About Trish Penick

Trish Penick established Southern California's first K9 Rehab facility in 1999 after completing coursework offered through the American Physical Therapy Association in animal physical therapy.

She received her Physical Therapy degree in 1988 at The Medical University of South Carolina.

Trish is considered one of the leading experts in animal rehab and has been a speaker at the International Symposium on Rehab and Physical Therapy in Veterinary Medicine. The symposium highlights the collaborative relationship between veterinary and physical therapy professionals.

Trish began her career in Florida and moved to San Diego in 1992. She opened two private practices specializing in sports medicine..

She has worked with the America’s Cup sailing teams, Olympic track and field athletes and the X-Games along with athletes of all levels. To reduce recovery time and maintain fitness, Trish developed an innovative water rehab program that allowed her patients to train through their injuries and return to competition. With her extensive background in human PT and water rehab, Trish was eager to offer these services to our four-legged friends. She completed additional coursework (through the APTA) in animal Physical Therapy and began building a professional network that offers complete healthcare for animals.  

Trish’s love of sports medicine has carried over into the K9 population. Competitive dogs (Agility/fly ball/obedience and rally) represent a large number of the clients she works with, but the neurological patients (stroke/spinal cord injury, etc.) and elderly have proven to be a phenomenally rewarding population. Trish competes in agility and flyball with her own yellow lab Catori.

Cutting Edge K9 Rehab receives referrals from vets throughout San Diego, L.A. and surrounding counties and believes the Vet/PT relationship is the core of success for future development in this area of expertise.

Trish contributed to one of the 1st textbooks published on canine rehab ("Canine Rehab & Physical Therapy" Editors Darryl Millis, MS, DVM, DACVS, CCRP; David Levine, PT, PhD, DABPTS, CCRP; and Robert Taylor, MS, DVM, DACVS, CCRP) and has been a speaker at the International Symposium on Rehab and Physical Therapy in Veterinary Medicine.

Cutting Edge K9 Rehab has been featured on local and national news, radio and a number of local papers and magazine articles.

Trish is very active in the community speaking at numerous animal events stressing the importance of preventive medicine (and fitness training) as well as educating people on rehab services available.