It’s s new year and the academy of physical rehabilitation veterinary technicians is excited! We have received six applications from qualified candidates, which is validation of a need in our specialty for additional credentialing for expert veterinary technicians. Each of them has worked extremely hard with their veterinarian mentors and asked very good questions to help the class of 2019. We thank you and best of luck, we hope to see you at the examination in Las Vegas in August,

The pre-application deadline has also passed and we look forward to working with the future class of 2019. For those who are still considering joining in future application cycles, make sure to read the updated version of the Academy bylaws which will be released after our first annual business meeting at VMX-NAVC in Orlando, Florida. Will you be there? We will!

What’s happening at VMX-NAVC?

Lectures:

• Kristen Hagler will be speaking all day on Tuesday in the Veterinary Technician Track on topics covering Underwater Treadmill Tricks, Orthopedic Evaluations for Veterinary Technician’s, Working with Service Dogs in the Hospital Setting and the role of Veterinary Technicians in Physical Rehabilitation.
• Mary Ellen Goldberg will be representing the APRVT at the IVAPM pre-symposium track speaking on modalities within the scope of the Veterinary Technician and the role veterinary technicians play in patient pain management advocacy Sunday Morning and Afternoon

VMX-NAVC Convention Hall:

• The APRVT will be helping the AARV with the convention hall booth this year. Please come visit us if you are thinking of joining the APRVT or have questions as a Technician associate member. We will have some awesome swag give away that you don’t want to miss!

Business Meeting:

• The APRVT will be giving a short presentation including business updates, goals for the year and how we continue to help members fulfill the Academy mission of providing assistance in physical rehabilitation and containing education to our colleagues and the public. We have some exciting member benefits to announce and look forward seeing you.

Finally, we can’t thank our sponsors enough for their support. Please read for more about how Assisi loop and Respond Systems veterinary laser is helping a Pigmy Goat named Windy in our Blog posting recover from extensive burn wounds - Windy is breezing through healing with these modalities!

​Signalment: Burn wounds to the dorsum of her coat secondary to wildfire
Medications: topical cream - Animal Scents
Therapeutic Modalities: Low level laser therapy (Respond Systems 2400VS, 500mW, 808nm and Assisi Animal Health tPEMF 2.0 20cm loop
Prescriptive Therapies: 
 Therapeutic laser every 2-3 days until healing, 2-3 Joules per cm2, frequency 172pps-584pps)
 tPEMF q4-6 hours until healing observed

Summary: Windy presented for therapeutic laser services to assist in healing the large wound on her back. She was severely burned by a wildfire and remained in the care of a veterinarian for 4 weeks prior to presentation who performed initial wound management. Oral medications included  Meloxican PO SID (mg/kg not discussed as patient's oral medications were being managed by the large animal veterinarian). It was recommended for Windy to start Gabapentin 10mg/kg PO q8-12 hours for pain and to check with her primary care provider but owner declined. The wound is kept covered by a blanket after application of over the counter topical cream (Animal Scents) and cleaned with baby wipes BID. When possible the wound is left without a covering to allow air to it. When covered, the blanket also served to protect Windy's back from the other goats in the household from jumping on her back. At the time of this writing Windy is receiving therapeutic laser every 2-3 days and tPEMF at least SID (up to TID when possible) and will continue until healed. We have seen remarkable progress since starting treatments December 14th, 2017.