WHAT IS VETERINARY CHIROPRACTIC?
Veterinary chiropractic is a holistic branch of veterinary medicine that focuses on the health and function of the nervous system. Chiropractic care is not a replacement for traditional medical and surgical techniques but can be an important adjunct in the care of the animal as a whole. It is often considered for the treatment of acute problems but can also be an effective therapy for chronic conditions, supporting recovery and preventing secondary problems due to altered biomechanics of the skeleton. It restores joint mobility enabling the animal to maximize its performance potential.
HOW IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE USED IN ANIMALS AT E.P.V.P?
The treatment procedures utilized by Dr. Farmer in the practice of animal chiropractic include the adjustment of vertebrae, the extremities and the adjustment of cranial sutures.
After reviewing the case history of the animal, our veterinarians will evaluate the posture and gait of the horse, examine, areas for increased temperature or heat, vertebral, extremity and cranial static palpation, vertebral and extremity motion palpation, short leg analysis, orthopedic evaluation and neurological evaluation. Upon completion, the information from the case history and examination are combined to determine a working diagnosis and used to formulate a comprehensive therapeutic plan..
WHEN IS CHIROPRACTIC CARE USEFUL IN ANIMALS?
The purpose of chiropractic care is to optimize health.
While chiropractic care is commonly associated with primary disorders of the back and neck, its usefulness is not limited to these areas. In that the nervous system controls every function of the body, it is easy to see that a disruption to some portion of the nervous system could have an adverse effect in many areas. The spinal nerves exit the spinal column at each vertebral joint. These nerves innervate every structure in the body, including the internal organs. If there is a decreased range of motion at the vertebral joint where the nerve exits the spinal canal, it is likely that there may be accompanying inflammation and muscle spasm. This will affect the transmission of nerve signals between the body and the brain. This can lead to significant dysfunction either in the animal’s motor function or in the function of the animal’s internal organs. By adjusting this vertebral subluxation complex, the animal can function more normally.
Chiropractic is commonly used as an adjunct in the treatment of many lameness and biomechanical abnormalities. There are many cases in which the traditional lameness exam does not fully identify the source of the lameness. Frequently, chiropractic care can provide useful information and treatment for these animals. Additionally, correction of chiropractic abnormalities may help other therapies such as intra-articular injections to be more effective and to have a more long-lasting result.
Similarly, there are many examples of medical conditions that do not fully respond to traditional care. Chiropractic should be considered as a treatment option in these cases. Chiropractic may be able to address a component of the problem that cannot be solved by medications alone. It is also possible that through chiropractic adjustment the body is better able to respond to the medications of traditional care.