What is chiropractic?
Chiropractors base their theories of disease on the connections between various body structures and the nervous system via the spinal column and on the role of the spine in biomechanics and movement. Therapy is directed at the spine in order to modify the progression of disease.
What is the history of chiropractic in veterinary medicine?
Spinal manipulation has been practiced for centuries in many cultures, including the early Chinese and Greeks. However, there is a distinct lack of historical documentation of its early use in animal species. In its modern form, chiropractic theory and practice have developed within the last century. Early practitioners of modern chiropractic investigated its use in various animal species. As a distinct practice specialty, veterinary chiropractic is a young profession that is undergoing rapid growth and evolution.
On which types of animals is chiropractic practiced regularly?
Chiropractic manipulation is frequently performed on horses, dogs and cats, but can theoretically be performed on any vertebrate species.
Who practices veterinary chiropractic?
Chiropractors who work on animals must have specific training in both chiropractic theories and animal anatomy so that they understand the differences in biomechanics and neuromusculoskeletal function between humans and animals. In North America, a certification process is in place to ensure that practitioners possess the appropriate knowledge and skill to treat animals. The organization responsible for this certification is the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, with specific designation of its members depending on their level of training. Because in Illinois veterinary chiropractic is considered the practice of veterinary medicine, Doctors of Chiropractic with AVCA certification must be supervised by licensed veterinarians. However most pet insurance companies will only cover chiropractic services that have been performed by a licensed and certitied veterinarian. At Integrative Pet Care, the two veterinarians who provide veterinary chiropractic services are certified by the ACVA.
What conditions are most often treated with chiropractic?
Conditions with a neurologic or biomechanical origin are amenable to chiropractic manipulation. These conditions include degenerative joint diseases such as hip dysplasia and spondylosis; cervical instability; acute neck pain; intervertebral disk disease; autonomic nervous system problems such as urinary and fecal incontinence; musculoskeletal weakness or pain that resists conventional diagnosis and treatment, and chronic back and neck pain. Even some organ dysfunction can be treated because chiropractic can restore the nerve supply to certain areas of blockage.
How can my pet benefit from chiropractic?
Chiropractic is one of the few modalities in veterinary medicine where results are often immediate, and are often seen within minutes of treatment. In general, improvements are defined as an improved gait and an apparent reduction in pain. In orthopedic conditions such as fractures or ligament tears, chiropractic care may not replace the need for surgery, but will be useful in correcting secondary problems caused by compensation or overcompensation to the injury. Animals used for athletic performance or other working purposes are ideal candidates for chiropractic treatment. By regularly assessing and maintaining maximum flexibility in these animals, injuries may be avoided. Animal athletes include horses used for racing, dressage or pleasure riding, and dogs used in racing, agility training or field trials.
How successful is chiropractic?
Chiropractors see the patient as a functional whole, rather than as a sum of its parts. Ensuring normal range of motion of vertebrae helps optimize function of lymphatics, blood vessels and nerves, which communicate between the spine and various body structures, allowing the body to function optimally to the point that further interventions may not be required. Applied correctly, chiropractic adjustments can alleviate or eliminate the need for long-term drug or hormone treatments. The success of treatment depends upon the degree of pathology present and the duration of the condition.
How safe is chiropractic?
When performed by an experienced, trained veterinary professional, chiropractic manipulation is generally considered to be safe. If adjustments are performed with the appropriate force, the patient will require a series of treatments, which will gradually result in restoration of health. Temporary low-grade discomfort (lasting 24 to 48 hours) may be experienced in a minority of patients following chiropractic treatment.
Can chiropractic be combined with other types of veterinary medicine?
Chiropractic therapy is often combined with other forms of traditional and alternative veterinary medicine. There appears to be a particularly strong synergy between acupuncture and chiropractic. When multiple types of treatments are used, it may be difficult to determine the efficacy of a chiropractic treatment, unless the treatments are performed at different times. Certified veterinary chiropractors have the knowledge and skill to understand the interactions between different forms of treatment and to interpret the patient's response to therapy. If your pet is receiving chiropractic treatment from a veterinary chiropractor other than your regular veterinarian, it is imperative that both individuals are kept updated about the ongoing treatment in order to provide coordinated care of your pet, to allow proper evaluation of treatment and to minimize any avoidable interactions or interferences. At Integrative Pet Care, our certified veterinarians collaborate with the pet's primary care veterinarian to appropriately coordinate care.
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