SASHA
ANIMAL PHYSICAL THERAPIST
Evidence-based Guidance for Movement, Healing, and Care.
“When we listen gently to the pet, our care becomes an act of connection — an exchange of empathy and respect that strengthens the bond between pet and person.”
TWO PATHS:
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Pet Professional Path
Go-Go Charlie™ is a home program solution that helps care teams deliver clear, consistent, and effective recovery guidance beyond exercises alone. It provides expert-designed templates, therapeutic tools, and client-ready resources that streamline communication, improve follow-through, and support every phase of recovery. Built for real-world workflows, Go-Go Charlie™ makes it easier to turn plans into confident action.
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Pet Parent Path
Heal Up Pup™ is a supportive education platform for pet owners navigating injury, recovery, aging, or mobility changes with their dogs. It offers calm, clear, step-by-step guidance that helps you understand your dog’s body, make confident care decisions, and support healing at home. If you’re looking for clarity, reassurance, and practical tools during your pet’s journey, Heal Up Pup™ is here to guide you forward.
“When the path forward feels unclear, we look to the evidence. Guided by research and built on the work of those before us, we move toward healing with clarity and care.”
About
Sasha Foster is recognized for her pioneering efforts in canine physical therapy and rehabilitation. As a human physical therapist (PT) who shifted into the veterinary field, she brought evidence-based rehabilitation strategies from human medicine into veterinary care — especially for dogs recovering from injury, surgery, or dealing with chronic conditions like arthritis.
Standardizing Care
Her work helped develop protocols and outcome measures that are now standard in post-op care (TPLO, IVDD, hip dysplasia, etc.).
Pioneer of “Cross-Disciplinary” Animal Rehab
Sasha helped bridge the human physical therapy and veterinary medicine fields at a time when animal rehab was not yet widely accepted or standardized.
Focus on Owner Education
She has emphasized home exercise programs and owner involvement, empowering pet guardians to become active participants in their dog’s healing journey.
Books
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The Healthy Way to Stretch Your Dog
Published: 2009, Dogwise Publishing
Award: Maxwell Award – 2009
Category: Best Health Care Book
Presented by: Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) -
Canine Cross Training
Published: 2013, Dogwise Publishing
Award: Eukanuba™ Canine Health Award
Presented by: American Kennel Club (AKC) / Eukanuba
Category: Outstanding contribution to canine conditioning and performance -
Treatment Protocols
The most popular clinical manual for rehabilitation professionals.
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Canine Lameness
Editor: Felix M. Duerr, DVM, DACVS, DECVS, DACVSMR
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Publication Year: 2020Chapter Title:The Rehabilitation Examination
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Baby Dog
And other mini e-books for activity-specific and stage-of-life specific exercises.
Personal Statement
I am a physical therapist and certified canine rehabilitation therapist who has devoted my career to advancing small-animal rehabilitation. After training as a human physical therapist, I brought my expertise to Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 2012, where I became the hospital’s first Rehabilitation Coordinator.
At CSU, I designed a rehabilitation model grounded in human physical therapy principles and adapted to veterinary medicine. This approach now thrives across services—from critical care and oncology to orthopedics, neurology, and internal medicine—ensuring that mobility, function, and quality of life are part of every patient’s care plan.
Beyond the clinic, I write, teach, and lead the APTA Orthopedic Special Interest Group. My books, The Healthy Way to Stretch Your Dog and Canine Cross Training, along with contributions to Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy and Canine Lameness, reflect a passion for sharing evidence-based techniques that help dogs, and people, everywhere.
My guiding philosophy is simple: healing happens best in community. I believe in empowering veterinary teams to collaborate across disciplines and in partnering with pet owners so they feel confident and supported on their pet’s healing journey. Whether developing treatment protocols for professionals through the Canine Rehab Shop or creating global home-exercise solutions with GoGoCharlie, I’m committed to expanding access to compassionate, science-driven rehabilitation for pets and the people who love them.
