Animal physiotherapy

Summary 

Animal physiotherapy is a field of growth in the UK due to factors including increasing client (owner) awareness and demand. Advances in veterinary diagnostic and treatment technology have lead to increasingly sophisticated and integrated veterinary management of both companion and performance animals, and overall increases in animal longevity.

Using human physiotherapy techniques to manage similar problems in veterinary patients is not a new phenomenon however. Animal physiotherapy can trace its origins back to at least the early 20th century in the UK. Specific legislation citing the application of ‘Physiotherapy’ in veterinary medicine first appeared over 40 years ago (Veterinary Surgeons Exemptions Order, 1962). The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) was founded as special interest group of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) in 1985, and has a growing membership (to date has over 150 fully qualified Category A members in the UK).

In 2000, the first intake of students where enrolled on the M.Sc./Post-Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the Royal Veterinary College, London. This program of part time study was developed to provide chartered physiotherapists with the ability to apply their professional knowledge, experience and practical therapy skills to the treatment of animal patients. M.Sc. students are required to complete an original research project, contributing to the development of a much-needed scientific evidence base for veterinary physiotherapy.

This article aims to provide an overview of the treatment of animals with physiotherapy from the perspective of an ACPAT physiotherapist. Some understanding of human manual therapy principles and nomenclature is assumed.

Keywords: Veterinary, Animal physiotherapy, Equine, Canine, Mobilization, Rehabilitation