Why does a dog need a chiropractor? Do cats get neck pain? When we tell people that we
provide chiropractic for animals, it gives them pause, haha, or paws… Why would an animal
need to get adjusted? The answer is easy once you understand what chiropractic is, and what it
does.
The first problem we run into when talking to people about chiropractic is that they already
“know” what chiropractic is and what it does- it is a different healing system you go to in order
to “fix your back and neck.” Most people associate chiropractic with neck pain, headaches, low
back pain, etc. Yes, many people have had these symptoms go away while under care, but
using chiropractic to treat these is like using your cell phone as a paperweight. While it may
work, you can get so much more out of it by using the phone properly.
So what is chiropractic, and what does it do? In very simple terms, chiropractic is concerned
with allowing your life to its fullest. If you read Gray’s Anatomy, it will tell you that the role of
the nerve system is to control and coordinate the functioning of the entire body. So
chiropractors are simply making sure that your nerve system can work better, so that your
whole body works better – the immune system, coordination, strength, posture, your
emotional state, and even how easy you fall asleep are all regulated by the nerve system!
So what do we do? Chiropractors look at the 24 movable bones of the spine to see if they are
out of position with each other, which results in pressure or irritation on the delicate nerves
and spinal cord. This pressure results in a short circuit or static on this communication system.
How do these short circuits or subluxations as we call them, affect the body? It depends on
how much interference there is and where the affected nerves go in the body. It can lead to
symptoms, or it can affect the nerves that run the body, but don’t have pain receptors.
For example, plenty of people bring their dogs to see us, and we have had a few cases where
the back leg or legs just are too weak for the dog to put their full weight on their paws. We
check the whole spine, but focus on the lower back to see if pressure on the spine or nerves at
that level is stopping the messages from the brain to the muscles of the legs from working
properly. We love it when those dogs that get carried over jump back into the cars all by
themselves.
Other reasons why we see animals – we take care of pets that had an injury to help them
recover faster and fully, we have adjusted show dogs to ensure their alignment was perfect, or
their times are faster. We have also adjusted pets at the ends of their lives to make their last
days more comfortable.
Bottom line is that a spine that is in alignment and functioning properly works better than a
spine with subluxations. Chiropractic is not a replacement or substitution for veterinary care,
but works in conjunction with veterinary to ensure your pet is in top condition!