Animal Chiropractic

I offer several chiropractic treatment options for canines. After my canine chiropractic evaluation, if your dog is a candidate for chiropractic care I will provide recommendations from these options and explain my reasons for these recommendations.

ANIMAL CHIROPRACTIC
Misalignments of the spinal column and extremity joints can result in nervous system or mechanical dysfunction. These dysfunctions may manifest themselves in a number of symptoms as described in the “What do we treat” section of this web site.

Chiropractic care is a drug-free approach to health care. It deals with the nervous system housed inside the spinal column — and with keeping the nerve systems healthy for the benefit of the entire canine. Chiropractic care for your canine can also optimize performance through optimal skeletal biomechanics.

Animal chiropractic care includes management advice as to what is needed to insure proper response to chiropractic care, including rehabilitation and therapeutic stretches and exercises.

Evaluation
I will begin by obtaining a case history consisting of information from the owner, prior veterinary x-rays or laboratory analysis and previous diagnoses and therapies if applicable.

A thorough chiropractic evaluation also includes an examination of the canine prior to an adjustment. This examination may include: posture, gait and apparent short leg analysis, vertebral and extremity static and motion palpation*, vertebral and extremity motion palpation, bone and nerve system evaluation, and review of any available x-rays.

Diagnosis
Information from the case history and the examination are combined to determine if chiropractic treatment is needed, and the proper chiropractic treatment that the canine may require.

Treatment
A chiropractic adjustment involves a high velocity controlled thrust by hand or instrument that is directed at specific articulations to correct or reduce misalignments and aberrant biomechanical and nerve function. I offer two chiropractic treatment options for canines. After my canine chiropractic evaluation, if your canine is found to be a candidate for chiropractic care, then I will provide my treatment recommendations with an explanation regarding the treatment option or combination of options I believe to be best suited for your canine.

Referral
Animal Chiropractic does not dispense medication, perform surgery, inject medications or attempt to replace necessary traditional veterinary care. Underlying pathology should be ruled out prior to an animal chiropractic evaluation. A referral from your veterinarian or one of our cooperating veterinarians will be required.

Follow-up
The reduction of subluxation (misalignment causing nerve irritation and functional aberration) is a healing process. After the initial adjustment improvement of the canine’s performance is usually noted within 3 days. A follow-up adjustment may be required in 1 to 2 weeks to continue the healing process. If improvement is noted the follow-up adjustment time intervals can be doubled. Depending on what your dog does for a living, chiropractic maintenance care may be recommended from 1 time a month to 1 time every six months or as needed to control spinal biomechanical soundness.

Results
Results vary depending upon the extent of the subluxations, the length of the time between initial injury and treatment, the age and overall constitution of the canine, etc. However, the normal response to chiropractic care to a true chiropractic condition is immediate improvement within the first 3 days after care. As the subluxations are healing and your canine is improving you may notice some relapse of the initial complaints between the 1st and 2nd week. This is not unusual as this is a healing process, so make a note for your animal chiropractor if you notice this relapse to help gauge your canine’s rate of response and probable healing time required for your canine.

© 2008 Equine & Canine Chiropractic