APRVT Articles

Newsletter Articles from the
Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians

February 2017

Excerpts from the following articles appeared in the February 2017 AARV newsletter.

The First Rehabilitation Session: Keeping Things Positive

by Deana J. Cappucci-Lorentz, BS, LVT, CCRA, CCMT
Organizing Committee Member and Secretary, Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians (proposed)

We all have seen those patients that put on the brakes the minute they get to the front door of an animal hospital. Most of our patients have been though a lot before they end up starting a rehab program, from being poked on numerous occasions for blood work or sedation, been through a surgical procedure or had their anal glands expressed, and got their nails trimmed; which they probably hated!  Regardless of the treatment received, they seem to remember that they don’t like this place! The beauty of canine rehabilitation therapy is that it most often ends up being a positive and rewarding experience for not only our patients but our clients too. We develop a one-on-one relationship with our clients and special bond with their pet. By ensuring the rehabilitation session is a positive experience, it keeps our clients and patients coming back for more; and there is nothing more rewarding than having a patient that was once afraid of walking through those hospital doors greeting you with a wagging tail and smile on their face.

The first impression is always the most important. Making the first rehabilitation session a non-stressful, positive and rewarding experience for your patient is the key to having a successful and obedient patient going forward. Here are a few tips to start off your first rehabilitation session, leaving a great experience for both your patient and client.

1. Allow time to explore: Allowing your patient to become familiar with their new surrounding allows them to become comfortable in the environment. Most often the equipment we use is unlike anything they have seen before, so we always allow our patients to explore the room prior to starting our session. For cats, spraying the room with Feliway® and adding diffusers, allows cats to be a little more comfortable in their new space.


2. Yummy treats:  Food is always your best friend especially for those patients who are highly food motivated and will do anything you ask if there is a treat involved. Always be mindful of potential allergies or if the pet is on a weight loss program and ask the owners to bring in their favorite treats to make them have a good experience. For our patients that need to drop a few pounds, we encourage the owners to take a portion of their pet’s food (especially if they love their food) to use for treats, this way we are not adding any more calories to their diet. 


3. Use essentials oils: Essential oils, such as lavender, provide a calming effect for those patients who may be a little anxious in the hospital setting. We like to start with some lavender oil (for dogs only) on the tips or behind the ears, massaging in with slow circular motions. The combination of the calming effects of the lavender and gentle massage from the therapist enables a sense of trust and great start to a new relationship.


4. Have patience: Remember this is a new experience for our patients. Though they may be excited for treats, sometimes it can take some training to get your patient to do what we ask on our scary equipment. Start with trails of food on the equipment you are planning to use, adding positive verbal praise each time your patient does what you ask. In time, you can have them doing anything!


5. Keep your clients involved: We all have those few clients that are just such a distraction to the rehabilitation session that they must wait out front until we are finished. But, there are a few exceptional clients that enjoy taking part in the rehab session. I find those are the clients who end up having better compliance when it comes to the home exercise program. Each hospital may have their own policies for owners being a part of the rehab session, so if they can’t be present during the session take a video to share, they might even post it on their own social media page and brag about your handiwork! Showing owners how to do exercises with their pet also keeps them engaged and more committed to the home exercise program.

These are just a few tips on how we approach our first rehab session with the goal of having a positive experience for our patients and clients. There are many ways to use your creativity and make things rewarding for your patients. If you have any other insights, please share them with the APRVT by following us on Facebook, and visiting our website at aprvt.com. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

January 2017

Excerpts from the following articles appeared in the January 2017 AARV newsletter.

See the APRVT at NAVC in Orlando!

by Kristen L. Hagler, BS(An.Phys), RVT, CCRP, CVPP, COCM, CBW
Organizing Committee/President, Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians (proposed)

EXCITING NEWS! If you have been wanting to become a VTS in Physical Rehabilitation, the Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians has submitted a petition for specialty recognition to the NAVTA CVTS committee on November 1st 2016. We anticipate about 8-12 weeks of being on pins and needles before the CVTS provides a answer as to whether they approve the petition.

Keep checking in with us for where things stand. Once we are officially recognized by NAVTA we can release the entire application process in detail. If you are not familiar with how to apply for a veterinary technician specialty please look at the other existing academies on www.navta.net because many of the application processes are very similar.

We strongly encourage potential applicants to begin collecting letters of recommendation from qualified physical rehabilitation veterinarians and start thinking about why you would like to be a VTS (Physical Rehabilitation). Is there something unique that you can provide to the field? What makes you an exceptionally qualified expert? We want to hear about it, and you may have the chance to tell us in person!

The APRVT will be at the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Florida coming up February 4-8, 2017 and we have several interactive opportunities for interested professionals.

• On Sunday February 5th, come join the APRVT Board of Directors and our Industry Sponsors for a reception celebration at the Rosen Centre Hotel - Salon 20 from 5:00pm-7:00pm. Appetizers and drink ticket will be provided. This event requires a RSVP by January 18th to vetrehabtechs@gmail.com subject line APRVT NAVC 2017 Reception. AARV Associate Member Veterinary Technicians and current Veterinary Technician Specialists (in any specialty) are encouraged to attend. Verification of credentials and membership may be required.
• The APRVT will be hosting a Raffle with prizes for veterinary technicians (prizes will be mailed to recipients). Stop by the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians Booth #29. Raffle winners will be announced at the completion of the NAVC 2017 conference.
• Social Media is FUN! We encourage creativity for participants at the NAVC 2017 to post on social media #vetrehabtechs while at the NAVC 2017 with any form of APRVT, NAVTA, or any VTS swag. Tag @vetrehabtechs with #vetrehabtechs to enter. Winners will be announced at the end of the conference.

This is truly an exciting time for us all. Thank you to the organizing committee and our mentor Dr. Julia Tomlinson for all of the hard work.

Why Be a Veterinary Technician Specialist?

by Wendy Davies, BS, CVT, CCRA,
Vice President, Academy of Physical Rehabilitation Veterinary Technicians (proposed)

As veterinary technicians, we strive to be the best and do the best for our patients. For many of us, the path to being a technician (nurse) has been thru years of schooling and for others it has been the school of hard knocks. We are always learning new ways to help our patients so why not consider becoming a specialist in a field that you love?

For me, the answer was easy, I love learning new ideas and schools of thought as well as being able to provide the best possible care for my patients. Since I work in academia, I am surrounded by boarded specialists and all their brainpower, that is very motivating for me. I know I am very good at what I do so continuing in my education towards being a specialist in veterinary rehabilitation sounded like a goal that I wanted to achieve. If you don’t work in academia but work for an amazing rehabilitation veterinarian, why not show them how passionate you are about learning and advance your career at the same time?

Once the petition to be veterinary technician specialists is approved by the NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties, we will be looking for new colleagues to join the APRVT. Would you like more information before deciding? Visit our website at www.APRVT.com or the NAVTA website on specialties http://www.navta.net/?page=specialties and look at what we stand for and how we want to advance veterinary technicians in the rehabilitation field.

Once we get the approval from NAVTA we will be getting the ball rolling and looking for letters of intent for those of you that want to join an amazing group of people with the same passion for helping animals as you do. What do you think you will bring to the field of veterinary rehabilitation, what makes you unique and why do you want to be a part of the APRVT? These are all things to start asking yourself to be prepared to apply. We also depend on our veterinarian and VTS colleagues to help us thru the credentialing process so start asking these colleagues for recommendation letters. The more prepared you are before our approval, the less work it will be to start the application process. We look forward to hearing from you and getting to learn more about you!