Animal physiotherapist Amanda Sutton is a veterinary physiotherapist who runs her own animal physio practice. Like all chartered physiotherapists who specialise in animals, she started off using her skills on people. How would you outline your role? I treat both animals and people, using physiotherapy techniques, which involve treating the client using my hands, special machinery and exercise therapy to help the tissues to heal and function normally. What are your main work responsibilities? I assess my clients’ problems by observing their movement, posture and how they carry out particular tasks. I take notes of their medical history, my observations and what sort of treatment I consider to be the most effective. I then treat the client. Animals are brought to me because they have ruptured or strained muscles, or have sore backs, whiplash or tendon injuries. I also manage the practice, run courses and write articles and books about physiotherapy. What hours do you work? Usually from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Sometimes, we have additional evening clinics, and I might help owners and their animals at competitions during the weekend. What is your working environment like? I can be outside in a muddy field or in a state-of-the-art veterinary practice. I see people in my own clinic, which is an office in a converted stable, and also visit them at home. Who do you work with? I hold clinics with other professionals and work with a lot of vets. I also have contact with farriers, saddlers, osteopaths and trainers. And I see owners and their animals. What special skills or qualities do you need for your job? You need a love of animals and people, good communication skills and to be physically fit. Why did you choose this type of work? I wanted to work with my hands in a physical job. Working outside and having the opportunity to be self-employed also appealed to me. What training have you done? I took a diploma course (now a degree) to become a chartered physiotherapist and then spent two years in a hospital as a physiotherapist. After that, I spent 18 months as an animal physiotherapy apprentice before setting up my own practice. I later did a master’s degree in veterinary physiotherapy. Do you use any tools or equipment? I use my hands, exercise therapy and a range of machinery such as ultra sound and muscle stimulators.
What do you like/dislike about your job? It is very hard physical work, but it’s also very rewarding. One of the highlights was supporting the equestrian team at the Olympics - I worked on the horses and their riders. What are the particular challenges in your work? One of the main obstacles to overcome is educating the veterinary profession into understanding the place of physiotherapy for animals. Amanda’s route A levels. Diploma in Chartered Physiotherapy (now a degree). Two years in a hospital. 18 month animal physiotherapy apprenticeship. MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy. Member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT). Amanda’s tips You have to train for seven years before you can treat animals, so you need to like people and be prepared to do the ‘human’ course before moving to animals. It is not easy to do part time, so you have to spend most of your 20s or 30s learning. You might have to do both animal and human physiotherapy to earn a reasonable income in the early days. Related jobs Animal technician Laboratory technician Veterinary nurse Veterinary surgeon Salary information Newly-qualified physiotherapists in the NHS earn at least £18,240 a year. Senior physiotherapists can earn up to £40,325 a year. Animal physiotherapists work in private practices - often their own. Salaries depend on the fees charged and the number of clients. A typical salary could be between £25,000 and £45,000 a year.
Getting in To qualify as a physiotherapist, applicants must study for a three or four-year human physiotherapy degree approved by the Health Professions Council (see the article on physiotherapist for full details). The minimum entry requirements for a degree in physiotherapy in England and Wales are normally three A levels at grade C or above, including a biological science, and four AS levels at grade B. Applicants also need at least five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) in one sitting, including maths, English and science subjects. Once they have their degree, entrants are eligible to register with the Health Professions Council (HPC) and to become members of the Chartered Society of
Physiotherapy. Physiotherapists must be registered with the HPC in order to work in the NHS. Chartered Physiotherapists who then wish to specialise in animal therapy must complete two years of general practice working in the human field, during which time they can begin postgraduate training in animal therapy. This training can be undertaken in two ways, both of which require the membership of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in London.