Yana, a protected Northwestern grey wolf, received vital care for a nasal issue at a La Mesa clinic, highlighting a rare event for local veterinarians.

LA MESA, Calif. — A Northwestern grey wolf named Yana received specialized medical treatment at Pet Emergency and Specialty Center in La Mesa, marking an extraordinary case for the clinic and its veterinarians.

Yana, an 11-year-old protected Northwestern grey wolf and ambassador at the California Wolf Center in Julian, was brought to the facility to address persistent nasal discharge that her caretakers could not properly diagnose with their available equipment. The California Wolf Center, San Diego County’s only wolf preserve, sought advanced diagnostic procedures unavailable at its Julian location.

The examination proved particularly notable for Dr. Todd Cecil, the clinic’s exotic animal specialist. Despite decades treating exotic animals, he had never treated a wolf. “I have not had a chance to work on a wolf before,” said Dr. Cecil.

Shawnie Williams, chair of the California Wolf Center board, coordinated the visit with Dr. Cecil, whom she has worked with for 30 years. The pair’s long working relationship made the opportunity particularly meaningful. “I’ve known Dr. Cecil for thirty years and we’ve worked together on all kinds of animals and I said how would you like to do a procedure on a wolf – he laughed at me – and here we are,” said Williams.

Staff captured Yana from her enclosure in Julian and transported her to La Mesa for treatment. According to Williams, it required considerable effort. “Well, they needed to go out into her enclosure – and capture her and get her into a crate and the enclosures are fairly large, so it can take some time,” said Williams.

Once at the clinic, veterinarians sedated Yana and performed a CT scan. She then underwent a rhinoscopy—a procedure using a camera to examine a mass detected on the scan. Doctors collected a sample for further testing.

Dr. Cecil is committed to Yana’s recovery. 

Williams stressed the critical nature of obtaining answers about Yana’s condition. “We need to know what’s going on and make her healthy – she’s our ambassador. She’s one of our own.” 

The examination typically costs approximately $8,000, though the clinic provided the California Wolf Center with a discount. For more information, or to make a donation, visit their website. Meanwhile, Yana has returned to her home in Julian, and is awaiting test results on the sample.