Meet the veterinarians
About Dr. Sunshine Eckstrom
I was born in New Jersey, and then moved overseas to Italy and then Singapore, a small, metropolitan tropical island where I lived from fourth grade through high school.
My love for animals and my desire to make their lives better led to my decision to become a veterinarian when I was 5 years old. Before that, I considered being a rock star, but I was gently steered toward a veterinary career by my more realistic parents!
I got my undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and my veterinary degree from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine.
I enjoy practicing as a mobile vet. In recent years, I've become a certified veterinary acupuncturist (CVA), which has helped me learn even more about the factors that contribute to an animal’s health and happiness. This includes not only their physical management (treating disease, reducing pain, modifying diet) but how their unique personalities and their relationships with their families are interwoven into their quality of life.
I’ve had numerous pets throughout my life, which means that I've also lost many pets. I was always grateful that when one of my pets began to suffer from an untreatable illness or old age, a veterinarian could humanely put them to sleep so they didn't have to suffer. Once I became a vet, I was glad to be able to help other people during that difficult time.
I feel very lucky that, as a vet, I can take care of my pets in our home at the end of their lives. It is a great privilege and I'm glad that I can extend that support to other people by providing in-home end-of-life care to their pets too.
When I’m not working, I love being outdoors and with animals. My favorite activities are horseback riding (I have two horses here in Hawaii), hiking with my dogs (and sometimes my cat), and surfing, when I almost always see sea turtles, seals, and other marine animals.