“Can Pets Get Adjusted?”
When clients walk into my veterinary clinic and I mention chiropractic care as treatment, their response is often “Animals can get adjusted?” Not only can animals be adjusted but animal chiropractic is one of the fastest growing areas of animal healthcare. It’s been regularly practiced since the 1980’s when the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association was established to create and oversee animal chiropractic accreditation in North America. Animal chiropractic, just like in humans, is the practice of manipulating the spine and joints to ease restrictive body movements. These restrictive body movements are caused when a vertebrate or joint become “stuck,” or subluxated. Causes of these subluxations include the aging process, trauma and strain to their bodies. This creates stress or irritation in nearby nerves, preventing the body from functioning optimally.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care in Pets
There are many ailments that chiropractic adjustments can alleviate including arthritis, lameness, incontinence and neck and back issues. Since your pets can’t verbally tell you what they are feeling, you should look for specific physical signs that indicate they are uncomfortable. Some of these signs are decreased movement, inability to jump, pain, not wanting to eat or play with toys and a negative change in their behavior.
After an animal is adjusted and that vertebrate or joint become “unstuck” it increases the communication between the nervous system and various body systems. This can lead to decreased pain and greater mobility, a decrease or even elimination of medications such as anti-inflammatories and more alert behavior. Results often happen pretty quickly after an adjustment, but some soreness can occur as well.
How Do I Know It’s Safe?
Animal chiropractic is a very safe, beneficial and holistic treatment to your pets’ ailments, but it may not be a cure all. It might need to be used in combination with other traditional and holistic veterinary medicine such as acupuncture, physical therapy, surgery or drugs. However, chiropractic care is a way to relieve pain and increase the well-being of your pets life. Your furry friends enrich your lives, but every once and awhile they take a few bumps and bruises. As animal chiropractic continues to grow, seeing a certified animal chiropractor is a wonderful way to keep the spark in your pets eyes and give them the most healthy lifestyle.
Dr Cindy Johnson is the veterinarian and owner of Peak City Veterinary Hospital in Apex, NC. She is AVCA certified and a graduate of The Ohio State University.
