As a thank-you to our CRI students and friends, we will once again be offering special discounts from Black Friday to Cyber Monday! We don't want to reveal all the details yet, but look for great deals on our CRI Member Library and our Acupuncture Program.

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.

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

Learn about the newest technology at our 1-hour webinar — Practical Application of Shock Wave Therapy in Canine Rehabilitation — on Wednesday, January 22, 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!

Don't miss your chance to combine our February 12-14 Clinical Skills module with a getaway to warm and sunny Florida! Enjoy abundant sunshine, sandy beaches, and tropical scenery while expanding your skills and advancing in your rehabilitation certification program!

Students who take our February Clinical Skills module and our March 6-7 Clinical Applications module will be positioned to start their internships by May and ready to promote their new services by the summer! Register today to ensure your seat in these upcoming modules!

Sign up for a 1-year subscription to the CRI Member Library, and earn more than 60 RACE-approved CE credits through our online courses in pain management, nutrition, and aquatic therapy. See our website for complete details.

Or, register for our upcoming CE courses, being held online or near Denver, Colorado. See our Course Schedule for a complete list of upcoming courses. Don't miss this chance to use your annual CE budget to expand your knowledge and skills for better patient care!

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.

Get ready for our 2022 acupuncture modules, and plan to take a complete 3-Module Acupuncture Certification Package in the spring or fall to 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.

Students who have already completed Introduction to Veterinary Medical Acupuncture (Module 1) on October 22-24 also will receive the $500 discount if they complete Module 2 in January 2022 and Module 3 in March 2022. 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:

If you are planning to take modules later in the year, save the dates for our Fall 2022 modules. Registration will open in 2022.

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.

"I feel that CRI adequately prepared me for the things I was exposed to during my internship, and I did not realize how much I had learned until it was all in front of me. The classroom work was essential to learn the basis of modalities, anatomy, ther-ex, etc. but really the hands-on was the most important part of each session of the course. Although following along for appointments and listening in on conversations with clients was helpful, the only way to really incorporate all of this material is to do it yourself. Performing the exam, choosing the appropriate modalities and settings for treatment and knowing why you are doing it are the only ways to feel confident with this certification and to move forward. That’s what I liked most about CRI, it was so practical! I felt there was the right balance with classroom learning combined with hands-on experience."

CRI will be in the exhibit halls at VMX in Orlando in January, the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in San Antonio in February, the World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress in Snowmass, Colorado, in February, and the IVAPM/AARV Pain Management Forum in Denver in April. Come visit our booth, talk with faculty and staff, and learn more about our rehabilitation and acupuncture programs!

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 are filling up quickly! 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 a Zoom session on April 16 and an in-person session on April 23-25 in Littleton, Colorado. We encourage all eligible nurses to sign up now before the class is sold out. Register today to reserve your seat!

We also 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!

Some of our core rehabilitation courses will be held in a hybrid format with Zoom online learning sessions and small, 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 in early 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 includes 60+ hours of RACE-approved online courses taught by our expert faculty - and content continues to grow! Our Current Techniques in Canine Pain Management course has been updated and is available again in the CRI Member Library.

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 early 2021.

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

Evaluation of Kinesio Taping Applied to the Equine Thoracolumbar Spine: Clinical Response and Mechanical Nociceptive Threshold.

Read the study from the Journal of Veterinary Medical Research 

The Study: This study evaluated the analgesic effect of Kinesio Taping (KT) applied to spinous processes of the horse measuring mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) with pressure algometer. KT was applied on 5 spinous processes of 15 horses, in two different experiments, comprising KT with 50% tension and KT with no tension. Measurements were taken before application of the tape, at 60 minutes of tape application, and after tape removal at 24 hours. Clinical assessment of sensitivity to palpation was conducted before application of the tape, at 60 minutes of wear time, and 24 hours after tape removal. A significant increase in the MNTs after 60 minutes of tape application was observed with 50% tension and no tension but not maintained following its removal 24 hours later. Sensitivity to palpation decreased in practically all the spinous processes in both tests.

Study Limitations: Small sample size, pressure differentials between physical palpation and pressure algometer, difficulty finding a homogeneous group of horses with back pain.

Impact on Clinical Practice: This study in horses indicates Kinesio Tape may be considered as a pain management strategy for back pain in quadrupeds.

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.

The holiday season is the perfect time to immerse in continuing education. Onlinepethealth has a phenomenal selection of webinars airing throughout the month for small animal, equine and hydro rehabilitation therapists. For more information, stop by our website: https://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 November, we were pleased to welcome a new group of students to our Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation module at Coral Springs Animal Hospital in Coral Springs, Florida. We were excited to use CSAH's new classroom space for parts of our class.

Students, faculty, and demo dogs gathered for a class photo during the in-person session for Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation, held November 5-8 in Coral Springs, Florida.

Students enjoyed Coral Springs Animal Hospital's new classroom space with stadium seating and a state-of-the art audiovisual system.

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!

Our November Breezie Demo Dog Award Winners are Bambi and Olive, the much-loved companions of Chelsea Holm, an ICU/emergency veterinary night nurse at Coral Springs Animal Hospital.

In recognition of this honor, Bambi and Olive will receive a $50 gift certificate from Jiminy's good for any of their treats or dog food. Congratulations, Bambi and Olive, 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, California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, New York, Delaware, Louisiana, 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.