 Armaiti May, DVM is a dog and cat veterinarian currently practicing in the West Los Angeles area. The youngest of a class of 122 students, Dr. May obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in June 2005. She graduated with High Honors from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science degree in Bioresource Sciences in May 2001. While an undergraduate student at U.C. Berkeley, she became a vegan and animal activist. An active officer in Cal Vegetarians, a student vegetarian advocacy group, Armaiti helped campaign for improved vegan options in the dorm cafeterias and put on several vegan food giveaway events. She also served as President of both the U.C. Berkeley chapter of Golden Key International Honour Society and the Cal Pre-Veterinary Society.
As a student at U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Armaiti was an active volunteer with Mercer Veterinary Clinic for the Homeless, a student-run vet clinic that provides free veterinary care to pets of the homeless people in Sacramento, CA. Armaiti also served as President of the Student Animal Welfare Committee and helped coordinate a surgery “wetlab” training experience for fellow vet students utilizing ethically sourced cadavers from a willed body donation program as a humane alternative to the school’s terminal surgeries. The school’s live terminal surgeries in the small animal surgery curriculum were subsequently replaced with a rotation during senior year in which students perform needed surgeries on animals under close faculty supervision. During vet school Armaiti volunteered with Rural Area Veterinary Services to provide free care and sterilization surgeries to dogs, cats, and horses in economically disadvantaged communities.
After graduating from veterinary school, Dr. May spent 20 months working at a 24-hour emergency dog and cat hospital in the San Fernando Valley. She has completed a veterinary acupuncture course offered by the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine. One of her professional goals is to have her own vegan integrative veterinary practice that incorporates animal advocacy into the practice. Armaiti May is an avid supporter of educational vegan outreach and humane education programs. Dr. May is a member of the national, state, and local veterinary medical associations, as well as the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. She also serves on the Board of Directors for United Animal Nations, an animal welfare organization dedicated to bringing animals out of crisis situations and into care.
As a veterinarian and animal advocate, I aim to provide compassionate, competent care to my patients and quality service to my clients. As a house call veterinarian for dogs and cats, I come to the client’s home which provides a convenience to the pet guardian as well as a more relaxed experience for the animal. In this capacity, I am able to do a complete physical examination and consultation, blood tests as needed, as well as routine procedures such as vaccinations, deworming, and minor wound treatment. I can prescribe needed medications and can also provide acupuncture treatments when appropriate. I have completed a veterinary acupuncture course offered by the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine. More involved diagnostics such as radiographs (xrays) and all surgeries will require referral to a nearby animal hospital equipped to handle such cases.
Please note that my practice is not an emergency service. If your pet has a life-threatening emergency, please seek immediate veterinary care at your nearest full-service veterinary hospital.
I was trained in Western veterinary medicine and have treated numerous commonly occurring medical conditions in small animals, such as diabetes, arthritis, hypothyroidism, etc. I have also managed emergency cases such as traumatic injuries and toxin exposures. Surgeries I have performed include: routine surgeries such as spays, castrations, and mass removals, as well as more difficult surgeries like bloats, cystotomies, and exploratories. I am a strong advocate of spaying and neutering, both to curb the pet overpopulation crisis, as well as for the health benefits to the individual animals. All of my surgery patients receive pre- and post-operative analgesics (pain relief medications).
I do not perform cosmetic procedures such as ear crops and non-therapeutic tail docs. Additionally, I do not perform cat declaws and encourage people to learn about alternatives to declawing cats. Many people are unaware that a declaw involves amputation of the last digits (bones of the toe) where a cat bears his/her weight. Post-operative complications following a declaw procedure can include severe pain, litter box aversion problems, lameness, and increased tendency to bite. Humane alternatives to this procedure include: the use of soft paws; frequent nail trimmings; and training a cat to use a scratching post.
Euthanasia is a service that veterinarians provide to end an animal’s life if and when it is deemed appropriate to do so. Having euthanized many hundreds of animals in my career so far, I do appreciate the privilege of being able to alleviate suffering of animals in this way, but am also careful to consult with the client to insure the decision to euthanize is one that has been considered carefully and is being done with the animal’s best interest in mind. I understand the emotional toll that making such a decision can take on someone who has cared for a beloved animal companion. Also important and worthy of consideration is the emotional burden borne by the veterinarian carrying out the act of euthanasia. For this reason, I expect to consult with a pet guardian regarding the reason for euthanasia before agreeing to euthanize an animal.
Recommendations from clients of Dr. May:
“Armaiti May is a skilled professional, whose commitment to animal welfare is extraordinary. She is a compassionate veterinarian, dedicated to providing patients with quality care.”
-- Marie Oser, CEO of VEG TV
“Dr. May is a compassionate and caring person, and a fine vet. When Chewie, a geriatric chow mix, pulled up lame, she came to the rescue with acupuncture. The acupuncture was preferable to keeping her on the medications that were not working so well and were also hard on her internal organs. Dr. May is competent, courteous, and punctual. Her skills are without question some of the finest I have seen with animals and their owners. I highly recommend Dr. May should your animals require a vet.”
-- Maurine Dodge & Chewie
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