Meet Our Doctor
Lauren Zappitelli, DVM
Dr. Zappitelli grew up outside of Chicago where her love of horses began when she started riding hunters and jumpers at age 8. Throughout high school, she worked as a groom and braider while catch-riding, training, and showing several horses in the hunter/jumpers, including two OTTBs of her own. After moving to Wisconsin in high school, she dabbled in dressage, eventing, and worked as a polo groom for two years.
Initially attending the University of Findley and finishing her BS at the University of Wisconsin in 2010, Dr. Zappitelli was an active participant in IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) & IDA (Intercollegiate Dressage Association). She stayed in Madison to complete her DVM, graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 2014. During Veterinary school, Dr. Zappitelli was selected to ride for the US Collegiate Team in Romania and Norway.
Due to her background, Dr. Zappitelli’s clinical interests are mainly sports medicine, rehabilitation, body and limb lameness, and pain management. Her interest in pain management lead her to pursue a certification in veterinary acupuncture. She became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA) in 2013. After Veterinary school, Dr. Zappitelli completed a demanding internship at Arizona Equine Medical & Surgical Center where she developed a love for internal medicine and endoscopy.
After moving to North Carolina in 2015 to work for a clinic in Apex, Dr. Zappitelli completed a rigorous 270-hour course in neurology and spinal manipulation. She became certified in animal chiropractic manipulation in 2016.
Since starting Ascend Equine, Dr. Zappitelli hopes to pursue certification in the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Equine) and International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology.
In her free time, she can be found riding and showing her horses Verdi, Berto, and Dill in the jumpers or snuggling with her Jack Russell Terriers, Gordy and Lila, and her wonder cat, Bruce. She also loves water sports, hiking, and skiing in Montana.