Dr. Bonnie D. Wright

The Art of Medicine

Much of what happens in the treatment room never makes it onto an intake form, yet it often shapes the outcome as much as anything measurable does.

In this conversation with Bonnie Wright, we explore what she calls the art of medicine, the intuitive, relational sense of truly knowing the patient in front of you, and how the body’s structures act less as separate parts than as one continuously adapting whole.

We also touch on what gets lost when certainty crowds out listening, and why the most useful insights often arrive in the things we weren’t looking for.

Listen in for a conversation that moves between anatomy and intuition, structure and change, and the practice of staying open to what doesn’t yet fit.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The art of medicine – What it means to treat the patient, not just the condition, and why that skill resists easy definition.
• Implicit knowing – The intuitive, often wordless understanding that develops through years of clinical experience.
• Confirmation bias in the clinic – Why reading a patient’s chart too early can shape, and limit, what a practitioner is able to see.
• Listening beyond words – How subtle cues from a patient can reveal more than direct questioning ever could.
• The unexpected as teacher – Why the most valuable discoveries often come from what you weren’t looking for.
• Swimming in your own lane – Staying grounded in one’s own clinical perspective while remaining open to complexity.
• The nervous system, myofascia, and interstitium – Exploring these structures as an interconnected, dynamic network rather than separate systems.
• Homeostasis versus homeodynamics – Rethinking balance as an ongoing, ever-shifting process rather than a fixed state.
• Compensation and its limits – How the body adapts to dysfunction, and what happens when that adaptation breaks down.
• Maladaptive pain – Distinguishing pain that protects from pain that persists without clear purpose.
• Moving forward, not backward – Why healing may be less about returning to a previous state and more about finding a new one.
• Uncertainty in clinical practice – Sitting with the unpredictability of how treatments unfold, even with experience.
• Distributed control in the body – Considering how bottom-up relationships between tissues may shape what looks like top-down order.
• The ongoing practice of not knowing – Why staying curious, even after years of practice, remains essential to good medicine.

What Happens Inside When the Needle Goes In: The Science of Canine Acupuncture with Dr. Bonnie Wright

In this conversation, Dr. Laurie McCauley, DVM, DACVSMR, CCRT, CVA, CVC sits down with Dr. Bonnie Wright, DVM, DACVAA, specialist in anesthesia and analgesia and founder of Evidence Based Veterinary Acupuncture, for one of the most science-forward discussions on canine acupuncture we've ever had.

This isn't a surface-level overview. Dr. Wright breaks down the real biology: the neurological pathways, the fascial system, the immune response, the gut microbiome connection, and how acupuncture addresses pain at a physiological level rather than simply masking it.

In this video:

• The neurological, fascial, and interstitial fluid substrates of acupuncture
• How acupuncture communicates with the immune system
• Immunosenescence — what it means for aging dogs and how acupuncture plays a role
• The gut microbiome connection — what acupuncture has to do with your dog's digestive health
• Pain physiology — how acupuncture actually works vs. pain medication
• What to look for in a qualified acupuncture practitioner
• How to have the conversation with a skeptical client or colleague

Curious about veterinary acupuncture? Intimidated by what feels like a whole new language? You may be surprised by just how science-based this modality is. 

Some veterinary professionals see it as a modality beyond the boundaries of evidence-based care. But many others, like Bonnie Wright, DVM, DACVAA, say that it’s not a departure from science—rather, it’s an extension of it.

And in large part, the disparity simply comes down to how acupuncture is understood. Read AAHA's interview with Dr. Wright: Acupuncture’s science-based role in modern pain management.

Dr. Wright created the first acupuncture course for the Canine Rehabilitation Institute and recently led four continuing education (CE) sessions at the 2026 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida, hosted by the North American Veterinary Community. In an interview with dvm360, Wright discussed the prevalence of acupuncture in veterinary medicine, educational opportunities to learn this form of integrative medicine, and different types of patient cases that can benefit from this therapy. 

dvm360 published a series of interviews they had with Dr. Wright:

1. Using acupuncture in veterinary medicine
2. Where acupuncture fits in modern veterinary care—beyond drugs
3. Why acupuncture can complement pharmaceuticals in chronic disease
4. The physiology behind acupuncture for bladder and pelvic pain
5. How acupuncture can support homeostasis in chronic disease beyond pharmaceuticals
6. How can veterinarians start offering acupuncture 
7. Aging with acupuncture
8. A Q&A on acupuncture for pain, frailty, and cognitive change in aging patients

Scientific Proof of How Acupuncture Works
An interview with Pet Wellness Advocate, Tracie Hotchner

My Veterinary Life, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

Pain Management and Career Management with Dr. Bonnie Wright

Dr. Bonnie Wright shares her journey to becoming a veterinary anesthesiologist, pain specialist, and educator in this week's My Veterinary Life podcast episode. She discusses how a life-changing car accident reaffirmed her career choice, her evolving interests in anesthesia and pain management, and her embrace of acupuncture as a science-based tool. Dr. Wright highlights the importance of adaptability, lifelong learning, and following one’s passions, while also addressing the challenges and surprises of her career. Her story encourages veterinarians to remain open to new opportunities and diverse career paths.

"Pain, Neurobiology, Beauty, and Big Cats: A Surprising Conversation on Veterinary Acupuncture."

Dr. Wright talks about neuroscience, the treatment of pain, nervous system regulation, and how medicine is beautiful.

Listen to Dr. Wright's interview with Qiological.