What is a veterinary physiotherapist
?
There has always been some confusion about the meaning of veterinary
physiotherapy. The term
'veterinary' is not a reserved word, merely meaning 'working with animals'. Hence a veterinary
physiotherapist is an individual who performs physiotherapy on animals. In order
to provide directed training, there are several courses now available in
the UK that provide a sound basis for producing a qualified veterinary physiotherapist.
CEPT offers one such course.
Why is
there a need for veterinary physiotherapy?
There is now a
greater understanding of the role that coordinated rehabilitation can play in an
animal's recovery from injury, illness, and after surgery. Physiotherapy can be
used from the moment of injury right through to the long term support a healed
injury or area. The benefits can be seen in event horses, show jumpers and
racing greyhounds through to the elderly animal needing help with its daily
mobility. Physiotherapy can help muscles, tendons, bones, ligaments and joints
by the proper use of massage and machinery. The knowledge behind the therapy can
only come with teaching, practice and experience.
Veterinary physiotherapy training with
CEPT
Canine and Equine Physiotherapy
Training provides a course using the facilities at the School of
Veterinary Medicine and Science on the Sutton Bonington campus of
Nottingham University. This is the newest veterinary school, and as such the
course has access to all the facilities associated with training veterinary
surgeons. The course is not academically linked with the University of Nottingham.
CEPT is a member of the UK Register of Learning Providers
(UKRLP). We are also listed on the Government's Careers Advice Service website.
What does the
course offer?
In brief, the training course is centered around a
problem-orientated approach to assessing and planning physiotherapy. Students
are educated in the basics such as anatomy, physiology and the science behind
physiotherapeutic machines. As the course progresses the teaching goes on to
biomechanics, injury and healing, neurology, treatment planning and regimes,
case progression and reassessment, back problems in horses, saddle fitting and
farriery, and racing greyhound injuries. There are also modules in the care and
rehabilitation of animals after surgery and in old age.
The course is unique for the standard
of the qualification in that there are specific lecture weekends where you are
taught with your classmates. CEPT believes this achieves a higher standard and
allows students to resolve queries directly with the lecturers, and also
generates a sense of being part of a group.
Practical
training.
The theoretical teachings of the first year are used to
provide the basis for the practical training in the second year i.e. turning
theory into practice. CEPT has access to several noted veterinary
physiotherapists, and allocates the students to different clinics and
physiotherapists in order to gain a wide experience in the treatment of horses
and dogs, both sporting and domicile.
Research.
Students are asked to write
a project or dissertation on a subject of their choice within the realm of
physiotherapy and animal care. Support and guidance for this is given from with
the CEPT team, and encourages students to think about the approaches to new
ideas and treatments, and how they are best investigated to learn the most about
the topic. A basic module in statistics is provided to start the understanding
of data preparation and analysis.
Qualification and support.
During the
course, or after gaining the Advanced Certificate in Veterinary Physiotherapy,
students may join the Institute of Registered Veterinary and Animal
Physiotherapists (IRVAP) which provides support from a group of
veterinary physiotherapists. This allows newly qualified physiotherapists to ask
for advice and treatment options from a body of experience, and thus enables a
better degree of confidence in their work. IRVAP also provides CPD days for
refreshers and new techniques.
