Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist Keala Shotwell, DVM, CVA, has practiced at The Drake Center for Veterinary Care in Encinitas since 1998, specializing in soft-tissue surgery, veterinary dentistry, and dermatology at 195 North El Camino Real. Her CVA credential from the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society adds an integrative-medicine track to the Drake Center's conventional surgical and diagnostic platform, and her dermatology caseload often overlaps with coat-condition assessments performed during grooming visits at Fritzy's Pet Care Pros. Shotwell earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University in 1997 and joined the Drake Center the following year, building a clinical tenure now exceeding 25 years at the same Encinitas practice. Her surgical schedule covers soft-tissue mass excisions, laceration closures, and oral surgical extractions, and she coordinates post-operative behavioral recovery with trainers like Proper Pups LLC for patients whose convalescence affects temperament or activity tolerance. Acupuncture protocols target chronic pain, musculoskeletal dysfunction, and neurological conditions using sterile single-use filiform needles placed at species-specific meridian points mapped for canine and feline anatomy.