What is canine physical therapy and how is it different from traditional veterinary care? What are some of the challenges of practicing canine physical therapy?

On this episode of Healthcare Hacks and Connections, our host Nate introduces a one-of-a-kind guest, Francisco Maia, who is a canine physical therapist. Despite being a lesser-known profession, Francisco explains what it means to be a canine physical therapist and discusses his own experience in the field. He also mentions that he has been doing this for almost eight years and has had his own business for over five years.

Nate expresses his interest in Francisco's niche and mentions that it is not a field that many people would consider being interested in. Francisco shares his experience of working with dogs and the training required to become a canine PT. He also talks about his clinic, how his work is crucial for dogs who need rehabilitation after surgery, injury, or neurological conditions, and how he customizes treatment plans for each individual dog. The episode ends with a discussion on the benefits of canine PT and how it can improve a dog's quality of life.

They will touch on such topics as:

• How did Francisco get into physical therapy, about finding out about physical therapy 10 years ago, and how CSM, networking, and exposure through social media have helped grow his business.
• Finding a community of canine physical therapists and the importance of having a marketing coach: “We all are just constantly learning.”
• The difference between pet health insurance and human health insurance.
• Showing value to your customers: “It’s about understanding the customer journey, where it all starts, which is going to be with marketing and where it leads to completing their plan of care.”
• Creating an out-of-the-box experience and comprehending the customer journey from marketing to in-person interaction.
• Finding a niche within the canine population: “Find your own niche within the dog community. You can help geriatric patients, or dogs recovering from orthopedic injury or neurological injuries, or going to focus on helping dogs that do sports.”

Hack: The most important thing in Canine Physical Therapy is to raise awareness about the field of animal physical therapy as a whole, and the ultimate goal is to contribute to its growth.

Reach out to Francisco Maia: 

Podcast: K9PT Academy: Business Lessons for Canine Rehab Therapists

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