Services and Costs

How PetPRT works as part of your veterinary team:

We are honored to be part of your pet's veterinary medical care team. To provide the best care possible, members of this team (including yourself as the pet's caretaker, other veterinarians currently seeing your pet, and PetPRT) come together to provide specific components of care that other members may not be able to provide on their own. With our skills and abilities combined, an optimal care plan can be realized. In coordinating with your other veterinarians, please note that PetPRT focuses on physical rehabilitation therapy rather than offering full-service veterinary care.

Our Approach at PetPRT:

For patients to cooperate and benefit most, they should be happy and relaxed. Figuratively speaking, a goal of each visit to PetPRT is to convince the patient that they are arriving for a play session rather than a veterinary appointment. Because the process of arriving at a medical diagnosis can at times be stressful on the pet, we ask that that part be completed by your other veterinarians prior to arriving for your physical rehab therapy evaluations at PetPRT. Clients of PetPRT must have their own primary care and or specialty veterinarians for general wellness, vaccinations, diagnostics, and medical/surgical needs. Our practice requires patients to be up to date on rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella vaccines. It is important that your primary care veterinarian and any other veterinary specialist caring for your pet (i.e. neurologists, surgeons, oncologists, etc.) be informed of and on board with pursuing physical rehab therapy.

Some services offered by PetPRT include:

- Comprehensive history taking

- General physical examination

- Orthopedic examination

- Neurological examination

- Evaluations of posture, gait, and movement

- Pain assessment

- Body condition assessment

- Passive range of motion measurement of joints

- Assessment of muscle mass including limb girth measurement

- Coordinating patient specific goals and treatment plans

- Consultations on and measurements for mobility assistance devices such as carts

- Home environment/ergonomics consultations - advice on how to make it easier for you and your pet to manage the home environment

- Activity level and play choice consultations

- Weight management consultations

- Manual therapy including passive range of motion

- Cold therapy

- Heat therapy

- Gait training

- Underwater treadmill hydrotherapy

- In-clinic exercise programs designed specifically for individual patient needs and goals

- Home exercise programs designed specifically for individual patient needs and goals

- Instructions for at-home monitoring of patients

- Tracking outcome specific measurements to objectively measure patient progress over time

- Clinical summaries and progress reports communicated to patients’ other veterinarians

Home Caretakers

Primary Care and Specialist Veterinarians

PetPRT Veterinary Physical Rehabilitation Therapy

Your Pet's Healthcare

Pet species currently treated at PetPRT:

Although we love all pets, at this time PetPRT focuses on canine physical rehabilitation therapy due to dogs' suitability for treatments like hydrotherapy.

What to expect during an initial evaluation appointment:

Initial evaluation appointments at PetPRT last approximately one hour. They include history taking, and briefly going through questionnaires and medical records. A full physical exam is performed by Dr. Sanders, including gait evaluations, body composition assessments, orthopedic exams, neurological exams, and limb girth and range of motion measurements as indicated. After this Dr. Sanders consults with the client regarding his assessment and recommendations. Realistic goals for rehab therapy are discussed and together, the client and Dr. Sanders establish a preliminary therapy plan for the patient. With the rest of the time available, Dr. Sanders takes the patient through a preliminary therapy session to introduce the patient to different therapies as indicated by the condition assessment and recommendations. For example, the start of training to perform certain exercises may begin, or a dog may be introduced slowly to the underwater treadmill machine. The first therapy sessions start off gently, for example the first session of an underwater treadmill hydrotherapy session will only last up to 5 minutes once up and running. Every dog is different, and introductions must be made cautiously to make sure it is a positive experience for them.

What to expect for a returning patient therapy appointment:

Therapy appointments are scheduled for 30 minutes. They include updates for Dr. Sanders on how things are going at home, brief physical exam, a therapy session, rinse and dry if hydrotherapy is involved, and a review and updates of at-home care recommendations. The number of therapy sessions that may be needed to reach the established therapy goals is very much dependent on the circumstances of the case and the goals and expectations that are determined between the client and Dr. Sanders. Generally, the goal is to “graduate” from physical therapy, but one never “graduates” from exercise.

Cost of Services:

PetPRT charges by clinic time, with initial consultations lasting approximately one hour priced at $180, and returning client therapy sessions lasting approximately 30 minutes priced at $90. Substantial additional time, if required, may be priced proportionately in 15 minute increments.