Chiropractic Care as a Part of Rehabilitation
Neck and back discomfort have become increasingly recognized in horses and dogs and is often closely associated with poor performance if left untreated. Chiropractic care can be incredibly successful in addressing this discomfort and in identifying cases that may need additional types of treatment.
A chiropractic evaluation and adjustment consists of palpation of the muscles and joints of an animal, looking for areas and patterns of soreness. Each articulation in the vertebral column and often each joint in the limbs is assessed for decreased motion, or “restrictions”. Adjustments are made to restore normal movement, which in turn improves comfort and neuromuscular function.
Chiropractic has several special places in veterinary rehabilitative medicine.
Post-surgical cases: The vast majority of horses that undergo surgery are hoisted into the air by their limbs. They are placed on their side or on their back for an extended period of time and they are then hoisted once more to a recovery stall. They wake up in this stall, but are often uncoordinated as they find their way back to their feet. While dogs are not typically hoisted by their limbs for surgery, they are still often placed in unnatural positions for long periods of time during the procedure and they are also uncoordinated as they come out of anesthesia. During this process there are many opportunities during which the neck, back, or limbs lose their natural alignment and develop restrictions. The longer an animal keeps these restrictions, the more challenging it is to restore normal motion. Chiropractic evaluation and adjustment is beneficial for most animals within two to three weeks after surgery.
Stall or cage rested animals: Anyone that has ever been on bed rest or activity restriction for any period of time can relate to the neck and back discomfort that can come with decreased or abnormal movement. Stiffness and aching set in quite quickly. All joints are meant to move and flex on a regular basis to disperse joint fluid and maintain joint health. Chiropractic care can help maintain and restore movement in the joints of the neck, back and limbs and improve comfort.
Animals in the conditioning phase: As we reintroduce rested animals to work, as we build muscle, and as we improve stamina and strength, muscle can tighten and become sore, placing abnormal strains on the joints that support them. Routine chiropractic evaluation and adjustment is important to prevent subtle problems from turning into performance limiting problems.
At VRSVA, Dr. Katherine Johnson and Dr. Meg Hammond are both trained in chiropractic care and Dr. Sophia Fuller is trained in canine manual therapy. We are happy to evaluate your animal and incorporate chiropractic care into their rehab journey!