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Animal Physical Therapy Schools and Training
Learn About Animal Therapists and Animal Massage Therapy Careers
Find Animal Therapy Schools | Natural Healers Career Resource Center
| | Just as increasing numbers of people are seeking out alternative treatment methods, many animal owners are also turning to healing therapies that complement traditional veterinary medicine. Animal physical therapy school can lead to a rewarding career improving the health of our furry companions using many of the same natural therapeutic modalities that humans find effective, from acupuncture to animal massage therapy. |
Sometimes animal therapy training is confused with Animal Assisted Therapy, which is the use of animals to assist in the healing of human patients with chronic diseases or other conditions. This article will look at training and careers in the healing of animals themselves.
Animal Therapy Career Overview
Animal therapy practitioners generally fall into two categories: veterinary specialists who have been trained in alternative healing methods for animals, and natural healers who are also trained in using similar techniques on people. They work with pets, service animals, livestock, and racing or performance animals such as horses and dogs.
Veterinarians with animal therapy training incorporate therapies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine or chiropractic along with modern medical approaches. In contrast, dedicated animal therapists may have initially trained in a particular natural healing modality such as biofeedback or flower essences before going on to specialize in animals.
Learn more about animal therapist careers and training.
Animal Therapy Training and Education
What You'll Study in Animal Therapy School
The focus of your animal therapy training will vary depending on whether you're studying veterinary medicine or alternative healing. Veterinary students may take elective courses in alternative methods of healing, such as herbal medicine. If, on the other hand, you're studying a specific field of natural health like massage, you might choose to take courses in animal massage therapy, and learn about animal anatomy and massage techniques.
Average Animal Therapist Length of Study
Veterinary college requires 4 years of graduate school leading to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. A veterinary technician usually holds a 2-year associate degree or 4-year bachelor's degree. Natural health programs vary widely in length. Massage therapists may be able to finish in as little as a few months, while chiropractic study usually takes 4 years.
Average Animal Therapist Tuition
Tuition for animal therapy school depends on whether you're attending a veterinary medicine program or a natural health school, whether you're paying in-state or out-of-state tuition, and how long the program is. Veterinary school can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $30,000 per year. Beginning courses in animal therapy can cost as little as a few hundred dollars, while a chiropractic degree may cost as much as $20,000.
Animal Therapy Certification
Veterinarians must be licensed to practice in any of the 50 states. Certification requirements vary for animal therapists, depending on state laws governing specific therapeutic practices. Some practices may not be regulated, and in those cases, certification may be voluntary.
Animal Therapy Career Outlook
Alternative medicine is not just gaining favor with pet owners seeking a more holistic way of caring for their animals, it's also becoming more popular in fields such as conservation and livestock production. This is good news for anyone thinking about animal therapy training. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterinarians can expect a 33 percent growth rate in their field, chiropractors a 20 percent growth rate, and massage therapists a 19 percent growth rate.
Animal Therapy Salary
Salaries for healers with animal therapy training vary widely depending on your area of specialty, type of degree or diploma, and whether you work for a clinic or in private practice. In May 2009, the average annual salary for veterinarians was $90,110, while veterinary technicians earned an average of $30,580. Massage therapists earned $39,780.
Is an Animal Therapy Career Right for You?
More and more people who own pets or livestock are recognizing the potential of natural treatments in keeping their animals happy and healthy. If you have an interest in alternative medicine and holistic care, and a commitment to the health needs of animals from beloved pets to service dogs to racehorses, then you may want to consider animal therapy training.
American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, 2010
University of Wyoming: Dept of Veterinary Sciences, 2009
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010
International Alliance for Animal Therapy and Healing, 2010
National Academy of Massage Therapy and Healing Science, 2010
Therapet Foundation, 2010
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