Chiropractic Care
Pet Chiropractor
Humans use chiropractic musculoskeletal adjustments as a holistic treatment for several conditions. Now, chiropractic care is making its way into veterinary industry, as it can benefit your pets as an alternative to medication or a supplementary option.
What is Pet Chiropractic Care?
Like in humans, pet chiropractic care uses adjustments in the spine and limbs to resolve any communication interference between the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Correcting misalignments can keep your pet comfortable and healthy.
This treatment style is gentle for pets at any stage of life, from a 16-week-old puppy to a 14-year old arthritic senior. Regardless of your pet’s age, they can respond well to chiropractic care. You can begin seeing positive health changes within just a few visits.
Veterinary chiropractic treatments can help manage various conditions affecting your pet, such as:
- Musculoskeletal-based conditions: Any condition related to the musculoskeletal system can benefit from an adjustment, including hip dysplasia, glycogenosis, and muscular dystrophy.
- Limping: Your pet’s limping can be related to pain in a limb caused by a spinal cord misalignment.
- Arthritis: As your pet ages, they are at a higher risk of developing arthritis. Chiropractic services can help relieve pain and pressure on achy joints.
- CCL Sprains and Tears: Pet chiropractic care can aid your pet’s CCL recovery by ensuring no additional injuries occur due to your pet overcompensating for an injured leg.
- Muscle spasms and strains: Correcting the spinal cord can prevent muscles from being overstimulated by pressurized nerves.
- Discogenic pain: A vet chiropractor can fix any disc slips or diseases in your pet and help them avoid surgery.
- Neurological complaints: Any condition or injury placing pressure on spinal cord nerves can affect your pet’s neurological function. Chiropractors can address this issue and increase their coordination.
How Does Treatment Work?
Usually, a pet experiencing misalignments in their spine will try to compensate for the pain through unusual postures or movements. In many cases, adjustments can restore their range of motion, increase their flexibility, reduce pain and enhance their performance.
What to Expect at Your Veterinary Chiropractic Appointment
During your first visit, the pet chiropractor will complete an exam or consultation before providing treatment. This process allows the veterinarian to palpate the injured or affected area and discuss best treatment practices with you.
Generally, treatment will include a short and controlled thrust by a trained professional applied to the affected region to adjust the bone structure and induce a therapeutic response.
Your pet should experience relief almost immediately after treatment. In the case of a bone fracture or tear, chiropractic services cannot replace surgery. Still, they may address secondary injuries caused through pain compensation.
Following treatment, your pet may sleep the rest of the day and have some soreness in the treatment area, but that is normal. Reach out to your pet’s primary veterinary provider if the soreness lasts for more than two days.
The Importance of Finding Experienced Animal Chiropractors
To ensure your pet’s safety, it is essential to find a veterinarian specializing in chiropractic services. These treatments require knowledge of preventive treatment and correct pressure — if performed improperly, further complications can occur.
For example, putting chiropractic pressure on a bone fracture without taking X-rays before treatment can only worsen the problem. This scenario is only one of many instances demonstrating why credentials are essential for this service.
Dr. Brown is certified and experienced in pet acupuncture and pet chiropractic.
Dr. Cynthia Brown
Dr. Brown became a Certified Veterinary Medical Acupuncturist in 2015 and soon after certified in Animal Chiropractic.
Dr. Brown’s special interests include chiropractic care, complimentary medicine, surgery, chronic pain, feline medicine, and dermatology. Dr. Brown’s pets include 2 cats: Stinky, a calico that was living in a parking lot before rescued and brought home, and Crash, who was run over by a car and spent several years as a hospital cat.
What Are the Benefits of Chiropractic Care?
Your pet can benefit from chiropractic care services. Some advantages include the following:
- Improved gait: Your pet will be able to stand straighter and more evenly on their feet, improving their posture. Older animals may seem less stiff and act more comfortably altogether.
- Immediate effect: With a chiropractic adjustment, your pet can feel results during the adjustment or immediately after.
- Increased energy: Improved mobility can give your pet newfound energy and stamina.
- Preventative care: Chiropractic services are beneficial, even if your pet isn’t currently in pain. Getting regular adjustments can help them avoid serious complications later on.
- Non-invasive treatment: Unlike surgery, chiropractic care is an outpatient service requiring no incisions or anesthesia for treatment.
Veterinary Chiropractors at Noe’s Ark Animal Hospital
We offer certified animal chiropractic services to help your pet feel like themselves again. If you live in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding areas and are interested in chiropractic care for your pet, please schedule an appointment today.