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Canine Therapeutic Exercise

Master your understanding of exercise treatment plans, modifications, and conditioning for your rehabilitation patients!

Course Description

Canine Therapeutic Exercise is the third of four modules for the CCRVT/CCRVN and CCRA certifications. It is also a CE course for veterinarians and physical therapists, rehabilitation certified veterinary technicians/assistants.

This course provides students with an understanding of how exercise affects tissue physiology. Students will learn to evaluate and apply appropriate exercises for different stages of healing and how to progress exercises through the rehabilitation phase into the return-to-activity phase. Detailed exercise programs for orthopedic, neurological, post-operative, geriatric, and canine athlete cases are presented, demonstrated, and practiced. Students will learn case-specific exercises tailored to in-clinic and at-home settings.


Prerequisites:

This course consists of 2 hours of online pre-course material and a 2-day in-person course. It is open to licensed veterinarians, physical therapists, and veterinary technicians/nurses who have taken Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation. Veterinarians and physical therapists, veterinary technicians/assistants who are certified in canine rehabilitation by VAHL (CCRP), Healing Oasis (VMRT), Chi Institute (CCRV), CuraCore (CRPM), or Northeast Seminars (CCAT), and veterinarians who have earned their DACVSMR and are practicing canine rehabilitation are eligible to take this course. Non-credentialed veterinary assistants must submit a Letter of Recommendation from their supervising veterinarian or physical therapist.

Online Pre-course Videos: 2 hours

All students will have approximately 2 hours of pre-course online work to complete before the in-person session. We will send you instructions for accessing the recourse work approximately 60 days before the start of class.

Please note: All videos must be viewed to receive full CE credit for this course portion.

Days in Class: 2

RACE Approved for 16 Credit hours by the AAVSB

Note: The last day of class ends early to allow students the opportunity to return home that evening. Do not make airline reservations that require you to depart class before 3:00 P.M.



Additional Course Information

Course Fee: $1989

Course Notes: Sixty days before the start of the in-person class, registrants will receive access to the pre-course videos that must be viewed before the in-person class. Approximately 15 hours of online coursework must be completed before attending the in-person course.


2025 Class Date:

August 25-26, 2025

Course Instructor:

Suzie Stoke, MSPT, CCRT


Topics Covered:

  • The effects of therapeutic exercises on mechanotransduction, tissue repair, and stages of healing
  • Creating a comprehensive conditioning program based on balance, strength, endurance, and flexibility exercises
  • Advancing canine exercises for each stage of healing based on weight-bearing status, types of muscle contractions, strength, and overload principle
  • Age-appropriate exercise programs for geriatric cases
  • Recognizing soreness or setbacks
  • Conditioning programs for canine athletes and therapeutic exercises for common agility injuries


Class Times:

Days 1: 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Central Time

Day 2: 8 A.M. to 3 P.M. Central Time

Note: The last day of class ends early to allow students the opportunity to return home that evening. Do not make airline reservations that require you to depart class before 3:00 P.M.


Examination:

At the end of the course, students are given a take-home, open-book final exam that they have 14 days to complete. Collaboration with classmates is encouraged.

Please note: If you are taking this course for only CE credit and not towards your CCRVT/N or CCRA certification, you are not required to take the final exam.

Registered Students:

Please watch for specific emails about each class, as there may be occasional minor changes to class times.

FAQs

Our goal is to help you excel in your learning process and in your future career as a Rehabilitation Professional. Please read over commonly asked questions!

Course Dates

Jack Russell on peanut
  • CCRA
  • CCRVT/CCRVN

Canine Therapeutic Exercise

Aug. 25 – Aug. 26

Springfield, Missouri, USA

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