DEBRA A. CANAPP, DVM, CCRT, CVA
Sports Medicine and Canine Rehabilitation

Dr. Debra Canapp performed both her undergraduate and Masters studies at Rutgers University, Cook College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She was a competitive equestrian during her undergraduate years, as Dr. Canapp actively competed in both Combined Training and 3-Day Event. She moved on to pursuing both veterinary and PhD studies at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where she was awarded her veterinary degree in May of 1998. Dr. Canapp’s PhD studies involved research in exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in horses. Her PhD research trials were conducted at Kansas State University using horses on treadmills in a controlled physiologic environment. While attending ISU, she was active in many student organizations, worked nights at a medical computer generation firm, and pursued research in South Africa through a Merck scholarship during her junior year.

Prior to joining the orthopedic and sports medicine team, Dr. Canapp performed surgical insemination of frozen semen into racing greyhounds. Although she only worked in this field for one year, she became a forerunner in the surgical insemination technique and was regarded as the top inseminator in the nation. The next few years, she followed her husband, Dr. Sherman Canapp, through his internship and residency program for veterinary surgery. She practiced at an eleven-doctor facility in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri, and then proceeded to Florida where she practiced general veterinary medicine and surgery during the day and managed an emergency clinic at night and on weekends. She moved to Maryland in July of 2003 and became Medical Director at the Emergency Animal Hospital in Ellicott City for one year before moving on to general practice. It was at this time that Dr. Canapp realized the necessity of incorporating rehabilitation into general and specialty veterinary practice. Dr. Canapp has completed the veterinary rehabilitation course in Florida and is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT). Dr. Canapp is also certified and currently practices small animal acupuncture and Chinese medicine. She has completed a veterinary orthopedic manipulation course, and Dr. Canapp plans to become certified in chiropractic later in 2008 in order to expand the rehabilitation services offered to aid small animals.

Currently, Dr. Canapp and her husband, Sherman, along with their daughter Allyson and son Caden live in the Laytonsville area, where they share a home with their Doberman, Miles, and their one-eyed cat, Max.