UPDATE: Doc on Unconventional Dog Vet is Available Now on Prime Video

Waffles and Pauline in Cindy Meehl’s THE DOG DOC.

By ANGELA DAWSON

Front Row Features

HOLLYWOOD—On the heels of her award-winning 2011 documentary “Buck” that followed the career of top U.S. horse trainer Ron “Buck” Brannaman, award-winning filmmaker Cindy Meehl presents another unconventional animal advocate hero, Dr. Marty Goldstein, a New York veterinarian who has pioneered an unconventional practice using integrative medicine for sick dogs in “The Dog Doc.” The documentary is now available on Prime Video and will stream on more platforms soon, it was announced Thursday, March 19.

As viewers discover over the course of the film, “Dr. Marty”—as he is affectionately known—combines conventional veterinary medicine with cutting edge alternative treatments. For years, some dismissed his approach as quackery, but more recently his tried-and-tested techniques on his four-legged patients have earned him more positive monikers like “maverick” and “miracle-worker.” Attracting clients from around the world, Goldstein’s practice, Smith Ridge Veterinary Center in South Salem, N.Y., provides treatment for animals after other vets have given up hope.

Meehl goes behind the scenes at Smith Ridge to capture the day-to-day drama in store as “Dr. Marty” and his colleagues’ life-changing commitment to wellness and the astounding results they achieve. Filmed over a period of nearly three years, with more than 300 hours of footage gathered, Meehl highlights the vulnerability of her subjects, both canine and human, while tracking each animal’s progress. “The Dog Doc” joins the touching stories of families with the hard science of integrative care. We caught up with Meehl the day the film premiered in theaters in New York. It is scheduled roll out to Los Angeles, Friday March 20. According to the Docdogthefilm.com website, the film is slated to air on PBS in May.

Front Row Features: How did this film come about for you? How did you find Dr. Goldstein and what appealed to you about his story?

Meehl: I was one of the clients, like one of the people you see in the film. I had a six-year-old dog who had been on and off antibiotics most of her life. She had been on steroids and kept spiking these chronically high fevers. By the time she was six, she was acting like a very old dog and was very ill. Her vet said there was very little they could do. In fact, she said that they’d rarely seen a Shar Pei live past six, which was astounding and heartbreaking to me at the same time.

Somebody told me I should go see Marty (Goldstein). I said I don’t know if this dog will survive the stress of going in the car to see another doctor. But I made an appointment; I told them it was an emergency. They got me in. And he said to me, and it made sense, that for years I’d been given her medication to suppress her symptoms but something is trying to get out of her body. What was happening is the medication was covering up the symptoms—the fever—and he suggested we take her off the meds and put her on some natural things and monitor her and help her heal in a natural way. So, he did that, and sure enough it was like a miracle. Within a few weeks, this dog transformed into a whole other animal, and started acting like a puppy, and lived another six years. It was very much as he told me it would happen. She needed to detox and that stuff needed to come out. At the end of the day, I became a total believer in the philosophy which is treating the whole body to heal itself and allow the immune system to work. I’ve continued to take all of my dogs there over the past 20 years. It took about three years to make the movie.

FRF: Who introduced you to Dr. Goldstein?

Meehl: After I left the doctor who said there was nothing more they could do for my dog, that she was not going to make it, I stopped at a pet store in Westport, Conn., to get some dog treats, something to make my dog feel better, and I was crying in the store. And this woman who worked there came up to me and I told her why I was upset and what was happening with my dog, and she said, “You should go see Dr. Marty Goldstein.” And that’s what happened.

FRF: When did you approach Dr. Goldstein about making a documentary about him and his practice?

Meehl: It came about in an oddball way. I had made this film called “Buck,” about a horse whisperer Dan “Buck” Brannaman. It was the first film I’d ever made. I hadn’t thought before about making a film except that I was so passionate about horses, and I thought was he was doing was so radical from the way most people were taught. I thought let’s shed a light on this guy. He was just an inspirational person, in general. From that, I’d be at Q&A’s and people would ask me, what are you going to do next. Considering that was my first film, I honestly hadn’t thought about it. So, being put on the spot, I started saying, “I think I’m going to do this film about a veterinarian I know that does something very different from the standard conventional practices.” I’d known him for many years already because “Buck” came out in 2011. I mentioned it to Marty. Because “Buck” turned out to be very successful and he loved the film, I raised the question, “You know, I’d kind of like to do a film on you.” He thought it was a good idea but at the time the clinic was very busy and there were people wanting him to do a TV show and so I thought, “I’m not going to get in the way of that.” Long story short, it was just timing for everyone. This started to work out around 2016. He came to me and said, “I think I’m ready to do [the documentary].” I was working on some other projects and so we started.

FRF: That’s great that you knew each other because you’re in the examining room with the animals and their owners during a very stressful moment in their life. Filming in the clinic, did you find a lot of cooperation from the clients?

Meehl: I’m always amazed how people realize that you’re coming from a place of caring. When I make a film, I really care. I’m passionate about the people, the subjects I like to cover. People seem to pick that up. I was amazed in the entire time of filming, which was 300 hours in total, we only had one or two people say no. But we filmed so many people, so many appointments.

FRF: Viewers can’t help but fall in love with one of the dog patients you spotlight, Waffles.Meehl: Yeah, Waffles was quite ill when it came in and [the owner] was clearly very very stressed. I thought she wasn’t going to allow us to film her but I spoke with her, because I know what it’s like to have a sick pet. I know how traumatic it is to have an animal that can’t tell you what it’s feeling. We bond with our animals so quickly. But she was onboard rather quickly but she didn’t want us to use her name. We had no idea what was going to happen; we didn’t know what was wrong with the dog. But it seemed like a story that was a typical story for that clinic—people come there with dogs that are pretty much close to the end, like when I went in with my dog. So, I had real empathy for her and I think [the clients that allowed me to film them] realized I wasn’t there to exploit them. I was there to share the knowledge of how to save pets in a different way. That’s how we presented it.

I was so concerned about them and their dogs that sometimes I’d call and check up on them. I still talk to Leigh, who is Waffles’ mom. You get very bonded to these people and their animals.

FRF: Your film delves into Dr. Goldstein’s view on vaccinations on dogs and how with conventional veterinary medicine, they give the same dosage to a large dog as a small dog, which sometimes leads to problems for small dogs. Were you aware of that disparity?

Meehl: I was from going there but most people would never assume that a Great Dane and a teacup Yorkie would be given the same exact vaccine and the same dosage. He’s not opposed to vaccinating dogs but he doesn’t believe in overvaccinating. Some doctors want to vaccinate every year or every three years, especially with elderly dogs, when they don’t need it. It’s the things they add to the vaccines that makes them stick in the system which can create autoimmune disease. So, you just have to be careful, so that’s what I’m trying to show in the film. Pay attention and don’t just blindly do something just because you get a postcard. Look at your options.

FRF: At the end of the film, Dr. Goldstein has retired and is spreading the word on his integrative approach. How’s he doing?

Meehl: I’ll see him shortly at the screening. He’s just finished writing a book; it’s a follow up to his first book. I believe it’s going to be out sometime next year. He’s been traveling to promote the film a bit and speaking with audiences. He’s doing speaking engagements where he discusses supplements and food, and all of those kinds of things. He’s the most energetic person I know even though he’s over 70. You’d think someone his age would be slowing down but it’s actually hard to keep up with Marty. He’s an eternal optimist and he just goes goes goes.

FRF: With “Buck” and now this and another film you executive produced on birds, are you going to continue to making films about subjects related to animals?

Meehl: We’re cutting an educational series from the 300 hours of footage we gathered for “The Dog Doc.” We did this for “Buck” too. We had 300 hours of footage for that film too. With both films, it’s giving you a concept of something of here’s another way to do things. But it doesn’t give you much detail because in 90 minutes you can’t show a lot of detail. It would make for a boring film if it was just a how-to. There were a lot of experts that we filmed in the process of making this film because you never know how you’re going to structure it. So, we’re now going back and pulling out a lot of those interviews that have some really rich information, whether you’re the owner of animal or a veterinarian, there’s going to be a lot of good information so that you can further this education of how to keep your dog healthy. Certainly, we’re not discouraging traditional medicine. Antibiotics and steroids are often needed for certain things but we’re trying to make people understand that the first go-to should be as natural as possible, if you have that option and it’s not a crisis. There’s a lot of ways to look at an animal—or person—holistically. You can remove a tumor, but the body that grew it indicates that something’s gone amiss. So, maybe looking at it with that philosophy is going to be a bit healthier.

Especially for the crisis we’re in today, IV vitamin C drips actually kills viruses. China did a study of 300 patients, and that (dosage of vitamin C) has been saving some people from COVID-19. So, you don’t always have to head to the antibiotics. This is a virus. There are things we can do right now.

FRF: Since some theaters are curtailing screenings, in general, will “The Dog Doc” be available sometime on a streaming service?

Meehl: It’s opened in New York and will open in L.A. next Friday. We were going to be in theaters through the summer and start streaming in early Fall but at this point, we’re taking it day by day. But if theaters are closing and people aren’t going to places where there are a lot of people, then we will stream it earlier. We don’t know who we’re streaming with at this point, because that’s something that’s in the works, because we were going to do theatrical. But, at this point, it looks like that could be sped up on streaming. We want everyone to see it, whether they have a pet or not because we think it has great information for people and pets.