Veterinary Physiotherapy

Veterinary physiotherapy is a specialist healthcare discipline concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of movement dysfunction and musculoskeletal conditions in animals. Like its human counterpart, it uses manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, electrotherapy, and rehabilitation techniques to support recovery from injury, surgery, and chronic conditions, and to optimise physical performance in sporting and working animals. The profession is growing rapidly, driven by increasing recognition of the role that physical rehabilitation plays in animal welfare, recovery from orthopaedic and neurological conditions, and the performance management of equine and canine athletes.

At Hartpury University, this four-year full-time Master of Veterinary Physiotherapy programme is designed for driven, capable individuals who are genuinely passionate about improving animals' lives. The integrated masters format reflects the depth of scientific and clinical training required for professional practice in this field. You will study animal anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, pathology, and the science of pain and healing, alongside the practical therapeutic skills that veterinary physiotherapy requires.

Clinical placements are central to the training, giving you direct supervised experience with animal patients across species, most commonly horses and dogs, where you develop patient handling skills, clinical reasoning, and treatment delivery under professional guidance.

The programme prepares you for a demanding and rewarding career in which you will work closely with veterinary surgeons, horse and dog owners, trainers, and other animal healthcare professionals. Many graduates go on to establish their own practices in veterinary physiotherapy.

Graduates from veterinary physiotherapy programmes are well placed for careers in equine and canine rehabilitation, sports animal performance management, veterinary specialist referral centres, and animal welfare organisations. The integrated masters qualification supports professional registration, and the strong clinical training makes graduates practice-ready. Postgraduate research or specialist study is also an option for those with academic ambitions.