What is animal chiropractic?
Animal chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the spinal column and the nervous system, as well as the role of the spinal column in biomechanics and movement. Animal chiropractic is an important part of the holistic trend in health care. A holistic approach to health care looks at all of the external and internal influences on the animal in the study of health and disease. Holistic therapies, such as chiropractic, are designed to work with the animal’s inborn ability to heal itself, which is called innate intelligence. This approach differs from purely allopathic approach that often treat only symptoms instead of the animal as a whole. However, chiropractic is not a replacement for traditional veterinary medicine. Animal chiropractic is integrated with concurrent veterinary primary care. A referral from your veterinarian is required before your animal can receive chiropractic care.
What do animal chiropractors do?
Animal chiropractors diagnose and treat vertebral subluxation complexes as well as subluxation complexes of the extremities. Subluxations are identified by the animal chiropractor through palpation of the spine and extremities. A subluxation is any joint that is restricted in its normal movement. Subluxations cause alterations in biomechanics and disturbances in the nervous system. Subluxations occur for many reasons and include physical, mental, and chemical stressors. Subluxations can occur and at all ages. Performance injuries, stress, poor nutrition, fatigue, and even the birth process are among some of the most common causes of subluxations.
The American Chiropractic Association defines a vertebral subluxation complex “as an aberrant relationship between two adjacent articular structures that may have functional or pathology sequence, causing an alteration in the biomechanical and/or neurophysiological reflections of these articular structures, their proximal structures and/or body systems that may be directly or indirectly affected by them.”
If found, how are subluxations corrected?
A proper examination by the Doctor is necessary to determine what needs to be adjusted. Diagnosis of subluxations should be made by a trained animal chiropractor. Once the subluxation, or “stuck” joint, is identified the animal chiropractor will correct it with an adjustment. An adjustment is a high velocity, low amplitude thrust on a specific bone in a specific direction. Using high velocity and low amplitude means that the adjustment is very quick yet gentle. Therefore, a larger animal does not necessarily require more force to be adjusted than a smaller animal.
How many treatments will my animal need?
Each animal is an individual and the goals of treatment are unique to each case. A problem usually takes time to become severe enough to manifest clinical signs and symptoms. Therefore, a single treatment is usually not enough to eliminate a problem. Most animals show significant improvement after 1 to 4 treatments. Chronic problems usually take longer to resolve requiring more chiropractic treatment, whereas animals with acute problems often respond more quickly. However, even after a specific problem is resolved it is important for your animal to have regular spinal checks by an animal chiropractor in ensure a healthy functioning nervous system. It is much easier to resolve subluxation complexes before they manifest into bigger problems if they are detected early.
The goal of chiropractic treatment is to address neurological dysfunction in the spine and restore mobility. It is then the task of muscles and ligaments to support the spine and maintain this new realigned position. A chiropractor will also adjust and correct the animal a number of times, until the body accepts the new position of the spine as normal and the muscles and ligaments support and maintain this position.
How long will a treatment take?
The initial consultation, exam, and treatment will usually last between 30 and 60 minutes. The initial visit tends to take longer than subsequent treatments, which usually last between 20 and 40 minutes depending on the animal chiropractor’s findings.
Will the chiropractic treatment hurt my animal?
A chiropractic adjustment is a very specific, low force quick thrust along the plane of the joint that helps to restore joint movement. Adjustments influence bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. They do not hurt your animal.
How can an animal chiropractor adjust something the size of a horse?
Even though horses have a very large, thick muscle mass over the spine the vertebral joints are flexible and relatively easy to manipulate with minimal force. A high velocity, low amplitude thrust in an specific line of correction is used to correct subluxations. If the correct technique is used the ligaments and other soft tissue are not adversely affected. For most animals the treatment is very relaxing. Often, you will see the animal licking, chewing, yawning, and sighing during a chiropractic treatment.
