Saturday 12th October
When Dr. Andy asked me to write a blog for his website on animal chiropractic, I was honoured despite not being much of a blogger myself. I was honoured because for many in the chiropractic profession, Andy has been a figure that stands for mastery of the craft. His patients no doubt will love the care they receive, however they may not quite understand how high their level of Chiropractic care is, simply because they may not be Chiropractic connoisseurs like an ever growing number of our small profession are becoming. We are becoming more focused on what we do for our patients with our hands – Chiropractic means ‘done by hand’ after all – and Dr. Andy has been a leader in this movement.
Chiropractic still means ‘done by hand’ whether it is applied to humans or animals. Chiropractic is simply a tool for analyzing and adjusting the spine and nervous system of a living being to a greater level of function. Due to the integral role the spine and nervous system plays for the entire body, it is the rule not the exception that a body is healthier with an optimized spine than without one. This is the approach I take when I am providing Chiropractic care for my patients, primarily people, horses, and dogs. The only thing that changes from a clinical perspective is the anatomy and the nuanced ways that various species respond to care.
Horses respond with the most elegance to high quality Chiropractic care – no convincing needed, they move even more gracefully, they go lame less often, they are smoother under saddle and they don’t trip over their feet as much.
Dogs respond like they’ve been given the next best toy that they’re obsessed with – they play harder, they run faster and they are even more eager for life. This is where client education comes in, because a dog will feel like it’s young again and wont understand the concept of ‘overdoing it’ and often go straight back to the habits they did that got them in a bad place to begin with (usually too much rough and tumbling). It’s important therefore that dogs (especially the easily excitable ones) are put on lead walks or not given too much free reign and space to play with other dogs for a couple of days after being adjusted.
It’s really obvious when a cat needs an adjustment, because when they do, they transform from an old bag lady back into a supple leopard with the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox – they certainly seem sharper when they’ve had a well needed adjustment.
Then you’ve got your critters – yep, rodent, birds, reptiles, you name it! Rabbits respond in a similar way to dogs; post adjustment, you need to keep them in an area that’s enclosed enough that they can’t sprint at full tilt but not small enough that they ping off the walls like a fluffy greased pinball.
I really enjoy being a Chiropractor for animals, it’s always fun and both owners and animals really appreciate that work that I do. I’m even more that weird and wonderful practitioner that seems to bring out the best in others in a short time frame after doing something one might not expect, miraculous events happen more often and we get to work outside! If you’re a horse owner, you’ll likely know that equine Chiropractic is not that niche, in fact most if not all performance horses will be under regular Chiropractic care and even your leisure ponies have been seen at least once. Your friendly local rabbit Chiropractor is not yet the norm; although most animal Chiropractors will happily see your critters if you ask them, and most human Chiropractors will usually know a Chiro that’s animal trained!
