AARV Newsletter - May 2019

MAY 2019 | NEWS & UPDATES

In this issue ... apply for CRI and Healing Oasis grants, technician tip winner, spotlight on Virginia-Maryland CVM, state practice acts, PacVet, and more!

President's Message

Let's Talk About Research!

One of the core missions of the AARV is to improve animal physical rehabilitation through clinical research. The AARV is proud to offer a competitive annual awards program that adds to the evidence base for veterinary rehabilitation by providing grant funds to highly meritorious applications. The first grant of the year is sponsored by Canine Rehabilitation Institute. This $5,000 grant includes the tuition for their online course Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Research that runs from September 9th - November 18th, 2019. We are on the second call for submissions with the final deadline being July 1st.

Another exciting opportunity for our rehabilitation technician members is a chance to present a case study at the 2019 Healing Oasis Convention in Lombard, Illinois in November. The winner will receive $1,000 towards registration, transportation and lodging to attend the conference and have a 20-minute speaking slot to discuss their case. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase the important contribution of technicians in our field. More information is provided below.

First call for the other grant opportunities will be announced in the newsletter in the coming months. There are two $2,500 grants for all AARV members, a $5,000 grant for those AARV members on the ACVSMR practice experience pathway, and last but not least, a veterinary student case report grant where the winner receives a trip to VMX in 2020. Please read about all about these grants, the format for application, and all the submission deadlines on the AARV website under our revamped Grant Opportunities page in the member section.

All always, we are appreciative of all our grant sponsors: Purina, Royal Canin, Canine Rehabilitation Institute, and The Healing Oasis Wellness Center. Their support for research makes a positive impact in the field of sports medicine and rehabilitation.

Here's hoping that all of you are looking forward to summer, and we here at the AARV look forward to seeing those research ideas and interesting cases.

Amber Ihrke, DVM, CCRT, CVA, CVSMT (Chiropractic), CVPP

Heading to the AVMA Convention?

by Katie Neforos, CVT, CCRVN, CVPP

Membership Chair

Hello, AARV members ... please join us in Washington D.C. for the AVMA Convention August 2-6, 2019. If you would be willing to spend 8 hours at the booth during the conference, the AARV will pay for your convention registration! Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested. We look forward to seeing everyone in D.C.!

Reminder: Apply for the CRI Research Grant
by July 1st!

The AARV is excited to announce that Canine Rehabilitation Institute is sponsoring a grant for research related to the field of veterinary sports medicine/rehabilitation. AARV members who are veterinarians, physical therapists, veterinary and physical therapy interns and residents, or fourth-year veterinary students (those graduating in 2020) are eligible to enter. The grant will include tuition to CRI's Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Research course that will begin on Monday, September 9, 2019, as well as $5,000 for original research.

Abstracts must be submitted by July 1, 2019. Two copies of the abstract should be submitted, one with all requested information and authors' names and one blinded without authors' names, institutions, etc. Please submit completed grant applications to AARV President Dr. Amber Ihrke at [email protected] . Applicants must be able to attend the Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Research course that will start in September 2019 as well as VMX 2021 to present their research.

Abstracts will be voted upon by the AARV board of directors and the winner will be announced by July 15, 2019. Research will be presented by the author during the AARV lecture track at VMX 2021.

Grant submission deadlines:

May 1: Second call for grant submissions
June 1: Final call for grant submissions
July 1: Grant submission deadline
July 15: Decision notified to authors
VMX 2021: Presentation of study results

For more information about Grant Submission Format, please see the Grant Opportunities page in the Members Area of the website.

Apply for the New Healing Oasis Rehabilitation Technician Case Study Grant!

The Healing Oasis Wellness Center would like to offer a $1,000 grant to a CVT / LVT / RVT / LVMT that is a member of the AARV and APRVT, to be applied towards the registration, transportation, and lodging to the 2019 Healing Oasis Conference. The conference will be held November 1-3, 2019 at the National University of Health Sciences, 200 E. Roosevelt Rd., Lombard, Illinois. The conference theme is "Integration and Understanding: The Missing Links to Recovery."

Requirements to be considered for the grant:

Be an AARV/APRVT member in good standing or an approved APRVT pre-applicant with AIN number.
To provide a case report with a clinical explanation of why and how (from the functional point of view) the case improved. References must be included. The winner will present the case report during a 20-minute time slot during the conference to the general audience (Friday or Sunday).
Case report must follow the AARV submittal protocol.
Deadline for submitting case report: August 15, 2019.
Case report must be submitted to the following address: [email protected].
Submission will be evaluated by the AARV Board (after submission has been rendered anonymous) and voted on.

Winner of the grant will be listed on the AARV and APRVT website and newsletter during the first week of September 2019.

Case Report submission deadlines:

June 1: First call for submissions
July 1: Second call for submissions
August 1: Final call for submissions
August 15: Submission deadline
September 1: Decision notified to winner
November 1-3, 2019: Presentation of case report

For more information about the Case Report Submission Format, please see the Grant Opportunities page in the Members Area of the website.

Congratulations to our April Technician Tips Winner!

Adjustable treadmill seat Technician Tip winner

Lori Lutskas, LVT, CCRP
Small Animal Integrative Medicine
Washington State University

Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Lori suggested an underwater treadmill trick to make her life easier and safer for her body. (Pictured is a seat from Ferno but she says it could be done with other seat fabrics/frames.)

How to make an adjustable seat for your treadmill:

Take PVC pipe and 90° elbows to make your seat.
Place your seat so that one leg length is at 11" and the other is at 5".
Lori used marine vinyl fabric for the seat; this fabric has lasted for more than 10 years (she had to replace the Ferno fabric in the second year).
She put rivets in the fabric and strung the seat onto the frame.
She has found the two different leg heights to be a must! This way you can tip the seat over for the size of your patient. This saves her back when gait patterning that paraparetic dachshund.

Our Technician Liaison Sandy Gregory, M Ed, RVT, CCRA, would like to thank Lori for her tip and to all the technicians who entered ideas in April* - we'd love to hear more in May!

*Those who entered tips in April are eligible to resubmit their same tips (or new/additional ones!) in the May contest.

Is there something that you think other members of the AARV network would benefit from learning that you have up your sleeve in the field of rehab?

The AARV understands and appreciates the integral role all certified rehabilitation technicians play on a daily basis for patients and doctors. Please contact our Technician Liaison Sandy Gregory with your technician tip(s) before May 31 to be considered. These can range from simple advice when seeing a new patient or ways to maximize treatment time during an appointment. Please provide a photo/headshot and your professional accreditations.

The chosen technician will have their tip featured in the June AARV newsletter and posted on AARV social media channels as well as receive a Starbucks gift card, a donation from the AARV to a charity/organization of their choosing and will receive a FREE YEAR OF AARV TECHNICIAN MEMBERSHIP.

SPOTLIGHT PRACTICE

Rehabilitation at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Canine rehabilitation got its first footing at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. We have had quite a few ups and downs in building our program but now have a full-time LVT, CCRP supported by 3 DVMs. Flori Bliss (LVT, CCRP) has been a part of our development since the very earliest phases and has spent many years working closely with board-certified orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Theresa E. Pancotto has been at VMCVM since 2008; she is a board-certified neurologist (2011) and became certified in canine rehabilitation in 2012. Drs. Virginia Corrigan (DABVP) and Avril Arendse (DACVIM, neurology) joined the college in 2016 and will write their examinations this fall.

An elective in physical rehabilitation and complementary medicine is offered to the third-year veterinary students. We join forces with our equine rehabilitation team to teach this 2-credit course. The course includes instruction on therapeutic exercise, various modalities (laser, e-stim, shockwave, therapeutic ultrasound, PEMF), acupuncture, and nutrition. There are hands-on labs with both dogs and horses. Enrollment this year was 76!

Continue reading about Rehabilitation at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine ...

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Check Our Website for Updated Links to Veterinary and Physical Therapy State Practice Acts!

by Theresa Pancotto, DVM, MS, MS, DACVIM(N), CCRP

Legislative Liaison

Hello, AARV members! I spent the first quarter of this year updating the AARV webpage links to state practice acts. I identified 14 page errors and 2 out-of-date veterinary practice act links as well as 10 page errors and 1 out-of-date physical therapy practice act link. Once I located the most up-to-date versions and had the website updated, I verified all the links.

In the coming months, I hope to dedicate time to reviewing each veterinary state practice act, specifically where they cover the practice of physical rehabilitation/animal physical therapy. You can expect to see a brief discussion in the coming AARV newsletters.

Legalese is confusing, and you will notice that practice acts deal with laws, statutes, and rules. A practice act is an official name for a passed bill that defines the scope and practice of an occupation. The practice act also outlines licensing requirements and penalties for violations. Statutes are laws that are intended to be permanent; not all laws will become statutes. Rules are created by the executive branch and not by the legislature and are intended to "implement or make specific the law enforced." Additionally, the weight of breaking a statute or law versus a rule carries more severe consequences. Most state practice acts consist of statutes and rules.

If you have questions or know of updates to practice acts, please contact me at [email protected].

Have You Searched Our Articles of Interest Database?

AARV now has a searchable Articles of Interest Database, available to AARV members in the Members Area of its website.

The database includes Articles of Interest from January 2018 through April 2019 and contains approximately 230 articles. We will keep adding more articles to the database each month. We also will continue to include links to our past Articles of Interest from 2010 to the present in PDF format. All Articles of Interest have been selected by AARV founder Dr. Julia Tomlinson because of their relevance to the field of veterinary rehabilitation.

To search the database, log in to the Members Area of the website and go to the Articles of Interest Database page. Enter a keyword, author's name, or other search term to begin your search. A list of matching article abstracts will be displayed. A link to the full version of the journal article will be provided if available.

AARV is continuing to add journal articles to the database each month to develop its usefulness as a research tool. Our thanks to Dr. Julia Tomlinson for selecting relevant journal articles each month and AARV Secretary Dr. Andrea Henderson for preparing the articles for the database.

Check the AARV Calendar for Upcoming Events

Want to learn which courses are coming up at Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI), Healing Oasis, and CuraCore? Check the AARV Calendar of Events on our website, which contains upcoming rehabilitation classes and other continuing education events. You can also visit the Canine Rehabilitation Institute, Healing Oasis, and CuraCore websites directly to learn more about their courses.

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 [email protected] and be sure to include the name of the event, speaker, topic, date, time, location and URL. Rehabilitation related events/classes only, please.

Achieved Anything Lately?

We want to feature YOU, AARV member!

Your new accreditation, training course completion, announcement, board exam, etc. could be featured on our Instagram and Facebook pages if you let us know!

Contact our Social Media Consultant Caitlin King with your milestones. You provide photos and details. We make the bragging rights to the AARV community happen!

Connect with the AARV on LinkedIn!

Let's network! Connect with the AARV on LinkedIn by clicking on this link or the LinkedIn logo at right.

TECHNICIAN CORNER

Continuing Education Alert!

by Sandy Gregory, M Ed, RVT, CCRA
AARV Technician Liaison

The president of the Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians, Kristen Hagler, will be presenting an ALL-DAY lecture track on rehabilitation-related topics this year at PacVet. PacVet is coming to sunny Long Beach, California! Join us for the 2019 Pacific Veterinary Conference in Long Beach, California, on June 21-24. Take advantage of four days of CE, learning, networking, exciting events, and much more!

The three-day Technician Track is filled with exciting topics, including rehabilitation, behavior, emergency and critical care and internal medicine. Don't miss out on Sunday after all the learning for a Technician Fair celebrating YOU!

For more information and to register, visit the PacVet website. To take a peek at the schedule, click here.

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 [email protected] 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 Sandy Gregory, M. Ed, RVT, CCRA, AARV Technician Liaison, at [email protected] to submit an article (suggested length of 200-300 words) or suggest a topic.

CLASSIFIED AD

Rehabilitation Veterinarian, Vancouver, Washington

Cascade Park Animal Hospital in Vancouver, WA is seeking a rehabilitation veterinarian for our practice. The practice has a well-established referral base with equipment including two underwater treadmills and many types of equipment for dry land therapy in a large dedicated space. Also, dedicated rehab technicians with extensive experience. The doctor needs to be certified in rehabilitation and able to consult with referral sources to create and oversee a specific rehab program for each pet. Doctor will also need to reach out to referral sources to inform them of the available services we can provide. Please send CV to [email protected].

CLASSIFIED AD

Canine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation ACVSMR Residency, Burnsville, Minnesota

Twin Cities Animal Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine is offering an ACVSMR residency position in 2020. Located in the Twin Cities metro (ranked in the top 10 places to live in the US), this program aims for excellent clinical and technical competency. Research is also strongly supported. Our clinic sees over 45% sporting dogs. The resident will have training in diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound, interventional procedures, (e.g. preparation/administration of PRP), and orthoses and prostheses (including modifying devices). Resident compensation includes health insurance, dues, and licensing fee. Registration and expenses are covered for continuing education. For more information, please email [email protected] or visit www.virmp.org.

CLASSIFIED AD

Rehabilitation Veterinarian, Fort Collins, Colorado

Advanced Animal Care is looking for a Rehabilitation Veterinarian (CCRP or CCRT) to join our team! We are a progressive, AAHA accredited, Fear Free certified, AAFP Cat Friendly Practice. We have a collaborative team approach to practicing medicine with a reputation of high standard care in our community. Our 9,000 square foot, state of the art facility includes a full rehabilitation center with an indoor pool, underwater treadmill, and full-time dedicated rehabilitation practitioner. We work closely with mobile boarded surgeons and boast a large surgical suite with the ability to perform arthroscopic and laparoscopic surgeries. Our clients love the convenience of our attached lodging, doggy daycare, and grooming facilities! Please send resumes to Julianne Boisvert at [email protected].

CLASSIFIED AD

Veterinarian Rehabilitation Director, Houston, Texas

Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists is currently seeking a veterinarian, with a CCRP, and experience in veterinary rehabilitation to be our Rehabilitation Director in our brand-new state of the art 51,000 sq ft facility! Preference may be given to applicants certified in sports medicine and/or acupuncture (or in the process of gaining certification). The Animal Rehabilitation and Fitness department has a robust internal/external referral caseload and has been in existence for over 16 years! Competitive compensation and a full range of benefits including health, dental, vision, long-term disability, life insurance, time off for vacation and CE, and a 401(k) plan. To apply, contact Patrick O'Keefe at [email protected].

CLASSIFIED AD

Full-Time and Part-Time Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Technicians, Tampa, Florida

Florida Veterinary Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine is seeking both a part-time and full-time veterinary rehabilitation technician. We are a growing sports medicine and rehabilitation practice dedicated to high-quality patient care. We have a broad caseload of sporting dogs covering many disciplines as well as pet dogs recovering from a variety of orthopedic and neurologic issues. We are offer all rehabilitation modalities (laser, ultrasound, underwater and land treadmill, etc) and therapies in our 1 year old facility. You can learn more about our practice at www.floridavetrehab.com. Please submit cover letter and resume to [email protected].

CLASSIFIED AD

Rehabilitation Technician, Seattle

Join our growing team! Sound Veterinary Rehabilitation Center is a group of dedicated, passionate rehabilitation veterinarians, technicians, assistants and patient care coordinators that love our job! Our practice culture is supportive and inclusive, recognizing and valuing the skills and dedication of our veterinary technicians and staff. We offer full service rehabilitation, sports medicine and regenerative medicine services and are partners with the regions premier orthopedic surgery practice, Animal Surgical Clinic of Seattle.
Highly competitive salary and generous benefits. Must be CCRA/CCRVN/CCRP or eligible.
Learn more here: https://soundvetrehab.com/about-sound/join-our-team/
Please submit a resume WITH COVER LETTER by email to [email protected].

Interested in submitting a classified ad or becoming a sponsor?
See the Submit an Advertisement or Sponsorship page on our website.

Please take a moment to visit our sponsors!

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TIER 1: EDUCATION AND RESEARCH SPONSORS