Frequently Asked Questions

Canine Physical Therapy has been practiced for greater than 25 years in the United States.  The American Physical Therapy Association House of Delegates recognized this this career path in June 1993.

Veterinarians: Collaborative Relationships (HOD P06‐03‐23-20)

PRACTICE OF PHYSICAL THERAPISTS IN ANIMAL REHABILITATION BOD P03‐05‐17‐44

[Position] 

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) acknowledges the collaborative 

relationships of physical Therapists and veterinarians and the evolution of specialized 

practice by physical Therapists in animal rehabilitation. Consistent with the Mission 

Statement Fulfillment adopted by the House of Delegates to enable physical Therapists 

to improve their knowledge and skills in the interest of furthering the profession where 

allowable by law and regulation, the practice of animal rehabilitation by physical 

Therapists is permissible.  

CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program has assembled what we believe to be the largest collaborative team of expert Canine Physical Therapists, Board-Certified Veterinary Specialists, and Veterinary Technicians, to provide Physical Therapists and students of a CAPTE accredited Physical Therapy program who have completed one year of professional education, the education and training necessary to treat canines confidently. 

You’re never too old to set another goal or achieve a dream!  If you’ve been a Physical Therapist for human patients and are looking for a new and exciting career shift, there’s nothing more rewarding than working with dogs (and cats) every day.  You already have the foundational knowledge and skills from your human training.  CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program offers you a program that is at your own pace, filling in the gaps from your entry-level training to make you a confident, competent canine Physical Therapist.  Many Physical Therapists choose to practice canine Physical Therapy on a part-time basis, complementing their human practice. 

You may submit the CanineIQ tCPT™ curriculum to your state board to be considered to receive CEU credits.  (This is an option and is your responsibility.  CanineIQ will not submit on your behalf.) We do not control state licensure requirements and do not guarantee CEU credits with any particular licensing board or committee.  At the end of CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program, we provide you with customized completion information (i.e., name, program curriculum and hours, beginning/end dates) that may help when submitting to your respective state board.  Please note that requirements for CEU approval of canine Physical Therapy coursework can vary by state*.  Please check with your state board regarding their requirements.  

*Please note, practice acts are subject to change, and it is your responsibility to confirm requirements and laws governing the practice of canine Physical Therapy in each state.  You must check with these practice acts in your respective state to determine the scope and requirements for permissible Canine Physical Therapy. For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

While it is encouraged to ‘get your feet wet’ and practice Physical Therapy on human patients for at least a year, if you know that you want to work with dogs (and cats and their owners), then there’s no time like the present to get started with CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program.  (Carrie started in human pediatrics, working for only 2 ½ months before transitioning to canine patients.  That was 24 years ago.  It can be done!)

At this time, the only states with specific language that allows Physical Therapists to practice on animals are Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and New Hampshire.  Each state has criteria outlined in the Physical Therapist and Veterinary Medical Practice Acts*.  Requirements and laws governing the practice of canine Physical Therapy vary from state to state.  You must check with these practice acts in your respective state to determine if canine Physical Therapy is legal and/or what additional requirements may be needed.  See the links below to search for your respective state.  

Link to Physical Therapy Practice Acts and Veterinary Practice Acts

Oct_2020_Physical_Therapy_and_Veterinarian_Practice_Acts.docx.pdf (orthopt.org)

*Please note, practice acts are subject to change, and it is your responsibility to confirm requirements and laws governing the practice of canine Physical Therapy in each state. You must check with these practice acts in your respective state to determine the scope and requirements for permissible Canine Physical Therapy. 

Yes!  By obtaining your Physical Therapist license, you have already taken the biggest step to practicing on canine patients!*  CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program merely fills in the gaps of information missing from your entry-level PT program.  The biggest difference is that you may be kissed all day by your canine patients! 

*Please note, practice acts are subject to change, and it is your responsibility to confirm requirements and laws governing the practice of canine Physical Therapy in each state. You must check with these practice acts in your respective state to determine the scope and requirements for permissible Canine Physical Therapy. 

CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program is a self-paced program with 107 total hours of instructional coursework.  States where canine Physical Therapy is legal require a minimum of 100 hours of coursework; thus, by completing CanineIQ’s tCPT™ program, you will comply with the instructional portion of those states whose practice act defines the treatment of dogs.* You have a maximum of 2 years to complete CanineIQ’s tCPT™ program, which includes a total of 6 modules. Be aware that we only open registration twice per year (for one week each), to provide you with individualized mentorship to make this journey successful for you!

*Please note, practice acts are subject to change, and it is your responsibility to confirm requirements and laws governing the practice of canine Physical Therapy in each state. You must check with these practice acts in your respective state to determine the scope and requirements for permissible Canine Physical Therapy. For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

Once registered, you will receive access to CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program, which entails 6 modules.  You will navigate each module in order, completing a competency exam at the end of each lecture and prior to progressing to the next one.  Hands-on courses are offered several times throughout the year; however, cost of travel, meals, housing, etc. is not included.  Additionally, clinical internships may charge additional fees which are payable directly to that facility.  As a bonus, you will also have access to an online, virtual anatomy program for the duration of the program at no extra cost! Please see CanineIQ’s tCPT™ program for more details.  Registration only opens twice per year, so pre-register now! For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

Canine physical therapy has been practiced by Physical Therapists in the United States since the 1970’s, with Ann Downer’s book, “Physical Therapy for Animals”, published in 1978.  However, this field was more formally recognized and established under the APTA in 1999. Canine Physical Therapy has been one of the most rapidly growing fields for Physical Therapists ever since. Are you concerned about job opportunities in the field and fair pay in the canine market?  CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) program will prepare you to be a confident canine Physical Therapist, ready to negotiate and develop job opportunities around the country.  Jobs in this market are on the rise and we have seen steady growth of Physical Therapists in this field.    

While we cannot promise any specific outcome in our services or programs, the field of veterinary Physical Therapy has grown exponentially over the last 25+ years, and more and more Physical Therapists have entered the market.  There are many creative business models that exist, from being an employee in or contracted to a veterinary hospital, to starting your own home health canine PT business.  Veterinary medicine is rapidly changing, with shortages of veterinarians and veterinary technicians, and the ownership of companion animals skyrocketing during the pandemic.  We believe this shortage, combined with public knowledge of and demand for access to Physical Therapy, will continue to increase opportunities for Canine Physical Therapists.

Pay can vary within the various business model settings.  Building any business can take time.  With CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program, our goal is to provide you the skills you will need to thrive as a competent, licensed professional with no problem proving your worth!   

We are working on securing dates in Loveland, CO for our intensive, hands-on training for Module 4 of CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program. We will be sure to keep you posted once these dates are finalized. For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

You have two years to complete CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program, during which you will have access to the course materials.  Once you have successfully completed the program, you will have one year of free access to our mentorship community, to ask questions, discuss cases, access specialists, etc..  We want to see you succeed and we are here for you! For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

Absolutely!  #canineconfidence and #caninecompetence is our mantra.  CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program is highly collaborative and evolving, as is the field of canine Physical Therapy.  We have pioneers and experts in the field of canine Physical Therapy and veterinary specialists teaching a wide array of topics as it pertains to the canine Physical Therapist (i.e., cardiopulmonary, zoonoses, nutrition, internal medicine, radiology, pharmacology, behavior, pain recognition, and many more!).  There is something for everyone to learn!  You may sign up for the entire program or pick and choose a module or two (or more) that is of interest to you.   

No. CanineIQ’s tCPT™ (Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™) credentialing program is designed to fill in the knowledge gaps of a human Physical Therapist program, transitioning the Physical Therapist into a competent canine practitioner.  Each area of the program is compared to the same system and function in humans.  As such, CanineIQ’s tCPT™ credentialing program is for post-graduate, licensed Physical Therapists and students of accredited Physical Therapy programs who have completed one year of professional education. For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

No. At this time, CanineIQ’s tCPT™ credentialing program only enrolls licensed Physical Therapists and students of a CAPTE accredited Physical Therapy program who have completed one year of professional education. For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

While the Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™ (tCPT™) credentialing program primarily focuses on canines, we do include key differences in felines in various subjects throughout the curricula.

We want to focus on YOU!  Limiting registration to twice annually allows us to provide you with the individualized attention you deserve to make your journey through CanineIQ’s Transitional Canine Physical Therapist™ program a success. 

For the tCPT Program, 50% of your tuition is non-refundable at the time of Registration. You may obtain a 50% refund if you cancel prior to the date the Program begins. Enrollment is non-transferable. You may cancel at any time, subject to the above limitations. Generally, we may permit you to transfer the tuition for the Program to a future registration period for a $300 administration fee. All rescheduling is subject to availability, our discretion, and any increases in tuition amounts.

Purchases of all individual Modules are non-refundable at the time of opening/accessing the Module. Individual Modules may be refunded if unopened or not accessed, less a 20% administrative fee.  Module 4 may be rescheduled to a future date (subject to availability, our discretion, and any increases in tuition amounts) if rescheduled 90 days prior to the start of the in-person Module.  For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.

Exams are given after each lecture in each Module.  Participants must score 100% on each examination, with the opportunity to repeat the exam 5 times. Open resources are allowed. For more information, please review our Terms and Conditions LINK.