• September 1: Final call for submissions
• October 1: Case report submission deadline
• October 15: Decision notified to authors
• VMX 2020: Presentation of study results

Now Taking Applications for Tripawd Rehab Reimbursement

"Just let your dog be a dog," our veterinarian advised when our dog Jerry lost a front leg to osteosarcoma. If only we had known about the importance of rehabilitation therapy! Today, the Tripawds Foundation that Jerry inspired is educating pet parents with new amputees so they never have to learn the hard way like we did, through the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab.

Sadly, most Tripawd parents still do not know of the importance of seeing a credentialed rehabilitation practitioner. We are trying to change that, by getting Tripawd parents through your clinic doors as soon as possible after surgery. When they do, their first visit is on us!

Thanks to generous sponsors and donors who support the Maggie Moo Fund for Tripawd Rehab, the Tripawds Foundation will grant up to $200 in reimbursement to any member who visits a certified animal rehabilitation therapist for a first-time evaluation. Anyone can qualify; this is not a need-based grant.

"This experience showed me that going to rehab is a critical step in aftercare for any amputee. It taught me why my dog is uncomfortable, where he is uncomfortable, and exactly how to fix it so he can live a pain-free, quality life," says Piper's mom, a recipient.

We want more Tripawds to experience the benefits of rehabilitation therapy and appreciate your letting clients know about this valuable program.

Got questions? Contact Tripawds Foundation today. We are here to help you help Tripawds everywhere. Stay tuned for additional AARV and Tripawds Foundation partnerships!

The Niagara Canine Conditioning Centre is the result of a unique and equal partnership between a veterinarian, Keri Evers, and a physiotherapist, Barbara Lee, who are both certified in canine rehabilitation and AARV members! You may recognize this practice from last month's AARV Achievement Newsletter highlight section.

It is the first (and still the only) full-service, rehab-only facility for pets in the Niagara Peninsula, opening its doors on Feb. 1, 2016. Although it says "canine" in the name, dogs and cats alike benefit from the expertise and collaboration of therapists from both sides of the field and a facility which enables them to exercise year-round. We offer LASER, therapeutic ultrasound, TENS, NMES, acupuncture, massage therapy and manual therapy. Our gym is fully stocked with FitPaws and TotoFit equipment as well as 2 land treadmills. We also have an 18' x 10' swimming pool that is used for rehab and recreational swimming. We added a Stance Analyzer in 2018, which has been a great tool for developing a baseline and monitoring progress, especially in our CCLD patients. Our main caseload is CCLD and IVDD dogs, both surgical and medical management cases. We also have a large senior dog population, which is growing with the introduction of our new senior care program that features the LASER acupuncture protocol taught at STAAR 2019. Another popular program is our wheelchair rental plan ... we often joke that we have a small fleet running around Niagara. Continue reading about the Niagara Canine Conditioning Centre ...

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

Legislative Liaison

Now that all of the AARV links to practice acts are updated, I'm going through each state at random and providing an interpretation of the acts to better guide individuals in managing physical rehabilitation as it pertains to their practice and state.

Interpretation
"Physical Therapy/Physical Therapist" are protected terms in the state of Virginia covered by the Code of Virginia. Within either chapter, there are no specific provisions addressing animal "physical therapy" or physical rehabilitation.

Recommendations to veterinarians who wish to practice physical medicine in the state of Virginia include using terminology such as "physical rehabilitation" or "physical medicine." Although a licensed physical therapist practicing physical therapy on a non-human species is not explicitly prohibited or covered, performing therapies consistent with physical medicine on an animal may be interpreted as practicing veterinary medicine without a license based on provisions set forth in Chapter 38.

Any person shall be regarded as practicing veterinary medicine within the meaning of this chapter who represents himself, directly or indirectly, publicly or privately, as a veterinary doctor or uses any title, words, abbreviation or letters in a manner or under circumstances which may reasonably induce the belief that the person using them is qualified to practice veterinary medicine.

Any person shall be deemed to be practicing veterinary medicine who performs the diagnosis, treatment, correction, change, relief or prevention of animal disease, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical or mental conditions; including the performance of surgery or dentistry, the prescription or administration of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, application, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance or technique, and the use of any manual or mechanical procedure for embryo transfer, for testing for pregnancy, or for correcting sterility or infertility, or to render advice or recommendation with regard to any of the above.

Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit persons permitted or authorized by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to do so from providing care for wildlife as defined in § 29.1-100, provided that the Department determines that such persons are in compliance with its regulations and permit conditions.

"Practice of physical therapy" means that branch of the healing arts that is concerned with, upon medical referral and direction, the evaluation, testing, treatment, reeducation and rehabilitation by physical, mechanical or electronic measures and procedures of individuals who, because of trauma, disease or birth defect, present physical and emotional disorders. The practice of physical therapy also includes the administration, interpretation, documentation, and evaluation of tests and measurements of bodily functions and structures within the scope of practice of the physical therapist. However, the practice of physical therapy does not include the medical diagnosis of disease or injury, the use of Roentgen rays and radium for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes or the use of electricity for shock therapy and surgical purposes including cauterization.

See the State Practice Acts page on the AARV website for links to state practice acts for every state.

 

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.

 

 

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