What is Tui-na?
Tui-na is a manual therapy that is one of the four branches of TCVM and uses Chinese medical theory as the basis for its application and actions. It was first used in the 16th-11th centuries BC and references to this treatment can be found in the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperors Inner Classic, written in 475-221 BC). From a conventional medicine perspective, Tui-na can be thought of as corresponding to a combination of acupressure, conventional massage, and chiropractic techniques. It can be used to regulate the Channels, soothe joints and sinews, promote circulation of Qi and Blood, strengthen the immune system, and promote normal function of the Zang-Fu organs.
Healing with the Hands
Tui-na is most commonly used to treat acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions and is also useful as a preventative medicine therapy because it promotes balance in the body. It can also be used in conjunction with and to enhance acupuncture and herbal treatments. Small animals, large animals, and exotic species all respond well to Tui-na, and it can be administered on animals that will not allow the insertion of acupuncture needles. It is safe and effective with no known side effects. Although veterinarians must receive specialized training in the techniques and applications of Tui-na, once mastered, several Tui-na techniques can be taught to caretakers for home treatments. Mo-fa (touching skin and muscle), Rou-fa (rotary kneading), Ca-fa (rubbing), Tui-fa (pushing), An-fa (pressing), Nie-fa (pinching), Dou-fa (shaking), Ba-shen-fa (stretching) and Cuo-fa (kneading) are techniques that caretakers can learn and use to accelerate the healing process and deepen the connection with their animals.
Course Overview
The Veterinary Tui-na course is a 43-hour course that certifies veterinarians in Veterinary Tui-na (Chinese Medical Manipulation) therapy. This course is hybrid, with online and on-site portions. The on-site portion is held on the Chi Campus. The course can be taken by small animal, mixed, and equine veterinarians. Lectures and labs cover treatment for both small animals and horses. Hands-on learning is heavily emphasized in the Tui-na course, and wet labs take up most of the on-site session. In wet labs, students can practice Tui-na techniques on live animals, and they can choose to work on either small animals (cats and dogs) or horses.
Course Features
Learn another treatment option for patients sensitive to needles
2 days of intensive hands-on learning in wet lab with live animals
Enjoy the convenience of online learning in 43 total hours of hybrid courses
Receive a CVTP certification from Chi after completion of course requirements
Free life-time case consultation with TCVM experts
Veterinary Tui-na
Taught in English
For veterinarians & veterinary students only
43 CE hours
Prerequisites
Prerequisites
Students wishing to enroll in the Veterinary Tui-na course must have knowledge of TCVM, and must fulfill one of the following two requirements:
- Completion of at least one session of veterinary acupuncture at Chi or another accredited institution
- Completion of the TCVM Fundamental Theories lecture series online module
Curriculum
Tui-na
Course outline, Tui-na-History and General Concept
1h
Dr. Han Ping’s Six Systems
2h
Tui-na Techniques in Dogs with Live Dog Demos
2h
Tui-na Techniques in Horses with Live Horse Demos
3h
Tui-na Techniques in Cats with Live Cat Demo
1h
How to Integrate Tui-na in Pain Management and Neurological Cases in Dogs and Cats
2h
How to Integrative Tui-na in Pain Management in Horses
1h
21 Veterinary Tui-na Techniques: Hands-On Review and Practice
5h
Putting Together All Techniques to Apply to Fellow Students
1h
Practice Tui-na techniques 1-3 on Dogs
2h
Practice Tui-na techniques 4-6 on Dogs
1h
Techniques 1-3 in Horses
2h
Techniques 4-6 in Horses
2h
Real Cases with group presentation
4h
Tui-na for Neurological Disharmonies in small animals
2h
Tui-na for Musculoskeletal disorders and pain management in small animals
2h
Tui-na for internal medical conditions in small animals
2h
Tui-na for Neurological Disharmonies in horses
1h
Tui-na for Musculoskeletal disorders and pain management in horses
2h
Tui-na for Internal Medical Conditions in Horses
2h
Tui-na in Avian and Exotic Zoo Animals
2h
Tui-na Tools for Geriatrics and End-of-Life Care in all Species
2h
Certification
CVTP Certification
Students who complete the Certified Veterinary Tui-na (Chinese Medical Manipulation) course are eligible for the Certified Veterinary Tui-na Practitioner certification, endorsed by Chi University. The CVTP certification requirements are as follows:
Be a veterinarian
Completion of the Chi Certified Veterinary Tui-na Course
Pass the take-home exam
Submission of one veterinary Tui-na case report to be approved by Chi faculty
Instructors
Huisheng Xie
DVM, PhD
Dr. Xie has 42 years of clinical, teaching, and research experience in veterinary acupuncture and TCVM. He has trained over 11,000 veterinarians to practice TCVM worldwide. Dr. Xie’s education includes advanced training in veterinary medicine, veterinary acupuncture, and human acupuncture. Dr. Xie has authored 20 books and over 100 peer-reviewed papers. His textbooks, including Xie’s Veterinary Herbology, Xie’s Veterinary Acupuncture, and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine-Fundamental Principles, have been used for TCVM training programs around the world. Dr. Xie continues to teach and develop educational courses and programs at Chi University, serves as a full clinical professor at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and is an honorary professor at China Agricultural University, South China Agricultural University, and China Southwest University.
Read moreMichael Bartholomew
DVM, CVA, MSTCVM, CVCH, CVFT, CVTP
Dr. Michael Bartholomew earned his DVM from the University of Illinois in 2001. Between 2005 and 2009 he earned certifications in Veterinary Acupuncture, Tui-na, Food Therapy and Chinese Herbal Medicine from Chi University. He then went on to earn an Master of Science in TCVM from Chi 2016. He is currently an integrative practitioner at The Animal Hospital of Dunedin in beautiful Dunedin, Florida, and incorporates TCVM into his practice on a daily basis. He has treated pets across the United States and from around the world, including locations as far as Turkey, France, England and even Hong Kong. He has been published in several magazines, including Dog Fancy's Natural Dog and Dogs Naturally, and is the co-author of several chapters in Xie's Veterinary Herbology. Dr. Bartholomew also lectures on a regular basis, as he has been a lab assistant at Chi University since 2008 and became a formal MS program faculty member in 2016.
Cindy West
DVM, CVA, CVTP
Dr. West graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. After completing a 15-month internship at Hollywood Animal Hospital, she practiced primarily conventional Western Medicine at her own small and exotic companion animal clinic in Plantation, Florida for 19 years. After selling her South Florida practice, she began to study TCVM at Chi. In 2008, after becoming certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and Tui-na by Chi, she opened her new practice, Alternative Veterinary Medicine, located just north of Tallahassee, Florida. She now practices primarily TCVM and integrated medicine for small and exotic companion animals. Due to the growing demand for holistic medicine, she has begun to practice TCVM for equine patients as well. She has recently completed the advanced acupuncture course for small animals, and currently serves as a lab instructor for the Small Animal Acupuncture course at Chi. She plans to expand her study of holistic medicine to include energy medicine in the near future. Her energy is renewed by relaxing with her critter family on her farm in South Georgia.
John Langlois
DVM, MSTCVM, CVA, CVMMP
Dr. Langlois is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1981. He has been an equine practitioner in Marion County, Florida for the past 32 years, where he established his own practice in 1983 with an emphasis on reproductive medicine, lameness diagnostics, and surgery. He has received advanced training in veterinary acupuncture, Chinese veterinary herbal medicine, and veterinary Tui-na massage. He has been practicing for over 30 years and has been using Chinese medicine and spinal manipulation successfully for over 10 years enjoying treating at many of the prestigious thoroughbred farms in Marion County, FL.
Ronald B. Koh
DVM, MS, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRV, CCRP, CVMMP, CVCH, CVFT, CVPP, CVTP, CHPV
Dr. Ronald Koh, originally from Malaysia, earned his veterinary degree in Taiwan and has been practicing in the United States since 2009. He is a board-certified specialist in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation with advanced expertise in pain management, acupuncture, manual therapy, TCVM, and integrative medicine.
Dr. Koh is the founder of the canine rehabilitation veterinary certification (CCRV) program at Chi University and serves as a professor there. He previously held faculty positions as clinical assistant professor at LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and later as clinical associate professor of Integrative Medicine at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
He holds multiple certifications in acupuncture (CVA), rehabilitation (CCRP, CCRV), pain management (CVPP), medical manipulation (CVMMP), herbal therapy (CVCH), food therapy (CVFT), Tui-na (CVTP), and hospice and palliative care (CHPV), and integrative veterinary cancer care (IVCCP-pending). His professional passions include managing chronic diseases, chronic pain, mobility dysfunction, cancer, and advancing the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound, with the ultimate goal of restoring mobility and enhancing quality of life for animals through a multimodal, holistic approach.
A sought-after national and international speaker, Dr. Koh regularly presents at conferences and teaches workshops not only across North America but also throughout Asia and European countries. He has authored numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed publications on topics including acupuncture, TCVM, rehabilitation, pain management, laser therapy, and integrative medicine.
Outside of his professional life, he enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring diverse cultures. Fun fact: Dr. Koh speaks five languages—English, Mandarin, Hakka, Cantonese, and Malay.
Wendy Ying
MS, DVM, CVA, CCRT
Dr. Ying is the veterinarian at 5 Elements for Animals, a Holistic House Call Veterinary Practice. She offers acupuncture, chiropractic care, herbal therapy, food therapy, laser therapy, rehabilitation programs, nutritional and wellness consults for pets, sport horses and farm animals. Dr. Wendy received her Master's Degree in TCVM in 2016 from Chi. She has a great interest in sports medicine, pain management, neurology and rehabilitation. Her master's thesis focused on using laser acupuncture to reduce stress in horses while traveling and competing. Dr. Wendy co-hosts The Driving Radio Show, on the Horse Radio Network.
Tamara Shearer
DVM, MSTCVM, CCRP, CVPP, CVA, CHPV, CTPEP
Dr. Tamara Shearer graduated from the Ohio State University with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree in 1986. She is certified in veterinary acupuncture, Chinese veterinary herbal medicine, veterinary tui-na, and veterinary food therapy through Chi. Dr. Shearer is internationally renowned for her work in animal hospice and palliative care. She is one of the leading veterinarians in the world who helped develop and specializes in hospice, palliative care and pain management.
Lorena LLoret Nadal
DVM, CVA, CVTP, CVFT, CVCH, CVBMA
Dr. LLoret received her DVM from Murcia University in Spain in June 2002. She earned her veterinary acupuncture certification from Chi University-Thailand in 2005. The following year, Dr. LLoret completed the acupuncture internship program at the University of Florida with Dr. Xie. She served as Chief of TCVM Services of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University Alfonso X in Madrid, Spain from 2014-2021. Dr. LLoret is the translator and editor-in-chief of the Spanish edition of TCVM: Fundamental Principles by Dr. Xie. She is currently the director of Chi-Europe, Chi-Spain and Chi-Ireland and serves as a primary instructor for Chi CVA courses throughout Europe. Dr. LLoret TCVM specialty in both small animal and horses , offering clinics in Ireland.
Directors
Silvia De Lucchi
DVM, CVA, CVBMA
Dr. Silvia De Lucchi graduated from the University of Parma, Italy, in 2006 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she began practicing small animal medicine, focusing primarily on internal medicine and surgery.
Her interest in rehabilitation led her to attend the Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) program at the University of Tennessee in 2012.
In 2013, Dr. De Lucchi earned her Veterinary Acupuncture Certification at Chi Spain, marking the beginning of her journey into Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM). She has completed advanced acupuncture training, studied Japanese acupuncture and is certified in Balance Method acupuncture. Her commitment to ongoing learning is evident as she is currently pursuing advanced training in Chinese herbal medicine and Tui-na.
Dr. De Lucchi offers a comprehensive and integrative clinical approach at her specialized rehabilitation clinic in Vicenza. She primarily treats small animals, combining acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, and food therapy. Dr. De Lucchi is currently the Director of Chi University Italy and is an instructor for the Small Animal Acupuncture Program. She also organizes advanced TCVM courses to spread awareness and knowledge of this ancient medical tradition within the veterinary community.
Enrollment Options
Semester
2025
Schedule & Tuition
TCVM Fundamental Theories
Online
Open enrollment in 2025
Duration: 3 months
€100.00
Tui-na
Online Portion
Sep 1 - Dec 31, 2025
On-site Portion in Treviso, Italy
Nov 29 - 30, 2025
Includes the CVTP Certification
€2,050.00
Payment Information
A €100.00 non-refundable course deposit is charged upon enrollment to reserve your seat.
Payment is due 30 days before the start date of each session, course, or event.