Dr Zanna Sullivan Joins Orcas Vet Bringing Expert Care and a New Chapter
A veterinary practice is built on trust, familiar faces, and the steady care that helps animals live healthier lives. On August 1st, Orcas Vet begins a new chapter as Dr. Zanna Sullivan, DVM purchases the practice and joins the Orcas Vet family.
Dr. Sullivan is a Cornell graduate who brings a strong foundation in high quality medicine, along with a clear interest in equine care, surgery, and small animal medicine. For clients and patients, that means continuity with room to grow. The heart of the practice remains the same, while new experience and energy help carry it forward.
This transition also comes with good news for longtime clients of Dr. D. After years of service, Dr. D is enjoying partial retirement, and she will continue seeing acupuncture patients. Her presence remains part of the care many families know and value.
Please join Orcas Vet in welcoming Dr. Sullivan.
A new chapter built on familiar values
Transitions matter in veterinary medicine because care is personal. A veterinarian often knows an animal’s history, temperament, past injuries, medications, and the small details that do not always fit neatly into a chart. Clients look for skill, but they also look for steadiness.
That is why this next chapter at Orcas Vet is about both change and continuity.
Dr. Sullivan’s arrival brings fresh leadership to the practice. At the same time, the values that have guided Orcas Vet remain central: attentive care, practical communication, and a deep respect for the bond between people and animals.
A practice purchase can sound like a business event, but in a veterinary setting it reaches much further. It touches the people who bring in a worried cat, the family managing an older dog’s arthritis, the horse owner tracking a subtle lameness, and the patient who needs surgery, diagnostics, or a careful follow-up plan.
Dr. Sullivan steps into this role with training and interests that fit the broad needs of a mixed veterinary community. Her background supports the day-to-day medicine that pets and animals need, while her areas of interest add depth in several important parts of care.
This is not simply a change in ownership. It is a thoughtful handoff.
Dr. Zanna Sullivan brings Cornell training and broad clinical interests
Dr. Sullivan earned her veterinary degree from Cornell, one of the best-known veterinary schools in the country. That training reflects a strong academic foundation in animal health, clinical reasoning, and modern veterinary medicine.
Just as important, Dr. Sullivan brings interests that match the range of care many animal families need.
Her areas of focus include:
Equine care
Horses require a different kind of attention than small animals. Their size, behavior, athletic demands, and living environments all shape their care. Equine medicine often calls for careful observation, patience, and a strong understanding of movement, soundness, preventive care, and the early signs that something is not quite right.
Surgical care
Surgery is one of the areas where preparation, precision, and good communication matter most. Whether a procedure is routine or more involved, clients need to understand what is planned, how to prepare, and what recovery may look like. A strong surgical interest supports clear planning before, during, and after a procedure.
Small animal medicine
Dogs and cats are often at the center of family life, and their care can range from wellness exams and vaccines to diagnostic workups, chronic disease management, dental concerns, injuries, and end-of-life support. Small animal medicine asks for both medical skill and an understanding of how each pet behaves at home.
Together, these interests point to a veterinarian who values a wide view of animal care. That matters in a practice where patients may include a senior terrier, a nervous rescue cat, a working farm dog, or a horse whose owner notices a slight change in stride.
What high quality medicine means in everyday care
“High quality medicine” can sound broad, but in a veterinary practice it shows up in practical ways.
It can mean taking time to understand what a client has noticed at home. It can mean looking at the whole patient, not just one symptom. It can mean recommending tests when they are needed, while also explaining why they matter. It can mean knowing when to treat, when to monitor, and when to refer for specialized care.
For many families, high quality medicine is felt in the details:
A veterinarian asks clear questions and listens closely.
The care plan fits the animal’s age, lifestyle, and health history.
The team explains findings in everyday language.
Pain control, comfort, and recovery are taken seriously.
Preventive care is treated as part of long-term health, not just a checklist.
Follow-up matters after a procedure, illness, or new diagnosis.
Veterinary care often works best when the veterinarian and client make a plan together. That plan may be simple, such as updating vaccines and parasite prevention. It may be more involved, such as managing kidney disease in an older cat or helping a dog recover after surgery. In equine care, it may involve soundness concerns, preventive health, dental needs, or a care schedule tied to work, travel, or pasture life.
Good medicine also includes honest communication. Not every answer comes right away. Sometimes an exam leads to testing. Sometimes testing leads to monitoring. Sometimes the best path is step-by-step care that balances medical needs, comfort, and the realities of each household or barn.
Dr. Sullivan’s training and clinical interests support that kind of thoughtful approach. Her role at Orcas Vet will give the practice a chance to continue serving familiar needs while building toward the future.
Dr. D remains part of the story through acupuncture care
A new chapter does not erase the one before it. Dr. D has been an important part of Orcas Vet, and many clients know her not only as a veterinarian, but as a trusted presence during stressful, tender, and hopeful moments.
Now, Dr. D is enjoying partial retirement. That is a well-earned shift, and it also allows her to continue work that remains meaningful to many patients and clients. Dr. D is still seeing acupuncture patients.
For animals already receiving acupuncture, that continuity may feel especially reassuring. Acupuncture care often involves an ongoing relationship, with attention to comfort, mobility, behavior, and quality of life. Keeping Dr. D connected to this part of the practice gives clients a familiar path forward.
It also reflects a graceful transition between veterinarians. Dr. Sullivan steps into ownership and leadership, while Dr. D continues offering acupuncture care in a more limited role.
That kind of handoff matters. Veterinary practices become part of a community over time. They hold years of stories, including puppy visits, kitten exams, late-night worries, senior pet care, and hard goodbyes. A thoughtful transition honors that history while making room for what comes next.
What this change means for the Orcas Vet family
For clients, the most immediate message is simple: Orcas Vet is moving forward with care, continuity, and a warm welcome for Dr. Sullivan.
The practice will now be led by a veterinarian with strong academic training and broad clinical interests. Dr. Sullivan’s arrival supports care for small animals, surgical patients, and equine patients. Dr. D’s continued acupuncture work helps maintain a familiar connection for those patients who already benefit from her care.
There will naturally be introductions, new working rhythms, and chances for clients to get to know Dr. Sullivan. Those moments are part of any healthy transition. Over time, trust grows through ordinary visits: wellness exams, health questions, treatment plans, follow-ups, and the steady work of caring for animals well.
Clients can help make the transition smooth by sharing updates during appointments, especially if an animal has changes at home. Helpful details include:
Appetite or water intake changes
Shifts in behavior, energy, or mobility
New coughing, itching, limping, vomiting, or digestive changes
Medication or supplement updates
Recent injuries, travel, boarding, or exposure to other animals
Questions about surgery, preventive care, or long-term health
These details help any veterinarian see the full picture. They also give Dr. Sullivan a chance to learn each patient as an individual, not just a name in the schedule.
The Orcas Vet family is strongest when communication is open and care is shared. A client knows the animal’s daily life. The veterinarian brings medical training and clinical judgment. Together, they build a plan that supports the patient in front of them.
Please welcome Dr. Sullivan
Welcoming a new veterinarian is a meaningful moment for a practice. It brings a sense of renewal, but also gratitude for the work that made the practice what it is.
Orcas Vet is grateful for Dr. D’s years of care and pleased that she will continue seeing acupuncture patients as she enjoys partial retirement. Her ongoing presence helps preserve an important part of the practice’s identity.
At the same time, Orcas Vet is excited to welcome Dr. Zanna Sullivan, DVM, as the new owner beginning August 1st. Her Cornell education, commitment to high quality medicine, and interest in equine, surgical, and small animal care make her a strong fit for this next chapter.
Change in a veterinary practice is felt one appointment at a time. A new face becomes familiar. A first visit becomes a relationship. A care plan becomes trust.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Sullivan to the Orcas Vet family.
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