What is Veterinary Chiropractic?
Veterinary chiropractic is a manual therapy that focuses on the health and performance of the musculoskeletal system. It concentrates on biochemical dysfunction of the spine and its effects on the entire nervous system. The central nervous system comprises of the spinal cord, brain and nerves. It controls and allows communication throughout the body, carrying messages to tell us to move, breathe, feel and think. The nerves run into muscles, organs, blood vessels and even the skin.
Based on the function of the nervous system, any dysfunctional segments result in a loss of normal mobility, causing stiffness, tension and pain. If this is left untreated they can lead to detrimental effects which resonate throughout the entire body impacting on health and performace.
Chiropractic treatments aoim to restore and preserve the health of animals by optimising the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.
Verterinary chiropractic dies not replace traditional treatment, however, it can provide an additional treatment option for spinal problems, including biomechanical related musculoskeletal disorders. Treatments can often eliminate the source of scute or chronic pain syndromes.
What Can Chiropractic Be Used For?
A veterinary chiropractor works by fully examining the patient, the history, gait and mobility. They are trained to recognise and treat subluxations within the body. A subluxation is defined as a functional misalignment or limited mobility of a joint, not a bone out of place! Treating these subluxations restores the function of the problem area.
Veterinary Chiropractic can be used for:
Chronic musculoskeletal problems;
Acute problems such as tension and stiffness;
Prophylactic treatment to maintain fitness;
Maintain comfort and soundness in older animals;
Enhance performance ability in sporting animals;
As a complimentary treatment for chronic lameness, such as bone spavin, navicular syndrome or tendon issues in the horse, as well as arthritis, spondylosis or tendon.ligament problems like cruciate disease in the dog.
Signs & Symptoms That Your Animal May Need To See A Veterinary Chiropractor
Any movement can be affected by both the mechanical and neurological effects of spinal subluxations, known as vertebral subluxation complexes (VSC). If these exist and the animal loses their natural flexibility of the spine, it can affect performance resulting in stiffness, muscular pain and tension.
Recognising Problems in the Horse:
- Decreased performance.
- Abnormal posture.
- Snapping, pinning ears back when saddled.
- Evading when working from behind.
- Swishing tail.
- Disobedience/avoidance when jumping.
- Difficulties when collected or in lateral gaits.
- Sensitivity to touch.
- Unusual itching.
- Abnormal sweating.
Recognising Problems in the Dog:
- Reluctance to move.
- Abnormal posture.
- Disability to climb stairs and jump up.
- Signs of pain when performing certain movements or being picked up.
- Disobedience/avoidance when jumping.
- Altered sitting position, or lying on one side only.
- Uneven muscle tone.
- Lick granulomas.
- Chronic lameness.