Chiropractic care is one of the many therapies available for pets experiencing biomechanical issues..
Whether your pet has back pain or deals with general mobility issues, they can benefit from chiropractic care to restore their normal ranges of motion and reduce pain and discomfort.
The bottom line? Chiropractic care for animals can work just as well as it does for humans.
What is veterinarian chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care involves motioning the spine to treat disease. There is good evidence to show the mechanisms that are occurring and the benefits that can happen when the spine is treated.
Animals can benefit from chiropractic in the same way that humans do. This is where animal chiropractic come in-to help pets improve their overall wellbeing by treating issues within the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine.
How vet chiropractic can help your pet
Like humans, pets experience traumas, undergo constant stress, and experience wear and tear on the body.
Whether from ageing or constant activity, these issues can interfere with the nervous system performing optimally.
Vet chiropractic care involves treating “somatic dysfunction” in the spine and extremities. Somatic dysfunction is defined as impaired or altered functions of related components of the somatic (body framework) system. It can include the musculoskeletal, nervous, or lymphatic systems. These dysfunctions can cause biochemical changes and negatively affect the function of your pet’s nervous system.
Animal chiropractors use spinal manipulation or manual therapy to help address these dysfunctions by trying to restore normal movement between the many interconnections of spine, muscle, bone, ligaments, tendon and nerves.
This treatment helps to relieve pressure on the surrounding tissues, relieving pain and helping the body naturally heal itself.
There’s a wide range of conditions that vet chiropractic may help with , including:
Musculoskeletal problem
Tension or stiffness
Intervertabral disc disease
Muscle spasms
Hip dysplasia
Compensations related to lameness
Compensations related to cruciate rupture
Lick granulomas
Signs your pet needs animal chiropractic
Even though your pet can’t tell you when they’re hurting, you might notice changes in their behaviour.
For example, they may exhibit changes in their sleeping and eating habits. Or perhaps they’re irritable, or maybe they’re just not acting like themselves.
Other signs your pet may benefit from chiropractic care include:
Sensitivity to touch
Limping
Difficulty standing, sitting, or lying down
Inability to jump
Reduced mobility
Problems climbing stairs
Unusual gait
Muscle spasms
Nerve problems
Difficulty chewing
What to expect from a vet chiropractor
If your pet is showing signs they need to see a chiropractor, your next step may be to schedule an appointment.
At your first appointment, we will perform a thorough examination of your pet and begin treatment. This first session may be anywhere from 30 minutes to a full hour.
We use many metrics to consider how to treat your dog including - pain survey, strength testing, muscle assessment, neurological screening, current medications, gait and stance analysis, spinal assessment and joint mobility.
Your vet may also check if your pet is experiencing discomfort or exhibiting signs of asymmetry.
If your pet has had short term mobility issues then they may become more comfortable and experience improved mobility after one or two treatments. However, pets with longer term issues will generally require a long term maintenance schedule.
Is your pet experiencing mobility issues? Does your furry friend struggle to engage in daily activities? If so, Balance Veterinary Care can lend a helping hand. Make an appointment with us today.