Nina Salmelin Msci AdvCertVPhys MIRVAP

I am a registered and insured veterinary physiotherapist of the Institute of Registered Veterinary and Animal Physiotherapists (IRVAP, http://www.irvap.org.uk). I gained a level 7 post-graduate Advanced Certificate in Veterinary Physiotherapy (AdvCertVPhys) through Canine and Equine Physiotherapy Training (CEPT, http://www.ceptraining.co.uk/) in 2016. I also have an educational Msci Biology degree from Imperial College London. I am currently enrolled on a Clinical Educator's Course with CEPT to become a teacher of veterinary physiotherapy and a canine placement provider.

My practical knowledge of the working dog is based on training Newfoundland dogs for water rescue and breeding them for working conditions (affix Kivisilmän, http://www.watercubs.com). Through my work, I have actively seen how much structure influences the dogs' swimming abilities, and realized the importance of both on land and in water conditioning in injury prevention and return to function after surgeries in working dogs. I have written and published three books on Newfoundland grooming and water rescue training.

 

My first experience with veterinary physiotherapy came about when my own dog had intensive rehabilitation work following a femoral head and neck osteotomy in 2009. After seeing the dramatic difference physiotherapy had on my own dog post-surgery, I became very passionate about learning more about veterinary physiotherapy and the work involved in it. I attended numerous courses on physiotherapy, massage techniques, and anatomical lectures with a focus on how structure affects stress points in animals. In 2014 I decided to have a career change, and fully dedicate my time to working with animals. I am currently in my dream profession helping dogs gain condition and prevent injury, rehabilitating and helping to gain full function post injury and improving their quality of life.