Kelsey Jonas, PT, DPT, CCRT started her physical therapy (PT) career wanting to treat athletes and help rehab them back to their sport. However in her first year out of PT school, working for a large corporate company, Kelsey quickly realized that she could not treat people for the entirety of her career. She was already burnt out in just her first year of practice! In 2019, she used all of her paid time off to achieve her Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) certification from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute. After completing her CCRT, Kelsey opened her own mobile canine rehab business (Canine PT and Me) in Portland, Oregon.
The growth of canine rehabilitation has been remarkable and Canine PT and Me has been able to expand their team to help more pups. The number of patients being treated has more than doubled with the growth of the team. Kelsey now employs several other canine rehab therapists and administrative staff members. A multidisciplinary team of therapists (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Physical Therapists) adds a lot of value to Canine PT and Me.
One of the main differences in Canine PT and Me’s treatment approach is not utilizing an underwater treadmill. This seems to be the “shiny object” that most people think of when it comes to canine rehabilitation. The underwater treadmill is a great tool to have for neurologic patients, it helps offload joints for senior patients, or it can assist a dog learning to walk again. However, this piece of equipment is not a one-stop-shop for canine rehabilitation. Canine PT and Me does not have an underwater treadmill and likely never will. The canine rehab therapists utilize their manual therapy skills, therapeutic exercise prescription, PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) bed technology, shockwave, cold laser therapy, and a few other modalities to treat patients. This is what makes Canine PT and Me stand out from other practices to achieve exceedingly outstanding results in all of their patients. Canine rehabilitation is an entire wellness approach and should include a variety of treatment techniques to reach the goals set for each patient.
Kelsey Jonas, PT, DPT, CCRT
Dr. Kelsey graduated from the University of Delaware in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a concentration in Exercise Physiology. She went on to earn her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and shortly thereafter, relocated to Portland, OR. After practicing in outpatient orthopedics and sports medicine for over 2 years, Dr. Kelsey became aware of a growing need for canine physical therapy.
Dr. Kelsey decided to combine her physical therapy knowledge with her love of dogs and completed her certification in canine physical therapy from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute. Her desire to reach this canine population led to the establishment of Canine PT and Me, implementing rehabilitation and wellness for dogs to help them return to their activities.
In her free time, Dr. Kelsey enjoys exploring restaurants and craft breweries in the greater Portland area. She is an active gym member and participates in rock climbing, yoga, running, hiking, and she loves to travel. She is also an advocate for local dog rescues in the Portland-metro area.
Lauren Bacsalmasi, PT, DPT, CCRT
Dr. Lauren studied general biology at the University of Sydney and the University of Washington prior to completing her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Franklin Pierce University in 2019. At the Canine Rehab Institute, Dr. Lauren learned to combine her passion for dogs with her extensive knowledge in physical therapy. Dr. Lauren joined Canine PT and Me with a mission to help improve the quality of life of as many dogs as she can.
Dr. Lauren spends most of her weekends hiking and swimming with her own dogs. She travels frequently, and she loves exploring new countries. She loves meditation, yoga, arts and crafts, going to the gym, watching movies, drinking coffee and tea with friends, and spending time in the water.
Dr. Kristen Emond, PT, DPT, CCRT
Originally from Boston, MA, Dr. Kristen earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. After a couple of years practicing on humans in Baltimore, she was introduced to canine physical therapy when her dog, Naya, needed rehab following an orthopedic surgery. Like the other clinicians at Canine PT and Me, she realized she could combine her knowledge and experience in physical therapy with her love of dogs to improve their function and quality of life. She then switched to travel therapy, which allowed her the flexibility to complete her certification from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute, while also seeing more of the country and continuing to learn from a number of other fellow physical therapists. (Fun fact: at 4.5 years old, Naya has lived in 6 different states with Dr. Kristen… soon to be 7!)
Dr. Kristen has recently been working with the active pups of Boise, ID and is excited to come help your beloved companions in Portland. Outside of work, Dr. Kristen enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities with Naya, rock climbing, reading, and attempting to play her guitar.
Dr. Jennifer Wade, DVM, CCRT
Dr. Jennifer Wade graduated from Willamette University with degrees in Psychology and Chemistry. She then went on to graduate from Washington State University Veterinary School in 2019. After vet school she completed an equine surgical internship in Tulsa, OK before moving back to her beloved Pacific Northwest.
During general and urgent care practice, Dr. Wade cultivated a passion for the rehabilitation medicine space and joined Canine PT and Me. Her particular areas of focus include aging and drug-free pain management. In her spare time, Dr. Wade enjoys her two pups (Rockie and Hank), surfing, swimming, hiking, and horse back riding.
Brittany, Client Manager
Brittany has always had a passion for animals. When her own fur-baby, Liilu, got diagnosed with a CCL tear and a soft tissue sarcoma in the same leg, she made the unthinkable decision to amputate before the cancer spread. At this time, she was unaware of the benefits/availability of canine physical therapy. She is grateful to be a part of a team that works tirelessly in helping these dogs heal from injuries, increasing their quality of life, and educating people on how to best care for their dogs. She is able to help these pups in a way that she wasn’t able to help her own!
What Pawrents Say
“My dog had bilateral MPL surgery at 8 months old. Dr. Kelsey Jonas was very instrumental to his exceptional recovery. She was very thorough, committed, and most of all caring to my black lab Otis! Thank you so much Dr. Jonas!!”
–Andrea V, Otis’ mom
“Dr. Kelsey is amazing! She helped our dog Pam immensely! She’s kind, gentle, and can get creative when it comes to getting the job done! She earned Pam’s trust quickly and helped heal an injury that was not going away on its own. I cannot recommend Canine PT them enough!!”
–Robin E, Pam’s mom
“We took our elderly pup to Kelsey and it was a wonderful experience. She helped our little guy so much. His walking was much improved after only a couple of visits. We highly recommend her. She is caring and really knows her stuff.”
–Kathy Z, Henry’s mom