Important Information To Know Prior To Visiting PetPRT
Prior to requesting an appointment at PetPRT:
Consult with your primary care veterinarian about the problem you wish to address with physical rehabilitation therapy. Your primary care veterinarian or specialist veterinarian will run diagnostics to determine the medical diagnosis causing the problem you wish to address.Make sure your primary care or specialist veterinarian is aware and supportive of you pursuing veterinary physical rehabilitation therapy.Make sure your dog is up to date on vaccinations including:
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rabies
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DHPP
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Bordetella​​​​​​​​​​​
Services and Costs:
For information on what to expect during initial evaluation and therapy appointments, as well as costs of services CLICK HERE to visit the "Services and Costs" Page.
How to request an appointment at PetPRT:
​Text 860 471-9750 to coordinate a general appointment time with Dr. Sanders. Visit the link directly below to access the PetPRT client portal, create client and patient profiles, and request an appointment.
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Dr. Sanders will then confirm the appointment time within the system and you will get a confirmation email. You will receive an email soon after that containing new client intake questionnaires. Please complete these and return them via email at your earliest convenience. Dr. Sanders will use info within these forms, such as your other veterinarians’ contact information, to request medical records from your other veterinarians to review prior to your appointment whenever possible.
Directions:
The PetPRT clinic is located within the Valerie Friedman Healing Center within the campus of the Our Companions Animal Sanctuary at 46 Floeting Rd, Ashford CT 06278. In coming through the main entrance to the campus, follow the pathway straight, and the Healing Center is the first blue building past the yellow maintenance shed on the right at the start of the roundabout. Handicapped parking is available and the facility is wheelchair accessible. CLICK HERE for a link to google maps.
Arriving at the Healing Center:
Please contact Dr. Sanders via text at 860 471-9750, and allow him to greet you BEFORE exiting your vehicle.
Our Companions Animal Sanctuary is a working sanctuary housing some special needs animals, and requiring a certain protocol to be followed when moving about it, especially with outside dogs. When you arrive, please remain in your car and contact Dr. Sanders via phone or text at 860 471-9750 so that he may radio to the sanctuary staff and volunteers of your arrival. Please remain in your car until Dr. Sanders replies to your text and comes out to welcome you and escort you into the Healing Center. Your pet must be controlled on leash at all times between your vehicle and the Healing Center. In the event that you see another dog at the sanctuary, do not approach the dog or its handler, or allow your pet to approach the other dog or it’s handler.
For more information on the amazing organization that is Our Companions Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, please visit their website through the linked button directly below.​​​​

Campus Map:
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PetPRT

Please allow your pet a chance to go to the bathroom before entering the treadmill chamber.
Just prior to your appointment, please allow your pet a good opportunity to use the bathroom prior to entering the Healing Center. In the event that a pet relieves themselves in the underwater treadmill chamber, the sterilization process is laborious and time intensive. If this occurs, and a prior attempt to let your pet go to the bathroom was not made, additional time may be charged for if it requires time beyond the 30 minute appointment. (Note that the underwater treadmill therapy is not indicated for every case.). Reasonable exceptions can be made for incontinent pets. We just ask that an honest attempt is made at allowing your pet to use the bathroom prior to entering the underwater treadmill. ​
Other Miscellaneous Precautions Regarding Your Visit:
WET FLOORS:
The Healing Center is a facility that uses water and routinely contains wet dogs. Please have caution as some surfaces may be slippery.
ALLERGENS:
If you, your dog, or anyone that may come in contact with your dog within a reasonable time frame after the therapy session has dietary allergies, please communicate this to Dr. Sanders so that these foods can be avoided when giving treats to your dog during therapy sessions. Please be aware that the Healing Center is a facility that sometimes uses nut butter and other potential food allergens as treats for patients. If you have concerns about yourself, your pet, or people involved with your pet having extreme allergies to potential allergens being present in the environment, please discuss this with Dr. Sanders prior to making an appointment.
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OTHER DOGS:
Our Companions Animal Sanctuary is a working dog sanctuary that commonly has resident dogs moving about the campus escorted on leash by Our Companions staff and volunteers. The Healing Center houses PetPRT, a working veterinary physical rehabilitation therapy clinic that commonly has dogs receiving therapy. The utmost care is taken by Dr. Sanders and Our Companions staff and volunteer to avoid contact between resident animals and client's animals, and between different clients' animals. To achieve the lowest risk possible, ​all clients present on campus must cooperate in this endeavor by:
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Allowing Dr. Sanders to greet you before exiting your vehicle.
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Keeping your pet leashed and controlled at all times when outside the Healing Center.
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Not approaching or allowing your pet to approach resident animals, staff or volunteers not accompanied by Dr. Sanders.
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Working with your primary veterinarian to ensure that your pets are fully up to date on their vaccinations.


