meet dr tessa
My journey to becoming a chiropractor has been influenced by my positive experiences with chiropractic, massage, physical therapy and rehabilitation exercise as both patient and provider. Chiropractic has been central to my healing after injuries, and to actively improving my health post-injury.
I graduated from Parker University Animal Chiropractic program to have the opportunity to serve others in the same way, helping animals to be happy and healthy and to continue to do the things they love with their humans.
my “why”
When my dog Remy had a head injury as a puppy it took some time for me to find, and get in to see, a practitioner who could move the bones of his head back into place. During the wait I noticed behavioral changes that led me to think that he was having headaches, although there were no other signs of pain. We did massage and behavior modification, but it was not until the bones were in the proper place that I saw larger and longer-lasting changes.
meet dr clara
Dr. Clara Medalen (Meh-doll-en) is the founder and head chiropractor of Cloudberry Lane Animal Chiropractic. Born and raised in Petersburg, an island community in Southeast Alaska. She went on to get her Bachelor of Science in Organismal Biology from Montana State University. After that she attended Life Chiropractic College West in Northern California where she graduated with her Doctorate of Chiropractic 6 months early. She is now happily serving the pets of the great Portland area and beyond.
Dr. Medalen is a specialist with her Animal Chiropractic degree from Options for Animals, the longest standing animal chiropractic college in the United States and the originator of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. She is passionate about caring for the pets of people in need and in her spare time you can find her volunteering her skill to help the pets of underserved populations. She and her partner own two Australian Shepherds and often care for the litter mate of their youngest pup. You can follow their fluff filled adventures on Instagram at aussiesofcloudberrylane.
Nero before
My “Why?”
My dog Nero suffered a concussion as a puppy. He was hit in the head with a tennis ball while playing fetch. You may not know, but to adjust a puppy it only takes the pressure you would use to test the ripeness of a tomato. The hit on the head was more than enough to misalign his skull bones. He was left with uneven pupils, anxiety and headaches. His eyes would not track together or respond to light in sync.
Nero after
A few chiropractic adjustments later and his eyes returned to normal, preventing brain damage that could have left him blind. I hate to think what his life would have been like if he had not been blessed with access to chiropractic care. This is why I run an all-animal practice. My mission is to provide your pet with the same degree of care that a human would get in the same situation. We make a difference one animal at a time.
Lucia
Hi! I’m a Portland native with a passion for animals and animal care.
I have two dogs and two cats at home, and a horse out near here! I’ve been riding almost my entire life, and I competed in both 4H and OHSET in high school. Currently I do lower-level dressage and eventing.
karlyn
I have had the joy of working and volunteering in various pet care roles including grooming, training, veterinary, and sports. Along the way, my loyal companion, Ivy, has always been by my side at work.
Outside of work, I devote time to caring for Ivy and our multi-dog family. Now in Ivy's golden years, a quality day together is spent in the garden or walking through our wooded pasture with our canine family.