Dr. Rebecca Walton

DVM, DACVECC
Board certified in Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Rebecca Walton is a board-certified specialist in Emergency and Critical Care and the current Department Head of Critical Care at VCA West Los Angeles. She holds her DVM from Western University of Health Sciences and completed her ECC residency at North Carolina State University. She became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (DACVECC) in 2016.

Previously, Dr. Walton was a Clinical Professor at Iowa State University, where she taught and mentored students, interns, and residents for over seven years. She is widely recognized for her leadership in education and clinical training, having guided dozens of mentees into competitive residencies across multiple specialties.

Dr. Walton’s academic contributions include over 40 peer-reviewed publications, multiple book chapters, and authorship of clinical protocols. She has been awarded funding for more than 15 research studies spanning CPR, sepsis, transfusion thresholds, and veterinary education. Her work is cited extensively and has influenced the way ECC is practiced and taught globally.

In recognition of her excellence, she has been repeatedly honored by her students and peers, serving as graduation marshal, keynote speaker, and class-voted faculty leader. She continues to serve in national leadership roles, including Chair of the ACVECC Residency Training Committee and Project Lead for VetCOT Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Whether managing trauma cases in the ICU or mentoring the next generation of specialists, Dr. Walton brings unparalleled dedication to clinical excellence, collaboration, and compassionate mentorship.

Dr. Walton's achievements


  • Board-Certified in Emergency and Critical Care (DACVECC), 2016
  • Certified in Hemodialysis, 2020
  • Current Department Head of Critical Care, VCA West Los Angeles
  • Former Clinical Professor, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (2016–2023)
  • Author of 40+ peer-reviewed publications and multiple textbook chapters on ventilation, resuscitation, fluid therapy, and ECC protocols
  • Primary or co-investigator on over 15 funded research grants, including studies on CPR, DKA, ventilation, and simulation-based veterinary education
  • Mentor to 40+ residents and interns, with an exceptional match rate into ECC, internal medicine, ophthalmology, surgery, and zoological medicine residencies
  • Chair, ACVECC Residency Training Committee; Project Lead, VetCOT Clinical Guidelines; contributor to RECOVER CPR standards
  • National and international speaker, including ACVIM Forum, SCCM Congress, and IVECCS
  • Curriculum innovator, having built and led multiple advanced courses in ECC, mechanical ventilation, and critical care ultrasound
  • Veterinary Technician Specialist mentor, guiding technicians to successful VTS board certifications
  • Multiple faculty-voted teaching honors, including:
  • Graduation Ceremony Marshal (voted by the Classes of 2018, 2020, and 2021)
  • Graduation Hooder and Banquet Keynote Speaker (Class of 2019 and 2018)
  • Invited Faculty Leader for CVM Orientation and Women’s Leadership programs

Get to Know Your Mentor

We asked Becca a few questions to help you get to know her as both a clinician and a human. From her proudest career moments to the one piece of equipment she can’t live without - this is your backstage pass into what drives her, how she works, and why she’s excited to mentor other vets.

What aspects of emergency do you find most unique and fulfilling?


A huge part of my love for veterinary medicine, and specifically ECC, is mentoring and teaching. Mentoring and teaching allow me to give back and defines what I view my biggest impact in my career to be. Teaching and mentoring not only helps me learn and hone my skills and knowledge as a veterinarian but also helps animals all around the world.

Why is mentoring such an important part of your work, and how has it shaped your career?


Mentoring is important as I reflect on my time in vet school, learning anesthesia was a very small part of our curriculum but everyone in clinical practice anesthetizes patients daily. I recall my vet school experience and believe that is why mentoring is important. It has shaped my career to understand where others are coming from and to always be mindful/patient to ensure all members of the team are on the same page. Also, I know anesthesia can be intimidating and stressful, so I always try to remain calm and be approachable.

Can you share a pivotal experience that made you feel truly confident as an criticalist?


I had a stat triage, a 2-year-old MC yorkie that had severe subcutaneous emphysema (he was a balloon!) and he presented in respiratory distress. He had recently been under anesthesia several days prior for a dog bite wound that he sustained at the dog park. He was in severe respiratory distress from a pneumothorax and SQ emphysema due to a tracheal tear. The dog needed to be intubated and have a thoracocentesis but all of the diagnostics were going to be challenging due to the SQ emphysema. Despite being (very!) scared - I knew what the dog ultimately needed, and I was fortunate enough to be able to call in my surgeon colleague for support to intubate and the dog ultimately needed surgery to repair his tracheal tear. He did great and was discharged within a couple days. That case sticks out to me as a reminder that scary things happen and there are always going to be times in which we are scared, and we might not know all of the next steps, but we keep calm, and we keep moving forward.

In no more than three words each, share: your favorite thing about emergency, your least favorite thing, and the biggest misconception in emergency.


New, challenging cases
Saying goodbye
It's scary

Tell us two truths and one lie about your veterinary career.


I wanted to be a dairy vet.
I still cry at all euthanasias.
I love surgery.

What’s the one piece of equipment in emergency you couldn’t live without?


My hands - nothing beats a physical exam.

How do you define work-life balance, and what does it mean for you personally?


This is quite the impossible question - and if you asked any of my colleagues/mentees/friends - they would all answer that my work-life balance is questionable but what I have learned is to be present. We all do our best to balance work and life - but I know it's not something I have perfected - but I aim to be present - if I am at work I am engaged in my patients and client and team and when I am at home with my family - I do the same.

What’s the most memorable case you’ve ever worked on?


Honestly - there are so many - it's genuinely hard to pick one case! Every case is a bit different on its impact on me and my career. One of my most memorable and favorite cases was a 1-year-old pitbull that was burned when a gasoline can exploded, and she presented to me with full thickness burns over 50% of her body. She was critical and we knew she was going to have an incredibly long road ahead of her, including many surgeries. We knew we were entering the unknown - none of us, myself or my colleagues, had managed such a severe burn case. Many people told us we should euthanize her, but her family and her team were incredibly dedicated and after 77 days in the ICU and many, many surgeries - we were able to discharge her and she is still living her best life, to this day. Her and her family taught me to never give up hope - even in cases where we haven't experienced the degree of illness or trauma, it doesn't mean we can't do it!

What’s been your proudest clinical or academic achievement so far?


To be honest - I don't have a specific proudest achievement - but the most rewarding experience is having previous students/interns reach out to me to let me know they were confident in a case they managed or a procedure they did because of the time we had and what I taught them.

From the first crash call to the final blood-gas check, Dr Becca Walton keeps a cool head when every second counts. Board-certified in Emergency and Critical Care and now Head of Critical Care at VCA West Los Angeles, she’s spent the last decade turning chaotic ICU moments into clear learning wins for vets and nurses alike.

Ready to learn with Dr Rebecca?
If you want solid ECC know-how, fewer 3 am panics and steady support when cases get tough - this is your next step.