Dr. Carlyn Zylstra attended Washington State University and earned a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience in 2008 before obtaining her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 2012. After graduation she entered an intensive one year internship at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle. During her internship she worked extensively with specialists including surgeons, internists, neurologists, dermatologists and cardiologists while also honing her skills in emergency medicine and critical care. She loved the ER so much that she opted to stay on board at Veterinary Specialty Center working on critical cases and instructing the next several classes of interns. While she loved teaching and the rush of an emergency, she also missed sleeping at night and seeing her family on holidays, so she made a shift to general practice in 2016. Her current interests include behavior, preventative medicine, care for geriatric pets and neurology.

Dr. Zylstra has a one-eyed, mostly toothless cat named Gumbo. When she's not working she can be found freediving, running, enjoying the beach and a good book or planning her next trip.