The University of Tennessee Certificate Program in Canine Physical Rehabilitation was introduced in 1999 in the United States, and since has spread around the world, and it is now offered in cooperation with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb.
The certificate program in canine rehabilitation is a sequence of postgraduate courses for veterinarians, followed by a supervised clinical experience and a cumulative examination.
After successful completion of all courses and the examination the participants receive the title “Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner”.

This course will provide the participant with laboratory experiences for selected physical agent modalities used in canine physical rehabilitation. Superficial heating and cooling agents, therapeutic ultrasound, extracorporeal shockwave treatment, laser therapy, and electrical stimulation will be covered. A palpation lab on live dogs is included to review important anatomical structures for rehabilitation.  This course also provides the participant with the basic skills necessary to prescribe and provide therapeutic exercise programs for dogs. Benefits and risks associated with therapeutic exercise programs for dogs will be covered. Topics covered include exercise physiology, range of motion and stretching, gait training, strengthening exercises, balance and proprioceptive exercises, aquatic exercises, and exercises for wellness/prevention. Outcome measures (goniometry, circumferential measurements, etc.) will also be practiced in this course.  Orthopedic and neurological evaluation/assessment of the rehabilitation patient will also be reviewed and performed with supervision.

The students will design and implement comprehensive rehabilitation programs for frequently seen conditions, based on actual cases. The rehabilitation program will be discussed regarding time frames and duration of treatments, the methods of referral and communication with the referring vet and the owner, and documentation.