AARV Newsletter - December 2017

DECEMBER 2017 | NEWS & UPDATES

In this issue ... congrats to new board members, apply for new research grant from CRI, spotlight on Paw Rehab, new Instagram contest, tech tips, and more!

President's Message

Congratulations to the New Board of Directors Members!

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the new Board of Directors members! They will be starting their new positions in January 2018.

Dr. Andrea Henderson will be taking on the role of our new Secretary. Andrea is a Major in the US Army Veterinary Services. She is currently the Chief of Rehabilitation, Department of Defense Military Working Dog Veterinary Services. In 2016 she became a Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her organizational skills and writing experience will be an asset to the AARV BOD!

The new Communications Director is Jennifer Panko. Jenn comes to us with over ten years in the veterinary field. She is the owner of The SPAW, Pet Rehabilitation and Fitness Centre in British Columbia. She has many new ideas for expanding AARV's presence on various social media platforms and is a great addition to the team!

Dr. Pedro Luis Rivera will be taking over the reins as Industry Liaison. Pedro is a Fellow of the American College of Functional Neurology and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is currently the Program Director and Faculty at Healing Oasis Wellness Center. He will be maintaining relationships with our current sponsors in addition to fostering new avenues for collaboration. I know Pedro will be successful in his new role!

Dr. Jessica Bunch is the new University Liaison. Jessica is clinical instructor and Head of the Integrative Veterinary Medicine Service at the Washington State University. As the faculty advisor for the student chapter of AARV at WSU, she will be able to assist other veterinary schools interested in starting AARV student chapters.

Charlie Evans is the first Physical Therapist (PT) Liaison. Charlie holds an MPT and has been practicing veterinary rehabilitation for 15 years. He has experience working with both the physical therapy and the veterinary practice acts and licensure boards. Charlie's experience will help to lend insight from a physical therapy perspective and improve our relationship with the APTA-SIG.

I would like to welcome you all to the BOD and thank all of you for taking on these new roles. I am excited for the future of AARV with such a great team to lead us!

NAVC/VMX is just around the corner. The AARV annual meeting will be held on Monday, February 5, 2018, during the lunch break. Please join us in congratulating the John Sherman Award recipient and discussing the plans for the upcoming year.

Wishing you all the happiest of holiday seasons and a healthy 2018!

Warmest regards,

Cara Blake, DVM, DACVS-SA, CCRT

Legislative Liaison Position Open

Interested in state practice acts and playing a more active role in AARV? If so, please consider the legislative liaison position on the Board of Directors. This position is critical for our organization to stay abreast of the various state practice acts and legislative issues. If you would like more information, please contact Cara Blake or current Legislative Liaison Kristyn Richardson.

Apply for a New Research Grant from CRI!

Announcing a new great opportunity to advance your potential growth in our profession! We have received a generous $5,000 research grant from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute.

We are currently accepting grant proposals from AARV members. Deadline for submission is January 15, 2018.

To view the guidelines for submissions, please log in to the Grant Opportunities page in the Members Area of the AARV website.

Research should help to advance the rehabilitation profession. The grant winner will present abstract finding at VMX 2019. Don't miss this great opportunity!

AARV GingerLead Instagram Holiday Contest!

We are excited to announce our Holiday Instagram Contest sponsored by GingerLead!

Post a holiday-themed animal rehab photo to Instagram and you could win a GingerLead Veterinary Starter Kit which retails for $247.80!

The Veterinary Starter Kit is an introductory 4 pack of GingerLeads: 1 Small Male, 1 Medium/Large Male, 1 Large Female, 1 Tall Male, plus 4 Slip Collars and 3 sets of Stay on Straps. (More Male GingerLeads are included since the male slings may be used on female dogs.)

Here are the complete contest rules:

The contest starts Monday, 12/4/17 at 6 a.m. CST and ends Friday, 12/15/17 at 6 a.m. CST.
Post a holiday-themed animal rehab picture to Instagram.
Your submission must be posted after the start and before the finish of the contest.
The photo must be from a practice where at least one AARV member works.
Only 1 submission per practice please, no reposts.
Please make sure your post is not private or we may not be able to see it and cannot include it in the contest.
You must tag @rehabvets and @gingerleaddogsling.
The image with the most "likes" wins a GingerLead Veterinary Starter Kit.

Note: AARV will comment on your image to confirm your submission in the contest. If you don't see a comment from @rehabvets, then please reach out to us at info@rehabvets.org with your Instagram tag and the date of your submission so we can find it.

SPOTLIGHT PRACTICE

Paw Rehab (Pacific Animal Wellness Rehabilitation Center)

Founded in 2015 by Medical Director Joanne Bak, DVM, CCRT, Paw Rehab (Pacific Animal Wellness Rehabilitation Center) is a state-of-the-art veterinary rehabilitation facility located in Los Angeles. Our motto "Relieve. Recover. Restore." embodies our dedication to the rehabilitation and recovery of injured or post-surgical pets, pain management, and mobility solutions for debilitated and arthritic dogs and cats. In addition to post-operative and debilitative rehabilitation programs, Paw Rehab also offers services tailored for weight loss, preventative fitness, orthotic/cart consultations and fittings, and nutrition management. Special interests include geriatric, neurological, and feline rehabilitation therapy.

Continue reading about Paw Rehab ...

Interested in Conducting Clinical Research?

Are you interested in conducting clinical research but don't know where to start?

Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI) has created a new online course to demystify clinical research for practicing rehabilitation therapists, interns and residents. Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Research is taught by CRI faculty member Chris Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVP, DACVSMR , who has spent more than 30 years doing research.

The entire process from concept to publication is covered during the 10-week course. You will view online lectures, read assignments, and participate in an online live discussion with Dr. Zink each week. You will develop a research hypothesis that matches your interests and clinical caseloads, and then design, carry out and analyze the data for a pilot study. This course is RACE approved by the AAVSB for 15 credit hours.

There are students from the first course that are now collaborating on studies and have been awarded research grants.

AARV members receive a 10% tuition discount. If you have questions or are interested in registering for the next session, email CRI at info@caninerehabinstitute.com.

TECHNICIAN CORNER

Tech Tips! Feline Rehab: Purrrrrrfect Strategies for Making Strides and Maximizing Mobility

by Jenn Panko, RVT, CCRO, OCMC, CAPMC

Keep sessions short. Multiple short sessions keep cats interested and reduce stress. Let the cat take the lead on what activities they are able to tolerate. Less is best!
Multimodal approach to feline mobility. Treat pain, manage body condition, reduce impact of exercise and address arthritis. Remember 100% of cats over the age of 10 have some degree of osteoarthritis!
Feline specific treatment bed or blankets treated with Feliway pheromones and safe "exit" or resting place during therapy.

Continue reading the Tech Tips ...

Join Us at NAVC-VMX

Mark your calendars! Join the APRVT at the NAVC-VMX in Orlando, Florida this February 2018! APRVT President Kristen Hagler will be giving 4 exciting lectures on physical rehabilitation for veterinary technicians (and whomever else would like to come). During the AARV business meeting, the APRVT will be presenting highlights from 2017 and announcements for 2018. Don't miss out! If you can't make the presentations or lectures, Organizing Committee members from the APRVT will be at the AARV booth to answer questions about the newest approved VTS by NAVTA - Physical Rehabilitation! Hope to see you there.

Learn More About APRVT

The technicians on the Organizing Committee of the APRVT would love to speak at your clinic or local conference! Contact us at vetrehabtechs@gmail.com to find someone in your area!

Please visit the APRVT website and social media sites to learn more about us and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter!

Facebook - Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians-APRVT
Instagram - APRVT_vetrehabtechs
Twitter - APRVT @vetrehabtechs

Do you have an article in mind for the Technician Corner? Contact Dawn Hickey, LVMT, CCRP, AARV Technician Liaison, to submit an article (suggested length of 200-300 words) or suggest a topic.

Articles of Interest

The December Articles of Interest are now available for review in the Members Only area of the website. Click here to review this month's as well as past months' articles of interest.

Add Your Rehabilitation Event to the AARV Calendar

Do you have an event to add to the AARV calendar? All calendar posts are now free for AARV members.

Please send your calendar event to info@rehabvets.org and be sure to include the name of the event, speaker, topic, date, time, location and URL. Rehabilitation related events/classes only, please.

CLASSIFIED AD

CCRP, Columbus, Ohio

MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets is currently seeking a CCRP to join the Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine Team at our practice in Columbus, Ohio. We are seeking an individual that is team oriented and has excellent communication skills with fellow colleagues, clients, and the referral community. Our 55,000 sq. ft. 24/7 Emergency and Multi-Specialty hospital provides a diverse rehabilitation caseload and the opportunity to collaborate with other specialists across all disciplines. Please visit our website at www.medvetforpets.com and check out our Facebook page for additional information. Please submit CV and letter of interest to: Dr. Barb Lightner, Director of Medical Talent Acquisition, Direct phone: (614) 506-6288, barbara.lightner@medvetforpets.com.

CLASSIFIED AD

CCRP/CCRT, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Veterinary and Rehabilitation Center of Cape Elizabeth seeks CCRP/CCRT to join our team. Located in beautiful, coastal Southern Maine, VRCCE has been the premier rehabilitation center in Maine for the last five years. We utilize underwater treadmill, class 3b laser, electronic stimulation and therapeutic ultrasound modalities with over 300 feet of therapeutic floor space. The ideal candidate is an entrepreneur and team player interested in advancing rehabilitation services in Maine. This position offers a competitive base salary commensurate with experience plus production. Two other experienced staff CCRPs are available for mentorship and/or consultation. E-mail resume with cover letter to drjohnson@vrcce.com.

CLASSIFIED AD

Licensed Veterinary Technician, Seattle, Washington

Sound Veterinary Rehabilitation Center, a division of the Animal Surgical Clinic of Seattle, is seeking an LVT/RVT to join our growing team! We will soon be opening the doors to our new 1,700 square foot dedicated Rehabilitation Center. Technicians work under the guidance of our certified rehabilitation veterinarians (CCRT, DACVSMR) to implement rehabilitation plans including land based exercises, UWTM, and modalities such as NMES, laser, PEMF, ultrasound. We also perform regenerative medicine including stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma, and shockwave therapy. Learn more here (http://www.animalsurgical.com/why-ascs/employment/). Please submit a resume with cover letter by email to careers@animalsurgical.com.