Animal Chiropractic

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic Care is a unique profession requiring post-graduate training to Chiropractors and Veterinarians.

It is a gentle, non-invasive, hands-on approach that focuses on the neuromusculoskeletal system, which is comprised of the nerves, muscles and skeleton.

It is important to note that Chiropractic is not an alternative to Veterinary care, but rather a compliment. Optimally, a Chiropractor and Veterinarian can work as a team to provide the most integrative care possible for the patient.

How does it work?

Its distinctive health approach is based on a few assumptions: that the body has an inherent drive to heal itself and function at its best, and also that all body functions (for example: digestion, bowel and bladder movements, running, jumping, etc) are controlled by the brain and nervous system. Therefore, if any messages from the nervous system are interfered with, the body will function sub-optimally.

Chiropractic aims to optimize health by minimizing this nervous system interference, primarily by restoring and maintaining a proper balanced relationship between the spine, muscles and nervous system, where a lot of nervous system interference occurs. It does so by correcting chiropractic subluxations, by way of adjustments.

Subluxations are areas in the spine where the bones are not moving properly in relation to one another, causing abnormal function and symptoms, and often interfering with proper nerve transmission.

A chiropractic adjustment is a safe, quick and gentle force applied to a subluxated area with the aim being to restore proper joint motion and alignment, muscle balance and nervous function, while simultaneously reducing pain and inflammation.

Animal Chiropractic can be used as part of a rehab protocol for post-op or injured animals, to improve an athlete’s performance, as well as to simply improve an animal’s general state of health and wellbeing.

Does my dog need Animal Chiropractic?

Chiropractic may benefit animals experiencing the following conditions:

• Arthritis
• Injuries due to slips, falls, car accidents
• Post-operative soreness
• Soreness/stiffness after sports performance
• Nerve problems
• Muscle asymmetry
• Jaw problems
• Seizures

In addition, the following symptoms may indicate that your animal could benefit from Chiropractic care:

• Panting, yelping
• Uncharacteristic biting and warning growls
• Sensitivity to touch
• Lameness or limping
• Sitting or lying with the rear legs out to one side
• Muscle atrophy or shrinking/wasting
• Partial weakness or paralysis
• Abnormal gait; including but not limited to short-striding, overreaching, side-winding, crabbing, bunny-hopping, pacing, stumbling, splaying of hind legs and head-bobbing.
• Reluctance to move or walk
• General stiffness or reluctance to move head or body to the side
• Roached topline, or back looking “humped”
• Keeping head low or tucking tail under
• Reluctance to get up/down, jump up/down or use stairs
• Difficulty squatting or lifting leg to urinate
• Constant scratching or licking of certain area of body (can present as lick granulomas)
• Reluctance to wearing collars and harnesses
• Decreased performance in athlete
• Just seems “off”