Whether a pet has fleas or needs acupuncture, Dr. Jackie Casanova is the woman to call.
Casanova is a mobile veterinarian accredited in both Western and Eastern medicine. Her big white truck is a staple in northern Gainesville and also her roving office. The front seat is her desk, with a worn leather planner jam-packed with appointments The backseat is a makeshift file cabinet, and the flatbed is a converted refrigerator/storage area. She carries herbs, needles, medicine and even a microscope. Her clientele ranges from newborn kittens to rambunctious puppies, but the most exotic is a 160-pound Florida panther named Wikey.
Casanova lives on a farm down a winding, rutted dirt road with the menagerie of animals, including a herd of ponies and two dogs. One of which she calls ChiCom, short for Chinese communist.
She specializes in preventative medicine that cares for the animals whole being, including their emotional needs.
