Canine Physical Therapy Certification

A canine physical therapist is a person who works with dogs who have suffered from injury or illness to help prevent further problems or to aid in the recovery from the injury or illness. This position may also be called a canine physical rehabilitation specialist.

  1. Eligibility

    • Training courses leading to certification for canine physical therapists are limited to licensed veterinarians and physical therapists. There are also types of assistant certifications for veterinary technicians and physical therapy assistants. Occupational therapists, massage therapists and veterinary assistants are not accepted into certification programs.

    Programs

    • You can find programs offering certification courses at private institutes and some universities that offer continuing education programs. There is not a canine physical therapist certifying board for the training programs or the canine physical therapy students, but programs can be recognized by veterinary or physical therapy associations instead.

    Enrolling

    • In order to enroll in a canine physical therapy certification program, you will need to provide proof of your occupation, such as a copy of your licensure. If you are applying as a veterinary technician or physical therapy assistant and do not have to be licensed or certified in your state, the school may require a different type of proof of your employment.

    Private Institution Example

    • The Canine Rehabilitation Institute is one of the private institutions offering a training program for canine physical therapy. It offers a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist title for licensed veterinarians and physical therapists and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Assistant for veterinary technicians and physical therapy assistants. The courses, including a number of continuing education courses, are taught at Florida, Maryland and Colorado locations. These courses are only offered to veterinarians, physical therapists, veterinary technicians and physical therapy assistants.

    University Example

    • One of the universities offering a training program for canine physical therapists is the University of Tennessee, called the Certificate Program in Canine Physical Rehabilitation. As well as the occupations listed above for the Canine Rehabilitation Institute, the University of Tennessee also accepts veterinary and physical therapy students into their classes with proof of enrollment in an accredited school.