen with until I'm back if that helps. But also, um, like I said, I take an oath that I'm not gonna let a pet suffer. So I will always be there to help you guys make the best decision. Um, I'll never stray from that. So well, thank you. And thank you so much for being here. How can people find you? Oh, well, I um my practice is on eBruissard. And if you're on social media, we have a I think a phenomenal Facebook that's really fun that you can look at. Yeah, it's um bestvetslafayette.com is our um website, but you can look at us on social media, bestvets lafayette, and um our phone number 337-284-8898, and I'd be happy to help.
SPEAKER_01:Well, perfect. And again, thank you so much for all of this information and for being here. And until next time, sit up straight, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay adjusted.
SPEAKER_00:Thanks for listening to the Posture and Purpose Podcast with Dr. Michelle Car Frank. Make sure to subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Until next time.