Doctors & Staff

Dr. Michael Ina

Contact Dr. Ina: mikeina@arguellopet.com

I was first hired at the Arguello Pet Hospital in the summer of 1968. I was hired as a kennel person to gain experience in veterinary medicine which was a prerequisite to apply to the veterinary schools. I continued working at Arguello Pet Hospital while I was an undergraduate student at the University of California, Davis.

I was fortunate to gain acceptance to the School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis and graduated in June 1974. After graduation, I immediately began working at the Arguello Pet Hospital as a veterinarian with Elmo Shropshire, DVM.

In 1982, I purchased the practice from Elmo Shropshire. It was a very small and slow practice at the time. It was a one doctor, one technician and one receptionist veterinary hospital. I dedicated myself to practicing and providing quality medicine and client service.

This dedication to practice quality medicine and to provide quality client service enabled the hospital to grow to its present state of five doctors and a staff of over twenty employees. The entire staff is dedicated to provide compassionate care to our patients, their owners and to one another.

When I'm not caring for my patients or doing management work for Arguello Pet Hospital, I enjoy my free time playing golf, fishing and wildlife/nature photography.

I have been married for over thirty-eight years and have two daughters. My oldest daughter, Cecily, is a second grade school teacher in the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program at Rosa Parks in San Francisco. My youngest daughter, Jamie, graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, in June 2008 and has since been practicing with me at Arguello Pet Hospital.

We have had guinea pigs, Akitas, English Setters, Standard and Miniature Dachshunds, Derbian and Grey Cheek Parakeets and an Abyssinian as family pets. Presently I have just one dog, Pete, a miniature wired-haired Dachshund.

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Dr. Perry Heffelfinger

Contact Dr. Heffelfinger: perryheffelfinger@arguellopet.com

I joined the staff at Arguello Pet Hospital in January, 1987. Having grown up in San Francisco, though, my association with the hospital dates back to my childhood. My family’s pets have all been cared for by Arguello for as long as I can remember.

I studied Biology at Harvard and graduated from veterinary school at Cornell in 1985. After a couple of years in mixed (large and small animal) practice, I returned to San Francisco to concentrate in small animal medicine and surgery at Arguello.

My interests outside of veterinary medicine includes reading, biking (my means of commuting to work), competitive rowing and travel. I share my home with my husband, two not always well behaved golden retrievers and a very active cat who thinks he is a dog. I also enjoy doing pet assisted therapy with my goldens at a local hospital. Despite their not so perfect behavior, the dogs are always welcomed at these visits.

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Dr. Mara Weiss

Contact Dr. Weiss: maraweiss@arguellopet.com

While growing up in a San Fernando Valley house full of cats, I always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. I earned an undergraduate degree in zoology at UC Santa Barbara and a large portion of my time in Santa Barbara was spent volunteering for the local animal shelter and the Marine Mammal Center.

The many hours I spent enjoying taking care of these animals solidified my desire to become a veterinarian. Immediately after I graduated UCSB in 1997, I started veterinary school at UC Davis. During veterinary school I emphasized small animal medicine and helped provide care for the pets of the homeless population in Sacramento.

I moved to San Francisco in 2001 and I have been having a great time exploring Northern California. During my free time I enjoy going to concerts and plays, hiking, caring for my two cats Jimmy and Otis and traveling to Santa Cruz to spend time with my two young nephews.

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Dr. Rebecca Price

Contact Dr. Price: rebeccaprice@arguellopet.com

I am a recent arrival from upstate New York, having fled the icy cold of Rochester in 2004. My undergraduate education was completed at Harvard University, where I studied Anthropology, and received my B.A. in 1992. After a three year hiatus from school (enjoying life in Boston), I returned to NY State to pursue my veterinary education. I received my DVM degree from Cornell in 1999. I then moved back to my hometown of Rochester, where I worked as a companion animal and exotica veterinarian.

My interest in veterinary medicine has been present since a young age, and I have had the opportunity to work with animals in a variety of settings including shelters and zoos. The mild California weather has been greatly appreciated by my canine companions, Hannah and Missy, who made the long cross country move with me.

We especially enjoy the hiking, swimming and camping opportunities, and have made frequent trips to the many beautiful towns of costal California. I do not miss the snow shoveling days of the East Cost.

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Dr. Margaret Kang

Contact Dr. Kang: margaretkang@arguellopet.com

At the age of 7, upon returning home from my new puppy's first vaccine visit, I remember declaring to my parents that I wanted to become a vet. I grew up in Orange County, CA and attended UC Davis immediately after high school, where I received my B.S. in Veterinary Science in 1997 and my D.V.M. in 1999.

After graduation, I worked in a small animal hospital in Torrance, CA for 2 years, and then moved to Boston, MA for 4 years, where I became a Red Sox fan while working in small animal practice. After shoveling snow for a few winters, I made my way back to CA and have been happy at Arguello since September, 2006.

I currently live in San Francisco with my significant other and share my home with Jodi, a 14-year old Beagle/Lab mix (older but not necessarily wiser), Kiri, my 12-year old asthmatic cat, and Kiwi, a spirited 20-something year-old Meyer's parrot. In my spare time, I enjoy running, yoga, hiking, and live music.

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Dr. Jamie Ina

Contact Dr. Ina: jamieina@arguellopet.com

Since I was young, I have always been around animals and grew up around the pet hospital. Growing up in a house full of animals, a wonderful father as a mentor, and a love of biological sciences, I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian. I began working at Arguello as a technician when I was in high school and always came back during the summer to continue learning throughout my college years.

I studied animal science and earned a bachelor's degree from UC Davis in 2004. I began veterinary school immediately after with an emphasis in small animal medicine. I graduated from UC Davis veterinary school in 2008.

During my senior year in veterinary school, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks at the Sacramento SPCA, where I adopted my first dog Nori, a miniature dachshund mix. During my spare time, I enjoy playing volleyball and basketball, going to the beach, spending time with family and friends, and cooking.

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Dr. Kelly Smith

Contact Dr. Smith: kellysmith@arguellopet.com

I'm the newest addition to Arguello Pet Hospital having just moved to San Francisco from Venice Beach. My story is a long one but basically I took a round about path to becoming a veterinarian. After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in Business I moved to Raleigh, NC where I worked for IBM for 5 years in contract management. After years of working at IBM I realized that my true passion was always to be a veterinarian. I went back to school & eventually graduated from NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. I then completed a 1 year internship in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. Following my internship, I worked in general practice & emergency medicine in the Los Angeles area for 3 years. The next 2 years I started a house call practice in LA which allowed me to integrate Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as acupuncture, with Western Medicine. Although I loved the house calls, I realized that I really missed the camaraderie of working in a hospital and being able to provide a full range of care for my patients. I pride myself on getting to know my clients & patients & coming up with the best treatment recommendations for all involved. In my spare time, I enjoy anything outdoors, camping, backpacking, skiing & listening to live music. I share my new home with my two kitties, Dottie & Mustache Max, and hope to bring my two dogs, Fosse & Sydney, up from LA once I'm settled in! I'm so honored to join the Arguello team & super excited about exploring this wonderful city!

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