Dr Michael Yackey and Dr Cara Bradley met in veterinary school at UC Davis.  Cara graduated in 1996 and Michael followed in 1998.  After some years of commuting in opposite directions to work in Sacramento and the Bay Area, they opened South Davis Veterinary Center in 2003. A very short fourteen years later, the West Davis Veterinary Center will open as a sister hospital to the original.  

And now a few words from the veterinarians:  Wow, how have we arrived here?  Both of us appreciate living in Davis and helping our patients. We perform the work we love with engaged clients and excellent staff. Our practice of medicine has evolved in ways we could not have imagined. 

Right after veterinary school we focused on the practice of medicine and surgery. Both of us were blessed with excellent mentors in busy hospitals with many patients. Over time, we learned our best work is done when we know our patients well and have excellent communication with our clients.  We are increasingly interested in how cats and dogs experience the hospital and how managing their stress enhances healing.  

If we were not veterinarians… Mike would have more time to express his creativity and I would spend more time in the desert. We both love a good road trip, trying new foods, sleeping outside and spending time with the dog.  Mike bakes great bread to share at work; he should take time to create the ultimate dog biscuit. Yard work and music are therapy for us. Our three cats provide daily entertainment and also wish we would feed them more. 

If you came to this page wanting specifics about our education, then here it is:

Mike Yackey, DVM 

            Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis 1998 

            Bachelor of Sciences, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, U.C. San Diego 1992

            Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, U.C. San Diego 1992 

            Don Low Fellowship in Small Animal Ultrasound 2006

Cara Bradley, DVM

            Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis 1996

            Bachelor of Arts, English, U.C. Berkeley 1987 

Dr. Pereira knew she wanted to be a veterinarian as a child ever since she got her first dog, a very patient black Labrador Retriever named Freddy. Growing up in several countries in Asia and North America, Dr. Pereira received her Bachelor of Science (Honors) degree in Biology from Queen’s University in Canada and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Dr. Pereira also holds a Master of Public Health degree from University of Minnesota, specializing in veterinary public health. She loves taking care of dogs and cats, and has special interests in preventative medicine, zoonotic diseases, and soft tissue surgery. Dr. Pereira’s goal is to keep your furry family members happy and healthy for as long as possible. At home, Dr. Pereira lives currently lives with her husband and a variety of fish. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking (and eating), traveling and exploring new places. 

Dr. Brown grew up in Michigan but has been proud to call California her home since 2003, when she moved to the state to complete her undergraduate degree in Latin American Studies at Pomona College. Dr. Brown’s pathway to veterinary medicine was a winding one; she started her professional life as a high school English teacher in South Central Los Angeles. After some soul-searching and reflection, she realized that she felt a deep calling to care for animals and was intrigued by “solving the puzzle” of medicine.  She put in the hard work to change careers and graduated from the UC Davis Veterinary School of Medicine with honors in 2018. She completed an additional year of advanced training under specialists at VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center to hone her skills and knowledge. She joined the West Davis Veterinary Center in 2021 and has loved working with such educated, caring clients and their adorable pets. When not at work, she can be found exploring local parks with her toddler Isabel, walking her elderly chocolate Labrador Eddie, and working on home projects with her husband Mackey. To unwind, Dr. Brown watches scary movies and reads historical fiction.  Dr. Brown looks forward to resuming travel with her family in the near future- she has visited or lived in twelve countries and looks forward to adding more to the list.

Dr. Lacie Carlisle began her career in the veterinary world in 1999 as a technician, later becoming a registered veterinary technician (RVT), and ultimately a veterinarian. She also holds a Master’s degree in nutrition with an emphasis on companion animal nutrition. Dr. Carlisle received her veterinary degree from UC Davis in 2011. She loves her work with animals and their human family members, and holds a deep respect for the inherent bond between the two. Dr. Carlisle has a special interest in internal medicine, integrative medicine, and nutrition (of course). She especially values educating clients on how best to care for their beloved animal companions as well as aiding in an understanding of any illnesses that may be present so that clients feel integral and empowered in the care of their pets. Dr. Carlisle recently completed her training in veterinary acupuncture so as to offer this valuable service as part of an integrative approach for your pet’s treatment plan. Finally, Dr. Carlisle is Fear Free Certified which means that she has undergone additional training on minimizing stress for your pet at their visit. When not crawling around on the exam floor with dogs and cats, she enjoys hiking with her 2 big dogs and creating intricate mosaic portraits from stained glass, some of which you may see around the clinic.

Dr. Cami Zatkin grew up in Southern California. She went to the University of Michigan for her undergraduate degree and returned to California to study veterinary medicine at UC Davis. After veterinary school Cami did an internship at the Sacramento Animal Medical Group before joining the staff at Bradshaw Veterinary Clinic in 1997. While she enjoys all aspects of small animal general practice, Cami's professional interests lie in ultrasound, endoscopy, surgery, dermatology and internal medicine. When not caring for your animals, Cami can be found either roaming the aisles of Home Depot looking for supplies for the current home remodeling project, hanging out with her husband, two daughters and their dogs and cats, or bicycling, skiing and hiking. 

Dr Kristin Rasmussen grew up in the Bay Area but has called Davis home for almost 20 years.  She went to Rice University for her undergraduate degree in 2001 and studied veterinary medicine at Washington State University, graduating in 2005.  After completing veterinary school, she did an internship at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists before starting her career in general practice.  Dr Rasmussen’s special interests are ophthalmology, dentistry, surgery and snuggling puppies and kittens. Dr Rasmussen is a life-long swimmer, and can often be found swimming endless laps in her spare time.  She also enjoys snowboarding and spending time with her husband, 2 daughters, 2 dogs and 1 cat.