Dr. Aleda Cheng Biography
Dr. Aleda Cheng always had a great love, affinity, and empathy for all animals. At four years of age, a very imaginative time of life, she believed that she could communicate with her pets and other animals. But if they got sick she did not know how to help them. When Tanny, her beloved German Shepherd/Collie Mix developed cancer, Dr. Cheng felt helpless. This sad episode in her life cemented her desire to become a veterinarian. She began her veterinary training at Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine as an allopathic (traditional) veterinary physician and surgeon. However, she soon realized that traditional practice was not enough to cure most ailing patients.
She realized that holistic modalities were necessary tools for her “veterinary toolbox”. During the summer break from Iowa State Veterinary School she took a summer internship with one of the first veterinarians certified in veterinary acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine in the United States, Dr. Charles Schenck. The knowledge obtained from the late Dr. Schenck changed her life and fueled the determination that led to Dr. Cheng’s training and certification in acupuncture, Chinese Herbal medicine, Chinese Food Therapy and Nutrition, from the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Reddick Florida. Dr. Cheng has additional training in Western Herbal Medicine, NAET, Trigger Point Therapy, Musculoskeletal manipulation and Tui-Na, Platelet Rich Plasma therapy, Autologous Plasma Cell Therapy, Gold Bead Therapy, Bee Venom Therapy, Prolotherapy, and Essential Oil Therapy.
Dr. Cheng has a passion for learning and spends much of her free time attending post-graduate continuing education veterinary courses. She is also often engaged in clinical trials for a variety of degenerative diseases, as well as cancer, to help in the research for finding cures and to improve quality of life for those afflicted.
Dr. Cheng is a member of many veterinary organizations which include: the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, New York Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medical Association, New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association, and is a volunteer at several rescue organizations such as: Garden State German Shepherd rescue and the Sedona Shepherd Rescue.
Dr Cheng’s non-medical interests include drawing, having been a medical illustrator whose work has been published in numerous human and veterinary medical journals and textbooks. Dr. Cheng is also a professional portrait artist who joyfully draws pets (often her patients) and their people.
Dr. Cheng lives with her husband, twin sons, and a menagerie of dogs, and a rotating family of foster pets that need a helping hand. In addition, Dr. Cheng enjoys the ocean, reading, biking, kayaking and traveling yearly with her family to China.
Dr. Cheng had been the head Veterinarian on Medhelp.org, one of the Web’s prestigious answer blog from 2005 to 2016.
