Biophysical Agent Modalities, Therapeutic Exercise, and Designing and Implementing an Animal Physical Rehabilitation Program (CCAT III – HANDS-ON LABS) in Raleigh, (April 27 – May 1, 2024)

Learning Objectives

After successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to:

•  Palpate on live dogs the major muscles, boney landmarks, joints, ligaments, and other anatomical structures important for rehabilitation.
•  Recognize differences in acute and chronic inflammation and the proper signs of each in clinical patients.
•  Understand the basic regulatory issues involved with canine rehabilitation.
•  Demonstrate proper understanding of the general guidelines when using physical agents as modalities.
•  Apply superficial heat and cryotherapy safely and competently as part of a laboratory experience.
•  Describe the typical parameters used in therapeutic ultrasound in small animal practice and demonstrate safe technique in preparing and applying ultrasound on dogs.
•  Understand the basic principles of electrical stimulation including parameters, electrodes, motor stimulation, sensory stimulation, and edema reduction and demonstrate proper technique on dogs.
•  Understand the basic principles of shockwave therapy in veterinary practice and demonstrate proper technique during treatment.
• Understand the basic principles of laser therapy in veterinary practice and demonstrate proper technique during treatment.
• Understand the basic principles of Pulse Electro Magnetic Frequency (PEMF) therapy in veterinary practice and demonstrate proper technique during treatment.
• Perform techniques of massage in small animal practice including its benefits, effects and general considerations.
• Demonstrate various exercise techniques on dogs in safe and proficient manner.
• Prescribe and provide therapeutic exercise programs for dogs to improve range of motion, strength, balance, endurance, and improved function.
• Understand the principles of proprioception and demonstrate useful proprioceptive exercises during canine rehabilitation.
• Proficiently demonstrate the use of various outcome measures used for the assessment of rehabilitation programs in dogs.
• Develop basic skills in understanding joint function and demonstrate proper technique with goniometry on dogs.
• Describe the use of aquatic therapy in rehabilitation and demonstrate proficiency in basic aquatic therapy with dogs.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how to safely progress a dog in a rehabilitation program.
• Develop a basic understanding of joint mobilizations along with normal and abnormal end feels in dogs.
• Understand the normal and abnormal characteristics of canine gait and be able to describe each joint relative to different parts of a gait cycle.
• Competently perform selected orthopedic/neurological evaluation/assessment techniques on live dogs with and without pathology.
• Design and implement a comprehensive rehabilitation program for commonly seen orthopedic conditions in the dog
• Design and implement a comprehensive rehabilitation program for commonly seen Neurologic conditions in the dog
• Correlate the rehabilitation program with the physiologic processes that the patient is undergoing during its rehabilitation
• Discuss reasonable time frames for treatment including when to begin treatment, frequency of treatment, and duration of treatment
• Discuss the need for and the methods of referral and communication between the referring veterinarian and the rehabilitation provider
• Document the rehabilitation programs using standardized forms