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PROGRAM INFORMATION

Physical rehabilitation is becoming an integral part of modern veterinary medicine. Northern College’s Companion Animal Physical Rehabilitation program is designed for individuals passionate about improving the well-being of animals.

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PROGRAM INFORMATION

Academic Year :

2025-2026

Credential :

Graduate Certificate

Program Delivery :

Full-Time

Duration

:

1 Year

Length :

2 Semesters

Program Code(s) :

H151 - Haileybury Campus (HL)

H153 - Distance

DESCRIPTION

Physical rehabilitation is becoming an integral part of modern veterinary medicine. Northern College’s Companion Animal Physical Rehabilitation program is designed for individuals passionate about improving the well-being of animals.

Northern College’s Companion Animal Physical Rehabilitation program is taught by experts in the field and carefully crafted to provide students with a solid foundation in advanced anatomy and physiology, therapeutic techniques, and the treatment of neurologic and orthopedic conditions. Taught by industry experts, the program blends comprehensive theoretical instruction with practical, hands-on experience, including direct work with clinical cases.

Graduates will be prepared for dynamic roles in veterinary clinics, private rehab practices, and animal fitness and conditioning centers. With its strong emphasis on specialized patient care, this one-year graduate certificate enhances your skill set and expands the services you can offer within a veterinary team.

This graduate certificate program is now available in a HyFlex model, offered both in person and at a distance. This flexible delivery ensures you can tailor your learning experience to suit your location and lifestyle.

What’s New with HyFlex

  • Flexible Learning Options: Study in person or remotely with our new HyFlex format.
  • On-Campus Practical: All students will attend a mandatory one-week, in-person practical and exam session at our campus in mid-December.
  • Customizable Placement: Complete required placement hours on a flexible schedule.
  • Adaptable Weekly Schedule: Includes weekly check-ins and a live session (attendance is encouraged but not required). All sessions are recorded, and alternative participation options are available.
  • Flexible Yet Full-Time: The program follows a traditional September-to-April schedule, but accommodations are available to support your individual pace.
  • Case-Based Learning: Case studies are integrated throughout to reinforce theoretical knowledge with real-world application.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Graduates may choose to establish their own physical rehabilitation business, working in collaboration with referring veterinarians and other animal health professionals. Alternatively, they can pursue employment in veterinary clinics with rehabilitation services, private rehab facilities, or organizations focused on animal conditioning and fitness.

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Companion Animal Physical Rehabilitation

Program Outline 2025-2026

Companion Animal Physical Rehabilitation

Program Outline 2025-2026

VOCATIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES

  1. Perform patient examination and collect data on vital signs on patients needing physical rehabilitation.
  2. Restrain and manage small animal patients in clinical situations where physical rehabilitation is required.
  3. Administer medications by common drug routes and prepare pharmaceuticals as prescribed by the veterinarian for patients undergoing physical rehabilitation therapy.
  4. Produce standard diagnostic radiographs on patients requiring physical rehabilitation.
  5. Collect and process samples of diagnostic laboratory work on patients requiring physical rehabilitation.
  6. Perform common veterinary diagnostic tests, such as blood chemistries, differentials, culture and sensitivities, and ECGs on patients requiring physical rehabilitation.
  7. Perform basic veterinary practice management including computer applications.
  8. Using techniques such as “pain scoring”, recognize and evaluate painful conditions from which the veterinarian may prescribe physical rehabilitation therapy.
  9. Counsel clients, especially in the area of pet nutrition, for patients requiring physical rehabilitation.
  10. Perform functions to enable the patient’s optimal physical function by contributing to the development, implementation, and modification of intervention/treatment plans, under the supervision of and in collaboration with the veterinarian.
  11. Perform effectively within the roles and responsibilities of the physical rehabilitation technician through the application of relevant knowledge of veterinary sciences, and animal health conditions.
  12. Practice competently in a legal, ethical, and professional manner within the role of the companion animal physical rehabilitation technician.

PROGRAM COURSES

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the program. Programs at Northern College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with virtual learning activities.

| Semester 1 | Semester 1 | Hours | |

Source: https://www.northerncollege.ca/uploads/2025/08/Companion-Animal-Physical-Rehabilitation-2025.pdf