For many pet owners, watching a beloved dog struggle to rise from the floor, hesitate at the foot of the stairs, or slow down on a favorite walk is a quiet heartbreak.
Until recently, families in Montrose and across the Western Slope had few local options for addressing those struggles beyond routine veterinary care.
That changed when Dr. Tracie Grubb, a veterinarian certified in canine rehabilitation therapy and veterinary medical acupuncture, opened The Rehab Vets, located at 2064 E. Main St, opened its doors — bringing specialized veterinary rehabilitation services to a region long underserved by this growing field of medicine.
We sat down with the practice’s founder and sole practitioner to learn more about her journey, her mission, and the four-legged patients whose lives she is transforming every day.
Montrose Business Times: What inspired you to start The Rehab Vets, and what gap in the Montrose community were you hoping to fill?
Grubb: My path to rehabilitation medicine started with a background in kinesiology — the study of human movement — which made the transition into veterinary orthotics, prosthetics, and rehabilitation feel like a natural fit. After working in general veterinary practice, I had the opportunity to combine my passion for movement and biomechanics with veterinary medicine in a whole new way.
When that opportunity eventually led me to start a small rehabilitation practice out of my garage in the Denver area, I had no idea how much it would grow or where it would ultimately take me. When I moved to Montrose, I saw something that I couldn’t unsee: a significant gap in access to specialized care on the Western Slope.
Veterinary rehabilitation has become well-established along the Front Range, but out here, families were either going without those services or making long drives to access them. My goal was to change that — to help local pets improve mobility, reduce pain, and maintain a better quality of life without having to leave their community to do it.
MBT: For readers who may not be familiar, can you walk us through your services and who your clients are?
Grubb: I work with a wide variety of patients — senior pets managing arthritis, dogs recovering from orthopedic surgery, neurological patients, and canine athletes pushing their bodies to the limit. But I also want people to know that rehabilitation isn’t just for older or injured animals. Younger pets need this care too, and the numbers bear that out: 40% of dogs under four years of age have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis. Pain can begin at any age, and catching it early makes a real difference.
My services are focused on reducing pain and improving function through evidence-based therapies. These include extracorporeal shockwave therapy, acupuncture, laser therapy, hydrotherapy, manual therapy, and therapeutic exercise. I also provide nutritional counseling, because excess weight places significant added strain on joints and tissues, and I make medication recommendations or adjustments when appropriate — always in close collaboration with a pet’s primary veterinarian. Every treatment plan is tailored to the individual patient. There is no one-size-fits-all approach here.
MBT: What does a typical day look like for you and your team?
Grubb: I have to laugh a little at the word “team,” because my team is entirely me. As a small business owner, I wear every hat there is — veterinarian, therapist, receptionist, marketer, and janitor, sometimes all before noon.
My days are centered on evaluating new patients, developing individualized treatment plans, and delivering hands-on rehabilitation care. It is genuinely busy work, and there is never a shortage of things to do. But when you see a dog walk out of a session moving more comfortably than when they walked in, or when you hear from an owner that their pet had the best night’s sleep in months — that makes every long day feel worthwhile.
MBT: What’s been the most rewarding moment or success story since opening The Rehab Vets?
Grubb: Honestly, the most rewarding part of this work isn’t a single moment I can point to — it’s something I hear over and over again. Clients tell me their dogs get excited the moment they pull into my parking lot. That’s not something you can manufacture. It means the pets genuinely enjoy coming here. It means they feel safe, they feel better, and they trust the care they’re receiving.
For me, that is the truest measure of success. You can track clinical outcomes and document improvements in gait and range of motion, and I do. But a dog who is happy to walk through your door? That tells you everything.
MBT: Running a business in a smaller community comes with its own unique challenges. What has been your biggest obstacle, and how have you overcome it?
Grubb: My biggest challenge is one I’m still actively working on: awareness. Veterinary rehabilitation is a specialized field, and many pet owners in this area simply don’t know it exists or don’t realize how much it could help their animals. A lot of my work involves education — helping families understand what rehabilitation is, what it can accomplish, and that they don’t have to travel hours away to access it.
The other piece of that education is helping owners understand the nature of what they’re treating. Mobility problems are typically chronic conditions that have been developing quietly over months or even years. Rehabilitation is rarely a quick fix. It is a process — a journey — and staying committed to that process requires patience and realistic expectations. Part of my job is to be a steady guide through that journey, both for the pet and for the family.
MBT: What do you wish more people in the Montrose community understood about what you do?
Grubb: I would love for more people to understand that I work alongside a pet’s primary veterinarian rather than in place of one.
My focus is specifically on pain management, mobility, recovery, and quality of life. I am not here to replace the relationship a family has with their regular vet — I’m here to add a layer of specialized support that complements that care.
I also want families to know that rehabilitation can be genuinely life-changing — not just for the pet, but for the whole household. Many owners tell me that learning rehabilitation techniques and working through exercises with their dog actually deepens the bond between them.
There is something meaningful that happens when you become an active participant in your pet’s healing. It is one of the most unexpected gifts this work offers.
MBT: Where do you see The Rehab Vets five years from now?
Grubb: My hope is that The Rehab Vets continues to grow and reach even more animals across the Western Slope. One of my long-term goals is to build deeper collaboration with other veterinary professionals in the region — sharing resources, supporting one another, and collectively increasing access to rehabilitation services for more families.
I’m also genuinely open to where the work might lead. That could mean adding complementary providers, expanding into new service areas, or eventually working with large animals, which would open up a whole new world of patients on the Western Slope.
Whatever form it takes, the mission stays the same: helping more animals live comfortable, active lives.
MBT: What does being a small business owner mean to you personally, and how does it connect to your larger mission?
Grubb: Owning this practice gives me the freedom to build something around what matters most to me. I can spend the time each patient truly needs. I can develop real relationships with families over the course of a treatment journey.
I can make decisions rooted in what’s best for the animal rather than what’s most efficient for a larger system.
That kind of autonomy comes with real responsibility, and I don’t take it lightly. But it also means that every day I go to work, I am doing something I genuinely love. For me, that connection between purpose and profession is everything. It is what gets me up in the morning and what keeps me going through the hard days.
The Rehab Vets is located in Montrose, Colorado, and serves pets across the Western Slope. To learn more or schedule a consultation, contact the practice directly.
Tonya Maddox is the publisher of the Montrose Business Times
