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veterinary physiotherapist
Veterinary physiotherapists, also known as animal physiotherapists, assess and treat injuries and movement problems in animals.
Their work mainly involves treating horses and dogs, including 'working animals' such as race horses and greyhounds, as well as pets. Their duties can also involve:
- treating other animals such as cats, sheep and zoo animals
- devising exercise programmes
- using manual and electro therapy techniques to reduce pain, increase flexibility and restore normal movement
- giving advice on adaptations to the animals' environments to help them perform tasks more easily.
Veterinary physiotherapists are only legally allowed to carry out treatment on animals referred to them by (or with the permission of) a veterinary surgeon.
As veterinary physiotherapists must first qualify in human physiotherapy, many treat both animals and humans. Relatively few treat animals only.
Hours and Environment
The work may be full- or part-time, and the hours are flexible.
Treatments may take place in the client's or physiotherapist's stable yard, the client's home (when treating small animals), in veterinary surgeries and hospitals.
Skills and Interests
To be a veterinary physiotherapist you should:
- be physically fit, manually dexterous and have good powers of observation
- have an interest in animals and experience of handling them
- have an enquiring mind and an aptitude for science
- have good communication skills
- work well in a team with other professionals
- have good organisational and administrative skills for managing workload and maintaining records.
Entry
To begin training as a veterinary physiotherapist you will first need to have qualified as a chartered physiotherapist in human physiotherapy and have experience in this field. Please see the Physiotherapist profile, and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy website for details of this.
You then need to undertake postgraduate training in order to become qualified in veterinary physiotherapy.
Postgraduate Diploma and MSc courses in Veterinary Physiotherapy are offered by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).
Entry requirements for these are:
- a minimum of two years' post-qualifying experience in human physiotherapy, or
- a minimum of one year's post-qualifying experience and the intention of continuing in full-time employment whilst on the course.
Alternatively, you may be able to train with a fully qualified (Category A) member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Physiotherapy (ACPAT) and complete the ACPAT education course over a period of two years. In order to do this you must have trainee (Category B) membership of the ACPAT.
If you successfully complete the training you will be able to apply to upgrade to Category A membership of the ACPAT, and to become an independent practitioner.
Only those who have the Postgraduate Diploma or MSc are permitted to use the title 'veterinary physiotherapist'.
Further information on both these routes can be obtained from the ACPAT. Please see the Further Information section of this profile.
Training
The Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy enable chartered physiotherapists to apply their professional and practical therapy skills to animals, particularly horses and dogs.
The courses involve:
- attendance one weekend per month over 18 months from May to December at the Royal Veterinary College in Hatfield, Hertfordshire
- completion of 25 hours private study, including completion of assessed coursework.
Successful completion of either of these will entitle you to become a Category A member of the ACPAT and to use the title veterinary physiotherapist.
Once qualified, you will need to attend ACPAT and other relevant courses in order to maintain and update your clinical knowledge and competence. ACPAT members are expected to show evidence of at least 25 hours Continuing Professional Development (CPD) per year.
Those with the MSc qualification may be able to pursue further academic studies by undertaking a PhD or other research-based activity.
Opportunities
The majority of veterinary physiotherapists are private practitioners, although positions occasionally become available in private practices, large veterinary practices or universities.
Annual Income
This section is intended as a guideline only.
Salaries vary enormously for this type of work and for self-employed private practitioners they will depend on workload. As an example, a 2004 survey of ACPAT members showed a wide range of charges for physiotherapy sessions:
Initial consultations (from 30 minutes to 2 hours) from £20 to £70.50.
Follow-up consultations (from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours) from £20 to £60.
Further information
London
WC1R 4ED
Tel: 020 7306 6666
North Mymms
Hatfield
Herts
AL9 7TA
Tel: 01707 666333
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The information contained in our Career Profiles Database was correct at time of publishing, but since publication certain details may have changed so please use this section as a research tool and in some cases further research may be required.
Careers Database Information By Learn Direct Advice