Our Doctors

Dr. Royal is an integrative veterinarian, author, international lecturer & consultant in pet nutrition, zoo & wildlife, acupuncture, herbal remedies, physical rehab & alternative modalities for health & longevity.

Her first book, The Royal Treatment, describes inspiration for her career, connecting fascinating wildlife & zoo experiences with practical solutions for pets. Featured in documentary “Pet Fooled”, other films, books, print & online media, Dr. Royal is Oprah Winfrey’s go-to veterinarian. She is the first person to do acupuncture on a zebra, and her uniquely practical and open-minded veterinary approach to pet health is informed and continually enriched by her unique experiences.

 She is an owner & CEO of The College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT, Australia) and Animal Diet Formulator (ADF), and Founder of The Royal Treatment Vet Centers.  She is a University of Helsinki Dogrisk Group Research Member, CalPoly State University Adjunct Professor, Medical Advisory Board Member/Consultant for corporations & non-profits including NOW Pets, PAWSChicago, Standard Process, Fur Child Pet Food, Solutions, and others, past President of both American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA), and the AHVMA’s Foundation (AHVMF) and shares time between her Chicago practices, the waters of Lake Michigan and the soil of her organic farm.

Dr. Stimac joined The Royal Treatment in May 2014.  Prior to RTVC, Dr. Stimac worked at LePar Animal Hospital in Evergreen Park and Natural Pet Animal Hospital in Bourbonnais with Dr. Karen Becker.  Dr. Becker mentored her and introduced her to the practice of Integrative Medicine.

In 1992 Dr. Tricia Stimac graduated from Marquette University with a major in Business Administration.  After working in the realm of business for some time, she changed her career path to follow her life’s passion of caring for animals. She then attended Elmhurst College to complete her biology and chemistry prerequisites and soon after graduated from the University of Illinois with her DVM degree.  While earning her degrees she did an internship at Brookfield Zoo, which lead to a zoo keeper position.

Dr. Stimac is an integrative veterinarian with a focus on cats and dogs, but she also has experience caring for exotic and wildlife animals.  Along with her DVM degree she is a certified animal chiropractor and acupuncturist.  She offers an integrative approach to animal health care by incorporating traditional Western medicine, surgery, chiropractic care, acupuncture, dietary supplementation, nutritional counseling, homeopathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

She and her husband live in Chicago with their animal children, Zoey (an energetic Jack Russell Terrier) and Izzy (a frisky calico).  In her free time she loves being active outdoors (hiking, running, surfing, etc), continues to build her knowledge base of veterinary medicine through continuing education, and spends time with her friends and family.  She also volunteers by spaying and neutering for PACT (a non-profit organization) and has written articles for Tails Magazine.  And, she is the Executive Board Secretary for the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA).

We are thrilled to introduce Dr. Matt Morton, a new veterinarian from the University of Illinois, Class of ’25, who has joined the Royal Treatment Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Morton will be practicing Integrative Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Royal, having previously interned with us.

Dr. Morton graduated from the University of California at Davis in 2017 with a degree in Animal Science. He then gained experience as a veterinary receptionist, assistant, and technician in Davis until 2020, when the COVID lockdowns prompted him to focus on veterinary school applications.

Veterinary medicine has been Dr. Morton’s lifelong dream. He was first introduced to Integrative Medicine as an undergraduate while volunteering with the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital’s Pain Management and Rehabilitation service. This experience, which combined evidence-based aspects of Holistic and Eastern Medicine with traditional Western practices, sparked his interest in chronic and hospice care, physical therapy, and alternative treatments to surgery.

Before joining Royal Treatment, Dr. Morton was pursuing Shelter Medicine and Urgent Care. He completed an externship at the Anti-Cruelty Society during veterinary school and continues to volunteer with their high-volume spay/neuter service to hone his surgical skills. While he prefers General Practice, he enjoys the fast-paced nature of Urgent Care, finding it similar to Emergency Medicine but with less stress.

As a recent graduate, Dr. Morton is eager to pursue future certifications in physical therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic. Although he initially aimed to open a weight-loss clinic for dogs, his collaboration with Dr. Royal has broadened his vision to include a wider range of treatments and services.

Dr. Morton lives in Ravenswood and enjoys walking to work with his Border Collie/Blue Heeler, Mitsy, whom he adopted as a stray during his undergraduate years in Davis. In their younger days, Dr. Morton and Mitsy enjoyed backpacking, snowboarding, and high adventure. Now, they prefer more relaxed hobbies like leatherworking, baking, and gardening at home.

You can often find Dr. Morton and Mitsy at the dog beach. They are both friendly and approachable—just be sure to approach them slowly if you’d like to pet them!