Articles

What?  Your Dog Has a Chiropractor!

By: Fenella Ely B.Sc., D.C.

Working on people, I never really thought about the problems that many animals suffer.  Even though I have been riding horses most of my life, animal chiropractic never really came.  However, nine years ago a sweet baby faced two-year-old gelding paint changed my life forever.  I discovered after he was injured that there were not a lot of options to help him. Being a qualified chiropractor, this baffled me.  However, I was driven to help him and soon found myself traveling to the USA to obtain my training to work on animals.

Many people just gave me a dumbfounded look as I explained what I was doing.  After the initial silence and “Okay, they have chiropractors for animals now?  Cool.” comments, I never looked back.

So in case you were wondering, yes, dogs benefit greatly from chiropractic treatments, too.

All furry creatures have a spine.  From this spine exit many nerves that relay messages from the brain to the body and back again.  All this information is integrated in the brain.  If there is a disruption in the messages, no matter how small, the nerve that is disrupted creates changes in the information to and from the brain.

This can lead to subtle changes in skin, hair, muscle control, organ function etc.  If the disruption is large, such as a disk bulge pressing on a nerve, a swollen spinal joint, a sprained back, or muscle spasms it can lead to swelling, inflammation, limping, pain, slowing down or even a change in the dog’s behaviour.

Not only are nerve messages affected, if there is pressure on a nerve, or stiff joints are impeding muscle function, you get inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s reaction to injury which creates swelling, increased heat and pain.

So, in a nutshell if your dog has a spine, it can become injured just like a human.  If a human can get spinal problems, so can your dog!  Here are some common conditions treated by chiropractors:

- Arthritis
- Disk bulges
- Repetitive strain injuries such as from flyball activities
- Sports injuries to spine and limbs
- Unexplained limping
- Being ‘off’
- Change of behaviour such as not climbing stairs anymore
- Sensitivity, or skin wrinkling when touched

Also, treatment can be used in the following circumstances:

- Balancing muscles and spine after general surgery
- Before and after knee or hip surgery
- Prevention  (any age)
- Stiffness and aging
- Reducing warm spots on spine (inflammation)
- Active puppies as they grow

So, what happens when a dog visits my office?  I perform an initial history and examination.  If the client wishes to proceed with chiropractic care, ‘adjustments’ are made to the spinal joints and various limb joints to improve flexibility and functioning of the nervous system. I use my hands to detect a ‘subluxation’, which are the stiff sections of the spine or a ‘fixed’ or ‘stiff’ limb joint.  Even the jaw of a dog can stiffen and cause pain or difficulty eating!

An adjustment is a small quick force applied along the lines of the joint to ‘unlock’ or open the two spinal segments.  This allows for increased range of motion, flexibility, improved blood circulation and nerve function.

Often results are seen quickly, but sometimes it takes a few sessions to balance out the dog’s body and to allow the dog to heal from within. I usually suggest exercises to compliment the treatments.

Considering that the body wants to heal itself, it is natural that when the body is working at its maximum then the dog will perform at it’s maximum.  The adjustment stimulates the body to naturally balance itself. If the dog is performing at its maximum then the potential for injury is minimized.

Often people report that their dog is “doing stairs” again or is back to umping on the bed. Other things to look for include:

- Less top line sagging
- Less pain on touching
- Increased energy, perkiness
- Wants to walk further
- Less stiffness, no limping
- Playing more
- Jumps on couch or bed
- Jumps in and out of car
- Tail raised or wagging
- Decreased warm spots on back
- increased performance

The spine is both delicate and strong.  There are many conditions that can create outward symptoms in your dog.  Veterinarian care is paramount in order to have a thorough examination and possible x-rays.  Chiropractic care is intended to improve healing and reduce pain and dysfunction. Chiropractic care should be considered as a therapy in your toolbox to help your dog heal after injury or to help prevent further injuries or as a preventative measure.

Remember, dogs will keep going; most won’t stop when they pull their backs, or pinch a nerve unless it is severe.  Many problems build up over time.  Your dog will keep playing and being a big part of your family. But eventually, these little injuries can catch up with them.  It is
important that you, as the dog’s companion, pay close attention to the dog and speak on their behalf.

I still get raised eyebrows now and again.  Overall pet owners are investigating options for their dogs.  Consider chiropractic care for your dog.

As one of the earliest animal chiropractors in Ontario, Dr. Ely has built a large people and animal practice in the Durham region. She treats people and small animals in her office in Whitby, and she travels throughout the outlying areas to service horses and other large animals. She is a member of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association.

 

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