About Dr. Hillary Conant.

Dr. Conant’s unique training and experience allows her to combine conventional (Western) medicine with Traditional Chinese Medicine, offering her patients the best of both worlds.

Dr. Conant graduated from UC Santa Barbara with honors, earning a BS in Environmental Studies and a BA in Latin American Studies. Being a lifelong animal lover, she was initially drawn toward wildlife ecology, but through her work as a field researcher for UCSB’s Marine Science Institute, found her way to wildlife medicine and eventually veterinary medicine as a broader field.

Dr. Conant spent the following years volunteering with wildlife and working in veterinary clinics, traveling and eventually landing at Purdue’s School of Veterinary Medicine. While there, she volunteered at spay and neuter clinics in underserved rural areas around the United States and was president of the student chapter of the American Association of Feline Practitioners. She was the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships before graduating with honors and receiving her doctorate in 2007.  She completed a 12 month internship at Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group (VMSG) in Ventura where she received advanced training in small animal medicine and surgery. She spent more than 10 years at San Roque Pet Hospital, where she truly learned the art and science of medicine, while developing strong bonds with her patients and their people.

Even as a traditional veterinarian, Dr. Conant had always taken a holistic view of her patients. After training with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) in 2017, she founded Santa Barbara Veterinary Integrative Services (SBVIS). This practice allows her to provide truly integrative care and collaboration with other veterinarians while supporting her patients in the comfort of their own home. In 2021, she began her studies in Chinese Herbal Medicine through Chi University. She continues to pursue educational opportunities in both conventional medicine and TCVM.

Dr. Conant finds it deeply rewarding to see acupuncture and herbal medicine help her patients, especially when traditional therapy has failed or the side effects of medication were intolerable. She strives to maximize quality of life, using every tool available, for both her patients and their people.