Kristen Hagler, RVT, CCRP, CBW

     I have been doing canine physical rehabilitation for 8 years and absolutely love my job. It all started when I was a volunteering in a veterinary clinic. As a volunteer part of my job was walking dogs in the clinic and providing in house treatments. At the time, several dogs were recovering from various orthopedic procedures and their only instructions were to walk outside to go potty. As an athlete myself I was puzzled as to why there were no special exercise instructions to help them recover better. The dogs were obviously having trouble sitting properly, standing with all their weight off of the surgery leg, and were having trouble getting up. This couldn’t be the way they were expected to be for the rest of their lives, could it?

From that point forward, I decided to investigate ways to make these animals recover better from their surgeries and live healthy fit lives. I finished my undergraduate degree at Sonoma State University (BS in Biology with a concentration in Animal Physiology) and passed the California Registered Veterinary Technician licensing examination. I then found the University of Tennessee’s Certificate Program in Canine Physical Rehabilitation and completed certification in 2005. In addition to the physical rehabilitation training, I completed coursework for canine massage therapy through the Caninology massage therapy program in 2009. I am currently working on a companion animal Pain Management Certification, which I have set to complete in 2011.

I primarily work at Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. in San Rafael, CA but can also be found at the Animal Wellness Center of Marin. I manage dogs participating in Canine Physical Rehabilitation recovering from orthopedic and neurological injury as well as conditioning and preventative exercise programs. It is so important for any dog, especially working and service dogs, to maintain core strength and excellent physical conditioning to maintain their long term health and longevity participating in the "job" they are performing. My special interests within animal physical rehabilitation include stifle and elbow conditions, geriatrics, and performance dogs.

-Kristen