Jennifer Repac, DVM, DACVSMR (Canine), Assistant Professor, University of Florida, School of Veterinary Medicine
Sasha Spada-O’Neill, 4th year Veterinary Student, University of Florida
Veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation specialists help animals move better and feel better. They care for dogs, horses, and other animals with injuries, pain, or mobility problems, whether from sports, work, aging, or surgical recovery. They focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries and diseases that affect how animals move and perform.
By working to improve strength, comfort, and function, these veterinarians treat the individual patient and not just the diagnosis. Their patients range from agility and working dogs to family pets growing old or recovering from orthopedic or neurologic injuries.
How Do They Diagnose?
Diagnosis starts with a careful physical exam. Sports medicine and rehabilitation specialists perform detailed orthopedic, neurologic, and myofascial examinations to evaluate joints, muscles, nerves, posture, and gait.
Sports medicine and rehabilitation specialists may also use additional diagnostics including bloodwork, radiographs (X-rays), joint fluid analysis (joint taps), force plate or pressure-sensitive walkway analysis, musculoskeletal ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The type of testing depends on the patient’s physical exam findings and clinical signs.
By combining hands-on examination with advanced imaging and other diagnostic tools, they can localize the source of pain or dysfunction and build a targeted treatment plan.
What Do They Treat?
Sports medicine and rehabilitation specialists commonly help animals with:
- Ligament tears
- Arthritis
- Spinal or other nerve injury, including lumbosacral disease
- Muscle and tendon injuries
- Post-surgical recovery
- Obesity
- Prosthetic and orthosis fitting
Treatment plans may include therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, joint injections, pain management, assistive devices, nutritional and supplement guidance, and modalities such as laser, acupuncture, and shockwave therapy. Because every animal is different, treatment plans are tailored to each patient and their specific needs.
How Do Veterinarians Become Specialists?
Becoming a sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist takes at least 4 years of advanced training.
After earning a veterinary degree, a veterinarian must:
- Complete at least one year of additional clinical training
- Complete a sports medicine and rehabilitation residency (at least 3 years)
- Treat a wide range of orthopedic, neurologic, and rehabilitation cases
- Publish a primary research paper
- Pass a rigorous 2-day board examination
Veterinarians who complete this process earn board certification through the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR)and are called diplomates, using the letters DACVSMR. There are two certification tracks: one for dogs (canine) and one for horses (equine).
Why This Specialty Matters
Movement is central to an animal’s quality of life. Restoring comfortable, efficient movement is often just as important as treating the underlying injury itself. Whether helping a competitive athlete return to sport or a senior pet walk comfortably again, veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation specialists focus on long-term function, comfort, and performance.
It’s a specialty built around one simple idea: better movement means a better life.
For more information, please visit the ACVSMR website at: VSMR.org
If you’d like to learn more about how veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation is evolving, AAHA offers a great overview for pet owners and veterinarians alike: https://www.aaha.org/trends-magazine/publications/the-future-of-canine-sports-medicine-just-got-brighter/
Sasha Spada-O’Neill has a strong interest in Sports Med and Rehab, I look forward to seeing where her career takes her
Follow Dr. Repac on LinkedIN here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-repac-7793755b/
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drbrunke 
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