Today we’d like to introduce you to Rod Newman.
Hi Rod, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my professional life as a Certified Athletic Trainer. Graduated from James Madison University undergrad and got my Masters from University of Florida. Worked as a High School athletic trainer at local High Schools with Lipscomb Sports Therapy Center out of St Thomas Hospital. Then Head Athletic trainer at Tennessee State Univ from 1995-1999. Vanderbilt University as the Head Men’s Basketball Athletic Trainer. Decided to change careers after years as an athletic trainer. Reached out to University of TN who had a the nations only Canine Rehab Education program and was told I was not qualified. Had to be a vet, vet tech, PT or PTA. Went back to get my associates degree from Volunteer State CC as a Physical Therapy Assistant because a Masters degree and 15 years of experience as an athletic trainer was not enough. Once I graduated from PTA school in May of 2006, I immediately enrolled in the canine rehab courses and started Canine Rehabilitation Of Nashville in August of that same year. I started out as a mobile practice but was fortunate enough to get my first fixed location at Companion Animal Hospital in Goodlettsville, TN in 2009. I added the second location inside of Nashville Veterinary Specialists in 2014. In 2022, I moved to the current Nashville location and added a much needed second underwater treadmill to accommodate our growth and greater recognition in the veterinary community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has most assuredly not been a smooth road. From the first obstacle of my education, or lack there of depending on your perspective, to being the very first person doing canine physical rehabilitation in middle TN and having to market to and educate veterinarians about the benefits of rehabilitation. Most had no understanding of such since it was never taught when most were in vet school. In fact, one vet even told me when I was first marketing my business that “It sucks to be a pioneer!” In a lot of ways he was right.
Probably the most frustrating thing was trying to get veterinarians to understand the great results that could be achieved with rehab. I have since learned that it is very difficult to educate educated people. Having owners come in and tell me that their vet said rehab was a waste of money or that they would pay to have another surgery before they would ever do rehab was disheartening to say the least. The bottom line though, is that the results speak for themselves. We have made hundreds, maybe even thousands of dogs lives better over the last 19 years
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We provide physical rehabilitation to companion animals. We use principles developed in the human physical therapy world and apply them to animals with injuries and conditions that are very similar.
We are set apart by the fact we approach our rehab from a human rehab perspective and have years of human rehab experience as well as canine rehab experience that is unmatched by anyone in middle TN.
We are most proud of the fact that we have improved so many dogs quality of life after rehab was considered a last ditch effort after all other veterinary approaches were tried. Dogs that were scheduled to be euthanized. Dogs that the owners were told to euthanize. These dogs would go on to have very good quality of life. Some even for years. Dogs that were told surgery is the only option (sometimes it is). Some dogs that were scheduled for surgery but sent to rehab prior to surgery and did so well that the surgeon cancelled the surgery (not always the case).
We want owners to know that we operate with honesty and integrity and if we do not believe we can help your dog, we will tell you as much. We welcome questions from owners. The more informed you are, the better advocate you can be for your dog.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Watching owners walk in with a dog that is moving better, feeling better, doing fun things at home that the owner has not seen in a long time. These things make me happy. The owners are happy. The dogs feel better so they are happy. We are so blessed to be able to serve middle TN in this way.
Pricing:
- Initial Evaluation $150
- Treatment Sessions $70
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.caninerehabnashville.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caninerehabnashville/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/caninerehabnashville
