SARAH CRUICKSHANK

Position: Director VSAP & Principal Physiotherapist

Sarah Cruickshank was the first New Zealander to be internationally qualified as a Veterinary Physiotherapist and is a registered physiotherapist with the New Zealand Physiotherapy Board. Sarah graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Health Science in Physiotherapy from Auckland University of Technology. After working in private practice in Auckland, Sarah was the first New Zealander to be accepted into the Master’s programme in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), University of London in 2005. She graduated with a Master of Science gaining distinction and was awarded joint first place and the degree project prize for her thesis on the musculoskeletal anatomy of the racing camel. Her RVC-sponsored study involved research both in the Middle East and Australia, studying both the anatomy of racing camels and the anatomy and function of the equine hind limb and she has co-authored papers on the equine hind limb.

Sarah consolidated and broadened her clinical experience in the UK, working with elite performance horses and riders as well as small animals. After her return from the UK Sarah established Vetphysio Limited in 2009.

Sarah also attended the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics as an accredited physiotherapist to an Italian event rider and her horse and regularly tutored at the Royal Veterinary College on the Master’s course in Veterinary Physiotherapy and became a clinical educator.

Sarah loves the variety of patients she sees from working dogs such as NZ Police dogs and Guide dogs to agility dogs, pre- and post-surgical patients to geriatric patients who need a bit of extra special care and attention in their latter years to keep them happy, active and mobile.