Rescue dog, Banjo, doing what he loves!
About Dr. Rebecca Staple
Dr. Staple grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences and B.A. in Film & Media Studies at UC Santa Barbara while working at a local animal hospital. In 2014, she completed her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA.
After graduation, Dr. Staple was accepted to a competitive specialty internship at Animal Specialty and Emergency Center in West Los Angeles, where she worked closely with the Emergency/Critical Care, Surgery, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Radiology, and Oncology teams. During her internship, she also spent time shadowing at local rehabilitation centers and immediately felt drawn to rehabilitation therapy and the gratification that comes with helping "down dogs" walk again, speeding recovery after orthopedic surgery, and giving families more quality time with their pets.
Dr. Staple continued to work emergency/critical care in Los Angeles before returning to the Central Coast with her husband (a Cal Poly grad) where she worked in general practice and shelter medicine. While working locally, she completed advanced training in canine rehabilitation through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute and veterinary acupuncture through the Chi University. She was the first small animal veterinarian on the Central Coast to hold both certifications, and is passionate about offering these effective treatment methods to pets in our community.
Learning never ends, and since opening Coastal Veterinary Rehabilitation & Acupuncture in 2018, Dr. Staple has continued to pursue additional professional certifications. She completed training in Food Therapy (Chi University) and small animal myofascial treatments (Northeast Seminars). In addition, she completed both an Integrative Small Animal Oncology course (Chi University) and Nutrition Case Management (University of TN) trainings in 2022.
Though Dr. Staple loves all animals, she has a special bond with geriatric and feline patients. Dr. Staple works closely with pet owners and referring veterinarians to develop the best integrative treatment plan for her patients. She believes in educating pet owners, providing a range of options, and in working together to develop the most practical goals and protocols for each patient and family.
Dr. Staple currently serves as Vice President of the Mid-Coast Veterinary Medical Association, a non-profit organization that represents the local veterinary community and provides continuing education events. She and her husband share their home with a preschooler and a senior Border Collie named Banjo.