If you have registered for an in-person class, CRI will contact you and provide a link so you may submit your proof of COVID vaccination or negative test. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com.

Our Canine Therapeutic Exercise course, taught by Suzie Stoke, MSPT, CCRT, will be held March 19-20, 2022, at CVSG in Littleton, Colorado. This popular course will help all rehabilitation therapists and nurses to add new exercise progressions with hands-on practice teaching novice dogs how to perform each new exercise. Sign up today!

Learn about the newest technology at our 1-hour webinar — Practical Application of Shock Wave Therapy in Canine Rehabilitation — on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 8:00 PM EST. Expert faculty Jennifer Vitucci, DVM, CCRT, and Carolina Medina, DVM, DACVSMR, CCRT, will explain the science behind shock wave therapy and provide the best practices for clinical application of this modality.

Thanks to the generous support of PulseVet, this webinar is only $49. Space is limited to 30 participants. Register today to reserve your seat!

"You are an amazing group of instructors — this was a great course [Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation] and I very much like the way it was taught with lecture, lab and clay modeling to help solidify the information. I also felt it was great to mix with PTs and RVTs/LVTs to gain their perspective and knowledge."

CRI will be traveling to several in-person veterinary conferences in 2022. We were in the exhibit halls at VMX in Orlando in January and will be at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in San Antonio in February, the World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress/Veterinary Orthopedic Society annual conference in Colorado in February, the IVAPM/AARV Pain Management Forum in Denver in April, and the AAVA Annual Meeting in Memphis in April.

CRI faculty member Dr. Bonnie Wright, the lead instructor in our Acupuncture Program, will be lecturing at this event. To learn more, visit: https://ivapm.org/pain-management-forum/.

Veterinarians: If you are thinking about attending our spring 2022 acupuncture modules, sign up today before they are sold out! We encourage everyone to register for a complete 3-Module Acupuncture Certification Package and receive a $500 discount!

We will now be offering our three Acupuncture Program modules twice each year, with one set in the spring and one set in the fall. To encourage students to complete the three modules in the most effective way with the best retention of material, we will provide a $500 discount for anyone who registers for and attends all three modules in sequence. Please see the Acupuncture Program page for complete details.

Acupuncture modules are held in person in Littleton, Colorado, with small group sizes. The following modules are open for registration:

Remember, save $500 when you register for all three modules in our new 3-Module Acupuncture Certification Package. Please see the Course Schedule on our website for all upcoming course dates.

Thinking about enrolling in our Acupuncture Program? Students give our acupuncture modules wonderful reviews!

– Erin True, DVM, CCRT, CVAT, Elk Grove, California

Acupuncture Modules 1-3 are RACE approved by the AAVSB for 40 credit hours each. Visit our website to learn more, and register today to reserve your seat!

"The best instructors ever!"

– Christy McCratic, DVM, CCRT, CVSMT, CVAT, Crystal Lake, Illinois

Veterinary students: You are eligible to enroll in our Acupuncture modules after your first year of veterinary school. Please see our Veterinary Student Certification page for information about our 20% student discount.

Already certified? If you are already certified in acupuncture, be sure to check out our accelerated program for more hands-on training and increased knowledge of neurophysiology-based acupuncture. In the accelerated program, students watch the online videos for two of the three modules, and then attend one live module (either Module 2 or 3) for additional hands-on training. For the live module, we strongly recommend students attend Veterinary Medical Acupuncture for Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Patients (Module 2). Students must watch the videos from Introduction to Veterinary Medical Acupuncture (Module 1) before taking the in-person module.

CRI's Certified Veterinary Acupuncture Therapist Program is recognized by the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, the U.S. affiliate of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Those enrolled in our program can sign up at AAVA.org as active members. Upon successful completion of the CVAT program, graduates can notify AAVA, and their status will be changed to credentialed members of AAVA.

The Business of Canine Rehabilitation is a 3-week online course that provides vital information for anyone planning to expand their services, change from private practice to rehabilitation, add rehabilitation to an existing practice, or start a mobile practice.

Topics covered include business plans, permits and licenses, designing and equipping a rehabilitation practice, veterinary practice software, pricing and inventory management, staffing and human resource management, marketing: social media and traditional, and

The Business of Canine Rehabilitation will be held online on March 9, 16, and 23, 2022, starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. The course consists of three Zoom sessions, each lasting between 90 and 120 minutes, interspersed with video presentations and online materials. The course is led by three instructors, each with busy, growing, successful rehabilitation practices.

Seats are limited. Learn more about the course, and register today to reserve your space!

If you are interested in these courses, visit our website to register, or contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com for more information.

We are excited to announce that our Canine Sports Medicine module will be offered May 21-23, 2022, at Het Waterhof in Velm, Belgium! Enjoy spring in the picturesque Belgian countryside while learning about canine sports medicine, the fast-growing world of canine sporting competitions, and rehabilitation techniques that can be used to support both canine athletes and family pets. This course will be taught by expert faculty member Chris Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVP, DACVSMR, CCRT, CVSMT, CVA, who lectures internationally about canine sports medicine. If you are interested in this course, please contact Ellen Martens at ellen.martens@hetwaterhof.com for more details.

Registration is also now open for Canine Sports Medicine July 8-10, 2022, at CVSG in Littleton, Colorado! We encourage nurses/technicians in our CCRVN program to take the April Canine Rehabilitation Veterinary Nurse module and the July Canine Sports Medicine module. We believe this combination is the BEST way for nurses to earn their CCRVN! Please contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com with any questions.

Dr. Janet Van Dyke, CRI’s CEO, was recently interviewed as part of a podcast series, “Beyond Badass: How Fierce Women Get It Done,” hosted by former ABC News anchor Ann Abernethy. Learn how canine rehabilitation and CRI got started, and hear about her efforts to mentor and empower women in the veterinary field.

We are excited to announce that CRI's promotional piece for our Public TV program was shown nationally on Fox Business News in September, and our longer video segment is now being shown on 400 Public TV networks across the country. To see it, check your local programming for Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid.

To see CRI's full-length video (just over 8 minutes long), visit the News page on our website.

Our 2022 courses continue to fill up quickly and several are sold out! Register today to save your seat in the location you prefer!

Veterinary technicians/nurses: Our Canine Rehabilitation Veterinary Nurse module in April 2022 is almost full! This course includes independent study and an in-person session on April 23-25 in Littleton, Colorado. (Note: Due to improved online content, we are able to provide all necessary pre-course materials without needing an interactive Zoom session.) We encourage all eligible nurses to sign up now before the class is sold out. Register today to reserve your seat!

We are offering a $350 discount for any nurses who take our Canine Sports Medicine module as their elective for CCRVN certification. Registration is now open for our July 8-10 module in Littleton, Colorado. Register today and make sure you have a seat!

Our core rehabilitation courses combine online coursework and in-person lab sessions. Space is limited, so we encourage you to register now, or contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com if you are interested in attending these upcoming courses.

Please check our website for the most up-to-date course schedule.

Remember that we also offer discounted 2-course packages for either (1) Clinical Skills plus Clinical Applications or (2) Canine Rehabilitation Veterinary Nurse plus Canine Sports Medicine. We also offer a discounted 3-module package for our Acupuncture modules. Please see our Registration page for more details. If you are not sure when you plan to take a course, you may choose the option of a "Future" class. "Future" registrations may be subject to tuition increases. (Learn more.)

If you have previously registered for a "Future" course and wish to attend a class that is now open for registration, be sure to contact CRI and tell us which course you would like to attend. This is the only way to guarantee you have a seat in the course.

Register today, and reserve your seats in these classes!

We are planning to hold our next Introduction to Ultrasound Techniques / Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound course during the third quarter of 2022 at Sound's Academy of Veterinary Imaging in Arlington, Texas.

"The entire class was extremely useful and appropriate for the audience. The instructors were excellent and provided different tips and tricks. The instructors made a challenging area of vetmed understandable and easy to learn. Thank you!!!!"

– Carolina Medina, DVM, CVA, CVCH, CVT, CVFT, CCRT, DACVSMR, Coral Springs, Florida

– Kenneth Bruecker, DVM, MS, DACVS, DACVSMR, Moorpark, California

If you are interested in attending the next course, please contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com so we can add your name to our interest list.

We are making a few changes to our CCRVN certification program for veterinary nurses/technicians to improve the elective portion of the program. These changes apply to students who take the Canine Rehabilitation Veterinary Nurse module in 2022 or later.

Please visit our Course Schedule page for an up-to-date list of upcoming courses. If you are interested in taking a course, please register or contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com to join our interest list.

We have sent our "Mentor Minute" newsletter to all current internship mentors. If you are a mentor and did not receive it or if your practice would like to join our internship team, please contact internship@caninerehabinstitute.com.

Our CRI Member Library is now open to all veterinarians! During this time when it is difficult to get CE credits due to travel restrictions, the CRI Member Library is a great way to fulfill most states' current continuing education requirements!

For $795, students can have unlimited access for one year to our CRI Member Library! The CRI Member Library now includes 77+ hours of RACE-approved online courses taught by our expert faculty - and content continues to grow! Our new 3-hour Feline Rehabilitation and Pain Management course will be added to the CRI Member Library in January 2022.

Already have a subscription to the CRI Member Library? Renew your annual subscription for a $250 renewal fee! We have added hours of continuing education content this year and will continue to add more online content in 2022.

All veterinarians can subscribe to the CRI Member Library. Physical therapists and veterinary technicians/nurses that have successfully completed Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation (including the exam) can subscribe. CCRPs are also welcome to subscribe. Veterinary technicians/nurses need to submit a valid Employment Agreement Letter.

See the CRI Member Library page on our website to learn more and sign up today! Be sure to indicate in the Checkout process that you have completed Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation or are a CCRP.

Subscriptions are now available to our CRI Acupuncture Member Library, a separate online library just for acupuncture content! For $150, students can have unlimited access for one year to our CRI Acupuncture Member Library with recordings of six acupuncture webinars. Keep expanding your knowledge and skills by learning from our expert faculty!

Please note that the six acupuncture webinars are also included in our main CRI Member Library. If you subscribe to the CRI Member Library, you do not need a separate subscription to the CRI Acupuncture Member Library.

The CRI Acupuncture Member Library is available to veterinarians who have completed CRI's Introduction to Veterinary Medical Acupuncture (Module 1) and veterinarians who have been certified in acupuncture through CRI or another program can subscribe. During the registration process, please be sure you indicate that you have completed Introduction to Veterinary Medical Acupuncture (Module 1) or have been certified in acupuncture.

Please see our CRI Acupuncture Member Library page for complete details and a link to subscribe.

Are you an intern or resident who needs to complete a research project? Our comprehensive Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Research course can take you from "How to write a hypothesis" to launching your pilot study.

We are planning to offer this course in 2022. Please contact us to add your name to our interest list. This online course, led by faculty member Dr. Chris Zink, includes 10 live discussions held once a week and is limited to 15 students to allow ample time for interaction.

Our Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Research course has received great reviews from students!

Please contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com to add your name to our interest list for this class.

CRI is honored to have three faculty members and graduates selected for PulseVet's new Small Animal Advisory Board. Congratulations to CRI faculty members Dr. Janet Van Dyke, Dr. Leilani Alvarez, and Dr. Carolina Medina for their selection to this board. The PulseVet Small Animal Advisory Board includes well-recognized leaders in veterinary orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, and rehabilitation in both academia and private practice. Read more.

Dr. Janet Van Dyke, CRI's founder and CEO, was recently featured on Fueled: A Sporting Dog Podcast presented by Eukanuba™ and hosted by Dr. Joe Spoo. In this episode, Dr. Spoo and Dr. Van Dyke discuss canine rehabilitation — what it is and what training looks like. Listen to the podcast.

CRI's founder and CEO Janet Van Dyke, DVM, ACVSMR, MANZCVS, CCRT, serves as secretary of the chapter. Yoko Clinch, BSc BVMS (Hons), MANZCVS, CCRT, is the president, and Jane McNae, BVSc, MACVSc (Surg), MRCVS, PG Cert (Med Ed), FHEA, CCRT, is the sponsor liaison.

The chapter held its inaugural lecture track in July at this year’s ANZCVS Science Week, and CRI veteran faculty member Sasha Foster, MSPT, CCRT, was selected to be the keynote address presenter.

For more information, please visit the Chapter's website.

Research Update from Canine Home Exercises

Read the study from American Journal of Veterinary Research 

The Study: A canine study was conducted comparing the strain on the common calcaneal tendon during trotting before and after immobilization of the tarsal joint. Strain was measured with a surgically implanted strain gauge in the tendinous portion of the gastrocnemius muscle. Surface electromyography (EMG) values, percentage strain, and ground reaction forces were measured before and after immobilization. Peak vertical force; vertical impulse; initial, maximum, and final strain; and peak-to-peak EMG amplitude were recorded.

Study Limitations: Small study size, location of the strain gauge might have changed results.

Impact on Clinical Practice: Immobilization of the tarsal joint did not eliminate calcaneal tendon strain during weight bearing in dogs. Decreased isometric muscle contraction during the swing phase was noted. Rehabilitation therapists should be aware that use of an external device does not eliminate strain through the tendon.

A note from Sasha: Other research has indicated eccentric muscle contractions promote fiber alignment in healing tendons. This study indicates strain of the CCT continues in a device, which may be beneficial for tendon healing. In my clinical experience, care should be taken to not allow for increased tarsal flexion angles in the healing phase. This may cause strain to failure in the surgical patient.

CRI is pleased to be a sponsor of Canine Arthritis Resources and Education (CARE). Osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions you will see in your practice, with at least 1 in 5 dogs developing the disease in their lifetime. As the leading cause of chronic pain, OA can have a significant impact on the quality of life for your patients, and for your clients who are caring for dogs in pain.

CARE was founded by CRI faculty member Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, MS, PhD, CCRT, DACVS, DACVSMR, as a central resource to answer the most common questions about OA that she encounters from colleagues around the world. The website covers everything from diagnosing developmental orthopedic diseases to nutrition and weight loss, rehabilitation, pain management, lifestyle modifications, and more. There are resources to share with clients, as well as extensive, evidence-based content for dog owners to help them manage their dog's OA at home. Visit the CARE website to learn more.

Email info@onlinepethealth.com for more information, or head over to their website www.onlinepethealth.com.

Attention, physical therapists and PT students! You can now register for CRI courses during your final year in PT school and start your certification as a canine rehabilitation therapist as soon as you have graduated and are licensed! We will NO LONGER require that you graduate before registering for courses. This will allow you to achieve your dream of working with animals much sooner!

Have questions? Contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com. We are very excited to continue helping more and more PTs along this exciting journey! 

Certification in Canine Rehabilitation (CCRT): Students can start their training by taking Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation any time after their first year. They can then take the second module, Clinical Skills, any time after their second year. After their third year, they can take the last module, Clinical Applications, followed by a 40-hour internship. Certification will be awarded when the students obtain their veterinary licenses.

Certification in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture (CVAT): Students can start their training by taking Introduction to Veterinary Medical Acupuncture any time after their first year. They can then take the second module, Veterinary Medical Acupuncture for Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Patients any time after their second year, and the last module, Canine and Feline Medical Acupuncture, any time after their third year. Certification will be awarded when the students obtain their veterinary licenses.

For complete details, please see our Veterinary Student Certification page or contact us at info@caninerehabinstitute.com.

CRI is pleased to announce the creation of The Tayla Fund, in memory of Tayla, a long-time favorite demo dog and the beloved companion of Janessa Shine, an O.R. nurse at Coral Springs Animal Hospital.

Donations to The Tayla Fund are tax-deductible and will be used to pay for rehabilitation at Coral Springs Animal Hospital for clients who cannot afford it.

To make a tax-deductible donation, use the button below to donate to Coral Springs Animal Hospital's charitable fund through the Veterinary Care Charitable Fund. Please be sure to select Coral Springs Animal Hospital as the recipient and specify "The Tayla Fund" in the Donor Name(s) for Public Recognition section of the donation form.

In January, we were pleased to welcome students for our Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation and Clinical Applications modules at Coral Springs Animal Hospital in Coral Springs, Florida. It was great to use CSAH's new classroom space and state-of-the-art audiovisual system for portions of our class. We also enjoyed welcoming back students for Veterinary Medical Acupuncture for Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Patients (Module 2) at Colorado Veterinary Specialty Group in Littleton, Colorado.

Students and faculty posed for a class photo during Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation, held January 8-11 in Coral Springs, Florida.

Students, faculty, and a demo dog gathered for a class photo during Veterinary Medical Acupuncture for Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Patients (Module 2), held January 21-23 in Littleton, Colorado.

CRI is offering a 10% discount on most continuing education courses to members of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society (VOS) and the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians (AARV), as well as CRI graduates (CCRTs, CCRVNs, and CCRAs).

Please visit our Continuing Education page for a list of eligible courses and our FAQ page for more details. Note that continuing education courses do not include core rehabilitation or acupuncture courses taken for certification.

Please check our Coral Springs, Florida Travel page and our Littleton, Colorado Travel page for more details about each hotel and reservation links!

Amy says, "When he was just 1 day old, he was found in a dumpster with his litter mates. A Good Samaritan picked them up and brought them to Coral Springs Animal Hospital. When he was 2 days old, I just knew he was the pup I had been looking for. I spent many countless hours bottle feeding and tending to him, and would not change a thing. He is my soul dog! His favorite things are being around people and going on adventures. He loves to swim, go on hikes, and spend quality time with any of his favorite people."

In recognition of this honor, Chubbs will receive a $50 gift certificate from Jiminy's good for any of their treats or dog food. Congratulations, Chubbs, and enjoy your yummy Jiminy's treats!

The Breezie Demo Dog of the Month Award is given in memory of Breezie, who was the lead demo dog for our Coral Springs courses for more than 9 years and helped to educate more than 800 veterinary and physical therapy professionals. She was such a great demo dog that our faculty would beg to have her in their small group sessions. Breezie's favorite holiday was Halloween when she was always the best dressed dog in Coral Springs!

Are you following CRI on Facebook? Be sure to stay connected for the most up-to-date news and photos from our courses. Tag your friends and colleagues and share our posts to spread the word about veterinary rehabilitation!

Have You Looked at CRI's Online Job Postings?  

If you are considering a new position in canine rehabilitation, be sure to check out the Jobs page on the CRI website, which has numerous listings. Recent postings include openings for rehabilitation veterinarians, physical therapists, and technicians/nurses in Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Ontario, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, Utah, New York, Delaware, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Texas, Maryland, Tennessee, and New Jersey.

If you have a job opening that you would like to publicize, please use our online Job Posting Form to submit your listing.

CRI students and graduates, please remember that you may only use protected terms such as "physical therapy" and "veterinary medicine" in your advertising materials if you are licensed in these fields. We discuss protected terms during Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation, and we hope everyone continues to remember and follow the recommendations provided.

If you are a CRI graduate, please check your listing in the Find a Therapist online directory and make sure the contact information is correct. If you have any updates, please email Joyce Rudzitis, CRI's chief operating officer.

For more information, download the Sponsorship Opportunities flier or contact Emily Selbe.