568 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
include http://www.TheGuardian.com and http://www.
Entrepreneur.com.
The first step in branding a business is know-
ing the business’s persona. This involves under-
standing the needs, goals and behaviors of
potential clients. Determining a company’s per-
sona can be accomplished using a free tool
found at sites such as http://www.MakeMyPersona.
com. Once the consumer/client has been iden-
tified, the next step in the branding process,
naming, can be pursued.
Name
The name should be short and catchy or even
be a pneumonic to help shorten a longer busi-
ness name. A business name like “Joe’s Canine
Rehabilitation Clinic” might not be easy for
potential clients to remember, and also might
not present the desired image of professional-
ism. “Noah’s ARC” (Noah’s Animal Rehab
Center) might be something that people will
remember because it is easy to pronounce and
everyone has heard of Noah’s Ark!
Logo
A logo is a significant part of branding. It will
be featured on the building, door, uniforms, let-
terhead, brochures, and business cards of the
practice. The logo should stand out, be simple
and easily recognized, yet different from logos
of existing rehabilitation centers. In addition, it
should provide an indication of what the busi-
ness specializes in or at least pique the curiosity
of the viewer. If the brochure is on a rack in a
veterinary practice along with many others,
will it stand out? Will people reach for it to read
more information? There are many ways to
develop logos, including hiring a graphic artist
or visiting websites such as Designmantic.com,
Logoworks.com, or 99designs.com, which are
easy to use and can provide great ideas just by
providing the business name and industry.
Taglines
Taglines are not essential but can be included in
branding, and may be the catchy phrase that
people will remember. Taglines should be short
and should provide an indication of what the
business does. Examples include Sit, Stay, Heal,
Healing one paw at a time, and Giving your pet a
longer leash on life.Rehabilitation team
The ideal team for canine rehabilitation combines
the expertise and knowledge of both veterinari-
ans and physical therapists. Individuals from
both disciplines should be certified in canine
rehabilitation (see Chapter 5). Veterinarians and
physical therapists with the CCRT (certified
canine rehabilitation therapist) or CCRP (certi-
fied canine rehabilitation practitioner) creden-
tials have advanced education in the field of
canine rehabilitation. Veterinary technicians can
receive CCRP or CCRA (certified canine rehabili-
tation assistant) credentials. The veterinarian and
the physical therapist working together bring
significant value to improve patient outcomes
beyond what either can accomplish alone.VeterinariansVeterinarians have the knowledge and experi-
ence in animal medicine to help guide rehabili-
tation in the areas of nutrition, supplements
(see Chapter 4), medications, pain management
(see Chapter 19), and overall wellness of the
patient. They can also be certified in acupunc-
ture and chiropractic (see Chapter 22), which
can be beneficial to the rehabilitation process.Physical therapistsPhysical therapists have years of experience in
the appropriate use of modalities (see Chapter 7)
as well as manual therapy skills (see Chapter 6),
which are key to improving range of motion.
They are also experts in therapeutic exercise (see
Chapter 8) and designing exercise programs to
achieve the goals desired in rehabilitation.Technicians/rehabilitation assistantsRehabilitation‐certified technicians are key to
any rehabilitation setting as they can help guide
patients through exercise programs, assist in
hydrotherapy (underwater treadmill or pool)