Emergency Clinic Doctors

We feel fortunate to work with compassionate and very competent Emergency Clinic Doctors.

 

Dr.-Adan-RiveraDr. Adan Rivera

I was born in a tiny rural village in Guanajuato, Mexico. There, I grew up surrounded by wildlife and domestic animals. As a kid, I was so compassionate about relieving animals’ suffering. With a lot of challenges, at 14 years old I moved to Mexico City to pursue a better education in my life’s passion: Helping sick animals and preventing them from suffering.

I earned the degree in Veterinary and Zootechny Medicine from Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico in 2002. I worked for 6 years as a veterinarian in Mexico. At the end of 2008, I arrived in Anaheim, CA and started working as a veterinary assistant in emergency and small exotic animal hospitals. I also volunteered in a wildlife rehabilitation center. While working, I was studying to get my veterinary license in the US. Passing all the American veterinary licensing exams, I completed the ECFVG program to become a licensed veterinary doctor in the USA in 2014.

Working as a veterinary assistant with many different doctors for more than 5 years gave me a big advantage and a lot of experience. Each case I helped a doctor with, I took as mine. I approached those cases thinking as a doctor, not as an assistant. I studied complicated cases in detail, observed how different doctors approached one same case and I analyzed the best outcomes. Combining my experience and skills as a doctor in Mexico, and my skills as an assistant in the US has enabled me to deal with all kinds of situations that can be presented as emergencies, not only in dogs and cats but in small exotics also.

When not at work, I love to spend my free time with my wife, my German shepherd dog and family. I love to go hiking and snorkeling. But I still make some extra time to volunteer to do medicine/surgery in the Wetland and Wildlife Care Center.

After 4 years of undergraduate studies, I received a degree in Biology from UCLA in 2005. I continued to work as a veterinary assistant for a couple of years then I was accepted into the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine. During veterinary school, I nurtured my passion for emergency medicine by joining the Student Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society. In 2008, I was elected president of this society. Upon graduation in 2011, I received my DVM and was awarded the Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society Scholarship for Proficiency in Emergency and Critical Care.

I began working as a general practitioner in the High Desert community shortly after graduation. There, I was immersed in all fields of veterinary medicine and was able to progress my skills in emergency medicine. Now, as a member of OCEPC, I am thrilled to serve the Orange County community and to work hand-in-hand with fellow veterinarians for the benefit of our patients.

When I am not practicing veterinary medicine I love spending time with my family (especially my two nieces Melanie and Leslie), my two cats (Jane and Shasta), and my four dogs (Teddy, Ginger, Dalila, and Darla). I also enjoy gardening, reading, hiking, and I have recently taken up photography.

Marina Yamate Aloha