Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet: An Extraordinary Journey in Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Michelle Oakley’s remarkable journey began with her pursuit of education at the University of Michigan, where she earned her degree in Zoology in 1991. 

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Her passion for animal care led her to the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada, where she further honed her skills. Her practical experience was enriched through an internship at the Calgary Zoo, setting the foundation for her future adventures in veterinary medicine.

Career and Television Success

In 2014, Dr. Oakley’s unique veterinary practice caught the attention of Nat Geo Wild, leading to the premiere of her show on April 4, 2014. 

Based in Haines Junction, Yukon, and Haines, Alaska, she has become renowned for her exceptional work with both domestic and wild animals. The show has successfully completed 11 seasons, with the final 12th season marking the end of this remarkable series.

Family and Professional Support

Dr. Oakley’s practice is strengthened by the support of her family, including her husband Shane Oakley and their three daughters. Sierra and Maya Oakley serve as veterinary assistants, while Willow Oakley contributes to the family practice in her own way. Their collective dedication has made the practice a true family enterprise.

Notable Cases and Challenges

Throughout her career, Dr. Oakley has handled diverse cases, from treating eagles with broken wings to performing surgeries on wild bears. Her work with muskoxen, caribou, and sled dogs has demonstrated her versatility in veterinary medicine. The challenging Yukon environment adds an extra layer of complexity to her daily work.

Season 1 (2014)

Episode	Title	Air Date
1	“Fly Like an Eagle”	April 12, 2014
2	“One Angry Muskox”	April 19, 2014
3	“Caribou Down”	April 26, 2014
4	“Reindeer Pains”	May 3, 2014
5	“Oakley Get Your Blow Gun”	May 10, 2014
6	“Winter Is Coming”	May 17, 2014

Season 2 (2015)

Episode	Title	Air Date
1	“Mush Madness”	November 1, 2014
2	“Flying Caribou”	November 8, 2014
3	“When Coyotes Attack”	November 15, 2014
4	“A Face Full of Quills”	November 22, 2014
5	“Here Comes Cari-Boo-Boo”	December 6, 2014
6	“Leopards, Wolf Pups & Grizzlies, Oh My!”	December 6, 2014
7	“The Missing Lynx”	December 13, 2014
8	“Bull Steam Ahead”	December 20, 2014
9	“Moose on the Loose”	December 27, 2014
10	“Havoc in the Herd”	January 3, 2015

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Season 3 (Spring 2016)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	Yak Attack	Mar 19	Dr. Oakley treats a tarred eagle while preparing for her eldest to leave home
2	Steer Clear	Mar 26	Handles dangerous animal patients requiring special care
3	Taming of the Wolverine	Apr 16	Works with a wolverine at an Alaskan rehabilitation clinic
4	Baby Boom	Apr 2	Multiple births: tends to a calf, puppies, and an expectant goat
5	Got Moose Juice?	Apr 23	Treats a baby moose suffering from severe indigestion in Alaska
6	Midnight Madness	Apr 30	Responds to an emergency midnight call to help a family of dogs
7	Warts and All	May 7	Assists a caribou with facial warts and a mountain goat’s injured foot
8	Cat Out of Hell	May 14	Diverse patients: treats a Himalayan yak, porcupine, and hairless cat

Season 4 (Fall 2016)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	One Mad Mama	Oct 1	Examines and treats a dog with paw issues
2	Poking the Bear	Oct 8	Conducts examinations on two black bears
3	Raging Bison	Oct 15	Prepares wood bison for release back into the wild
4	No Bull	Oct 22	Investigates bison inbreeding concerns on Prince Edward Island
5	When Horses Fly	Oct 20	Herds wild horses in the Yukon territory
6	When Cows Fight Back	Nov 5	Performs calf castration on a remote island location
7	Bad News Bear	Nov 12	Works to rescue a drowning brown bear
8	Bear Brawl	Nov 16	Special episode featuring a conflict between bear siblings at a sanctuary

Season 5 (Fall 2017)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	Alaska Calling	Oct 14	Season premiere following Dr. Oakley’s work across Alaska’s seasons
2	The Boar Ultimatum	Oct 14	Aerial mission to track a wild boar
3	Wild Wild Wolverine	Oct 21	Studies a trapped wolverine to learn about the species
4	Bear Trapped	Oct 28	Monitors a hungry bear from trees while helping a reindeer
5	Bovine Intervention	Nov 4	Handles unruly pigs and performs a challenging calf procedure
6	License to Quill	Nov 11	Treats Harper the dog after a dangerous porcupine encounter
7	Hump Day	Nov 18	Takes on squealing boars and an aggressive camel needing neutering
8	Wily Coyote	Nov 25	Deals with a surprising coyote case and a seal’s emergency surgery
9	Reindeer Rodeo	Dec 2	Examines a reindeer herd and investigates a moose’s swollen belly
10	Whoa, Baby!	Dec 9	Focuses on various animal births and infant care in Alaska

Season 6 (Fall 2018)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	The Riddle of the Lynx	Oct 6	Performs emergency c-section and recovers from a horse kick
2	Bison Business	Oct 13	Races against time with bison wrangling and horse procedures
3	Dances With Ibexes	Oct 20	Investigates an unconscious dog and tracks ibex in France
4	Mother Mayhem	Oct 27	Balances life as a vet, wife, and mother with determination
5	Wild Cow Chase	Nov 3	Chases wild cows while Sierra shows her veterinary skills
6	Swedish Bears	Nov 10	Studies bears in Sweden and treats a dog’s eye condition
7	Up to the Tusk	Nov 17	Examines two breeder bulls crucial for a reindeer herd’s future
8	Muskox in Arms	Nov 24	Checks on a baby muskox while using drones for horse herding
9	Mommy Deer-est	Dec 8	Focuses on treating mother animals throughout the Yukon
10	Yukon Do It	Dec 15	Takes on new challenges despite years of experience
11	All Hooves on Deck	Dec 22	Collaborates with others on difficult medical cases

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Season 7 (Fall 2019)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	Blazing Bison	Sep 28	Tackles a cat’s bladder issue and wrangles unruly bison
2	Foal’s Gold	Oct 5	Castrates a wild stallion and checks on potentially pregnant mares
3	Bears on a Plane	Oct 12	Assists with bear cubs’ relocation to new home
4	No Horsing Around	Oct 19	Investigates the cause of a horse’s nosebleed
5	Don’t Poke a Sleeping Porcupine	Oct 26	Treats various animals across Yukon’s remote regions
6	One Clever Bison	Nov 2	Provides medical care for a challenging bison patient
7	The Stricken Chicken	Nov 9	Handles muskoxen, a coyote, and a burned dog
8	Running with Reindeer	Nov 16	Participates in human versus reindeer racing event
9	Yukon 911	Nov 23	Responds to various animal emergencies as first responder
10	Antlers, Shoulders, Knees, and Hooves	Nov 30	Treats notably large animal patients
11	Under the Yukon Sun	Dec 7	Provides care while battling harsh weather conditions
12	Wild Things!	Dec 14	Season finale featuring wildlife cases

Season 8 (Spring 2020)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	The Big Bad Wolf	Mar 21	Works with daughters to bond with solitary wolf at AWCC
2	Law of the Claw	Mar 28	Teams with Dr. Doyle to treat horse’s leg infection
3	The Miracle Dog	Apr 4	Cares for sick reindeer and performs surgery on burned dog
4	A Hoarse Horse	Apr 11	Family helps rescue and treat an injured fox
5	Squawk Off!	Apr 18	Examines a German shepherd and treats difficult peacock
6	I Quill Survive	Apr 25	Investigates horse’s lump and weight loss in bull
7	At the Cow Wash	May 2	Checks on ailing reindeer at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
8	Porcupine Posse	May 9	Removes French bulldog’s lump and diagnoses cat seizures
9	Rescuers Down Under	May 16	Travels to Australia to help wildlife affected by wildfires

Season 9 (Spring 2021)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	Don’t Be Mean, Wolverine	Mar 13	Examines a wolverine’s lump and makes surprising reindeer discovery
2	Goodnight Musk Ox	Mar 20	Handles puppy emergency and treats wolf’s eye condition
3	The Very Hungry Reindeer	Mar 27	Investigates dangerously underweight reindeer’s stomach issues
4	Don’t Cry She-Wolf	Apr 3	Helps malnourished bison, spays wolf, and checks toothless cat
5	A Vet’s Life is a Highway	Apr 3	Various cases while traveling through Yukon
6	Dr. O and the Three Bears	Apr 17	Treats injured dog and guinea pig with breathing problems
7	Oh Deer!	Apr 10	Addresses elderly horse’s dental concerns
8-12	Multiple Episodes	Apr-May	Season concludes with various wildlife cases

Season 10 (Fall 2021)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog	Oct 9	Treats limping Sitka deer and alpaca-llama hybrid
2	Even If It Quills Me	Oct 16	Cares for rescue pig and dog with porcupine problems
3	Flip the Pig	Oct 23	Masters pig-flipping technique and saves dog’s injured paw
4	Dances with Dachshunds	Oct 23	Helps remote dachshund and emotional support pig
5	Hold Your Horses	Oct 23	Transports horse by boat and treats limping bull
6	This Little Piggy Had an Ouchie	Oct 23	Examines limping bison and dog’s mammary mass
7	I’ll Tell you Wattle Want	Oct 23	Treats horse’s limp and helps overweight dog
8	Pups in the Oven	Oct 23	Addresses dog’s bloated stomach and cow’s jaw condition
9	Duck Duck Chicken	Oct 23	Checks pregnant rabbits, helps sore duck and reindeer
10	Chicken of the Sea	Oct 23	Treats overweight chicken and bear-attacked calf
11	Hug for a Pug	Oct 23	Handles large bull and family pug’s medical needs
12	No Pot to Pee In	Oct 23	Aids injured moose and car-struck puppy

Special Episodes (2021)

• Two “Vetsgiving” specials aired Nov 26-27, 2021

Season 11 (Spring 2023)

Episode	Title	Air Date	Description
1	Cat Got Your Tongue	Apr 8	Treats cat with swallowed string, cancerous reindeer, and drooling porcupine
2	Grandma Knows Best	Apr 15	Helps limping bison, damaged reindeer antler, and struggling newborn puppies
3	The Pug We Love	Apr 22	Checks horse’s lump, herds bison, and treats family pug with new therapy
4	Dirty Rotten Chompers	Apr 29	Saves dog from supplement overdose and performs deer and alpaca surgeries
5	Boatload of Bull	May 6	Transports large animals by sea and examines chinchillas and working dog
6	Like Mother, Like Daughter	May 13	Sierra leads clinic while team handles lynx checkup and reindeer procedures
7	No Moosetakes	May 20	Treats musk ox’s hair loss and performs public moose examination
8	Just Another Manic Meatball	May 27	Checks over 100 cattle while handling aggressive mule and sick calf
9	Don’t Have a Cow	Jun 3	Sierra attempts miniature cow pregnancy check while team treats ferret and kitten
10	Eagles and Beagles	Jun 10	Rappels to eagle nest and treats dogs with severe medical issues

Season 12 (November 2024)

Episode	Title	Air Date & Time (CAT)	Rerun Time	Description
1	Stay Wild	Nov 18, 18:00	23:40	Treats limping baby elk, performs musk ox dental work, and gives emergency pig pedicure
2	Pura Vida	Nov 18, 18:50	–	Synopsis not yet available

Viewing Notes

• Both episodes premiere on Monday, November 18th
• “Stay Wild” will have a same-day rebroadcast late night
• All times are in Central African Time (CAT)

FAQ’s

What is Dr. Oakley’s educational background?

She holds a Zoology degree from the University of Michigan and studied veterinary medicine at Atlantic Veterinary College.

How many seasons did “Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet” run?

The show ran for 11 seasons, with the 12th season announced as its final season.

Where is Dr. Oakley’s primary practice located?

Her practice is based in Haines Junction, Yukon, and Haines, Alaska.

Who are the main cast members of the show?

The main cast includes Dr. Michelle Oakley, her husband Shane, and daughters Sierra, Maya, and Willow.

When did the show first premiere?

The show premiered on April 4, 2014, on Nat Geo Wild.

Conclusion

Dr. Michelle Oakley’s journey from a passionate veterinary student to a renowned television personality has inspired many. Her dedication to animal care in the challenging Yukon territory, combined with her family’s support, has created a lasting legacy in veterinary medicine.