Akana Vetrinary Services
Dr. Nina Akana knew more than 20 years ago what she’d be doing. A fourth-grade portrait of her as a veterinarian is proof.
Fast-forward from 1998 to 2020 and Dr. Akana took a leap of faith and started her own mobile mix animal veterinary practice – Akana Veterinary Services.
“The demand for mobile vet services in the area – especially with COVID, and wanting to provide care/medicine to my pet patients and their owners the way I want” was the impetus behind the move to take her practice mobile, she says.
Dr. Akana and her staff care for more than just Fluffy and Fido, offering mobile services for cows, horses, goats, chickens and sheep. Yes, Dr. Akana and staff also care for dogs and cats.
She knew stepping out on her own and on the road was a risk, but the Hawaiian word “Akana” means “here to stay” and that’s her plan. She and her staff offer mobile animal health care throughout Siskiyou, Shasta and Tehama counties.
A local girl who grew up in Siskiyou County, Dr. Akana attended College of the Siskiyous before earning her Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in animal science from the University of California at Davis. She was then accepted into the prestigious UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2015 – the same year it was named the world’s top veterinary school.
Akana Veterinary Services – available by appointment only – offers wellness exams, vaccinations, heartworm and flea/tick prevention, dental care and routine spay and neuter procedures in small animals. For horses, care includes exams, vaccinations, parasite control and routine dental care. Herd health for cattle, goats, sheep and pigs includes vaccinations, parasite control, food directions and castrations.
She began working in Shasta County at a local clinic, serving both large and small animals. Her love of animals is apparent from the moment she steps in the treatment room, making both patient and owner relaxed with her calm demeanor.
“My clients trust me, even if I have never performed a particular procedure or treatment,” Dr. Akana says. “For example, I did chemotherapy on a dog for the first time,” noting it extended the pup’s life for another 12 months.
It’s dedication like that – as well as her tireless work during the Carr Fire – that led Haven Humane Society to name Dr. Akana the 2019 Vet of the Year. But for Dr. Akana, the reward is in helping her patients and seeing the joy on their owners’ faces. “My patients and clients inspire me every day,” she says.
And that’s a perfect picture.
Akana Veterinary Services
(530) 276-8280
[email protected]
www.akanavet.com
