It’s beyond doubt that chiropractic care for animals is what I love to do, and I have seen how fast and effective it can be. Before I describe the procedure for canine chiropractic care, let me share with you the saga of one of my favourite patients, Buffy.
A “dog chiropractor” can treat your dog’s aches and pains, just as a chiropractor would. Dr. Sonya Brouillette, a veterinarian and a graduate of the Parker University Animal Chiropractic Programme, describes the science behind chiropractic care for animals. You’ll learn how chiropractic care can contribute to the health and well-being of senior dogs by learning what ‘canine chiropractors’ do.
It’s only natural to wonder if your dog would benefit from seeing a chiropractor if you’ve experienced the benefits of visiting one yourself. After all, if an adjustment can put the spring back in your step, it might be able to help another member of your family—your senior dog.
I’ve witnessed the immediate and restorative results of providing chiropractic care for animals. Before I tell you about canine chiropractic care in detail, let me tell you about one of my dear canine patients, Buffy.
A senior Golden Retriever is receiving chiropractic care.
Despite her hip dysplasia and recent deterioration, Buffy the Golden Retriever is still loving and outgoing. She struggles to rise and descend, slips and slides on hard-surface floors, and has recently started chewing on her rear leg. Joint supplements and canine arthritis medicines that may ease arthritis pain are already part of her daily routine.
Many of my clients over the years have asked, “What else can we do to help her?” Luckily for Buffy, she was a patient at the veterinary clinic where I practise chiropractic veterinary medicine. The wonderful veterinarians there immediately suggested that she see me to see if I could help with her arthritis pain. You’ll want to hear how much she enjoyed her chiropractic adjustment!
Who can be competent in canine chiropractic?
Let’s investigate who may be qualified to care for dogs. A dog chiropractor is a combination of a chiropractor and a veterinarian who helps dogs with their health. Veterinarians and human Doctors of Chiropractic Medicine who complete a rigorous training program can become animal chiropractors. Chiropractors help dogs as small as Chihuahuas and as huge as Mastiffs and Great Danes.
It is critical to talk to your dog’s regular veterinarian prior to seeing a chiropractor and to select a professionally trained and certified dog chiropractor. Your veterinarian will likely have a suggestion for an trustworthy expert in your area.
What is the job of a canine chiropractor?
“How can a dog chiropractor help with joint pain or other issues? What is chiropractic care in detail? Will it help my dog?”
An in-depth look at how your dog’s nervous system operates will help you answer those questions.
The basics of the canine nervous system are ___________________________________.
In essence, imagine your dog’s spinal cord as a “superhighway” and his brain as “command central.” This highway leaves the skull and runs down the length of the spinal column. At every vertebral space, nerves exit and enter the spinal column. These behave like exits on a highway, carrying nerve impulses from the brain to the internal organs, muscles, joints, and skin.
Spinal nerves act as onramps, allowing information to flow from the body to the brain, creating a “superhighway” for spinal cord information.
Dogs are treated by chiropractors to improve joint function.
Individual joints allow for a full range of motion across the entire body, thanks to the tiny bit of mobility at each joint. When one joint loses that tiny bit of mobility, the nerve near that joint can become irritated, resulting in a pain sensation along the length of the nerve. This loss of nerve function in one joint prevents the body from achieving a full range of motion.
Pain signals travel from the spinal cord to the brain, where they are perceived as pain. Dogs do not always cry or whine when they are in pain, so if you want to learn more about this common misconception, please read Dr. Buzby’s article 7 Signs Your Dog is in Pain.
A dog chiropractor detects the tiny areas that have lost motion, causing nerve interference. By restoring that mobility, the nerve impulses are once again able to flow freely.
Dogs require chiropractic adjustments.
When a dog chiropractor treats a restricted joint, the nervous system begins functioning at full capacity again, restoring range of motion. This causes temporary discomfort as the joint becomes sore and swollen.
When a dog gets hugged, you can see his face and eyes relax, and often he will shake vigorously because he wants to “reset” his nervous system.
In addition to visiting a dog chiropractor, you can also perform passive range of motion exercises at home to preserve your dog’s mobility.
Dogs with hip dysplasia can be treated with chiropractic adjustments.
When Buffy first came to me, she was unable to bend her left ribs to her nose. She also had limited spinal motion, and her hips had lost much of their flexibility.
Because large nerves run through that region, hip pain can be tough to handle. Inflammation and scar tissue buildup lead to restricted movement and more pain, preventing proper functioning. It turns into a vicious circle.
Each leg joint, beginning or ending with the toes, is usually treated by a dog chiropractor in order to correct and restore motion in each joint. The bones of the hip, which are the biggest in the body, the femur and the pelvis connect. Joints are large with a lot of movement, and a dog chiropractor will restore as much movement as possible to that joint, resulting in a reduction in nerve tension and an increase in blood flow.
Dr. Schuster adjusted Buffy’s spine.
At the finish of her entire adjustment, Buffy didn’t want to get up from her deep tissue massage. I “mobilized” several of her “restricted” joints, releasing her nervous system, resulting in the best 15-minute nap of her life.
Using ToeGrips® dog nail grips, I shaved Buffy’s hair to keep her joints functioning confidently and to prevent further injury. Using kinesiology tape, dog chiropractors like myself particularly like to hold chiropractic adjustments for longer periods of time.
Due to the positive effect their dog’s chiropractic adjustment had on Buffy, her owners joked, “No more chiropractic adjustments! She’s running around like a young, crazy dog again, and we can barely keep up!”
Who needs a dog chiropractic appointment?
Any dog can benefit from chiropractic care. I have treated young puppies with minor alignment problems that got into hazardous situations such as playing too hard, falling down stairs, and running into walls.
Regular visits to a canine chiropractor can help maintain optimal health for agility dogs and working dogs.
Joints in senior dogs should be adjusted on a regular basis. Chiropractic care can be part of a management plan for:
Dr. Buzby has composed a post to help you determine if your dog is ageing or suffering from osteoarthritis ( canine arthritis ).
Senior dogs can be helped by dog chiropractors.
Senior dogs frequently suffer from arthritis, hip dysplasia, and intervertebral disc disease, all of which cause decreased or lost mobility. Restoring mobility allows the dog to move more freely and with less nerve irritation (i.e., less pain).
Nerve irritation may cause a dog to chew on his legs. When the leg no longer feels like pins and needles (the same feeling you experience when your leg or arm falls asleep), chewing usually ceases.
A dog’s spinal adjustment was successful.
Every two weeks, I see an elderly lady named Katy. Prior to starting dog chiropractic care, she had difficulty walking with her back legs. One leg was tucked and trailed behind the other slightly mobile leg.
Her owners never go more than two weeks without seeing me because her life is so good when she is properly adjusted. She now uses both legs and jumps out of the car, allowing her to play at the park once again.
Do you want to locate a veterinary chiropractic clinic near you?
If you want to locate a dog chiropractic physician in your area, please go to the search page on the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association’s website.
All to gain, nothing to lose.
Senior dogs have everything to gain and nothing to lose, so seeing a canine chiropractor is a must.
Think about all the things your dog does throughout the day: chases birds, squirrels, or other dogs, jumps off furniture, slides on slippery surfaces, and jumps on your legs, for example. A professionally trained, certified, and caring dog chiropractor can help him maintain a good relationship with his dog as a result of all his high-impact activities, such as jumping on your legs.
A dog chiropractor visit just like with Buffy and Katy may alter your dog’s life for the better!
Has your dog ever visited a chiropractor?
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