Chiropractics: Is Your Dog Well Adjusted?

A few days ago I hobbled into my chiropractor’s office with a stiff back and sensitive neck. During my examination, he immediately noticed that my neck was pinched in two places and it caused my spine to become misaligned in three places which, in turn, meant that my hips were crooked due to overcompensating for being off balance. I left feeling rejuvenated and promised to come back in a few days to complete my treatment. What I most often fail to recognize is that the smallest sudden or slight movements I make can cause the most harm to my back and the pain can stay dormant for days, weeks, even months before I feel the need to make an appointment. What people might not recognize is that our four-legged friends also need this type of relief they just have no way of telling us. Yes, dog chiropractors do exist, and business is barking now more than ever.

Now I’ve heard of the Dog Whisperer, and dog psychics, and dog masseurs to soothe anything from a behavioral problem to doggie night terrors, but dog chiropractics is something the media hasn’t delved too deep into, until now. The alternative medicine world has been receiving great press recently due to the rise of cancer patients singing its praises and trying new ways of dealing with their pain.

Chiropractic appointments for dogs might be the popular, but are they safe? Just last year the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) approved the use of complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM). At the annual AVMA convention in 2007, Dr. Gene Giggleman, DVM, certified by the American Chiropractic Veterinary Association and employed by Parker College of Chiropractic, gave two presentations on this type of care for animals. Giggleman explained, “They don't really teach this in the veterinary schools, so there is a lot of a misunderstanding of what chiropractic care is," he continued, "There is a real need for more research into chiropractic care. We need more studies into the importance of chiropractic care."

One of the main ailments dog chiropractors can help alleviate is hip dysplasia. Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is common in larger dogs but because genetics causes more of a predisposition for the disease where the hip bones grow at an uneven rate, smaller dogs are still at risk. CHD causes a crippling effect in the hind legs of the animal and even the basest of activities, standing, walking, jumping, or going up stairs, can cause extreme pain to the dog.

As an owner of multiple dogs, Rox Ann Kight knows all too well the benefits of a chiropractic visit for her dog. Two years ago, her thirteen-year-old Labrador-Golden Retriever mix Odie was having trouble walking and the vet’s solution was an expensive $750 surgery or devastating euthanasia. Kight was referred to Dr. Edward Lanway in her hometown of Coos Bay, Oregon. After two treatments, Kight says, “Odie could walk and run.” Lanway has worked on dogs for 12 years and has a regular database of furry clients. A dog’s visit to Lanway is a process much like how he works on humans. By asking their owners questions about lifestyle and habits during the examination, Lanway is able to determine patterns that can help him to prescribe a health plan to ease each dog’s pain, but he warns that treatments are never 100 percent and some dogs are too far along or too fragile for this type of treatment. Now, at fifteen, Odie is happy and healthy and Kight has no regrets that the $30 per treatment Lanway charges is well worth it.

To find an animal chiropractor in your state, click here for more details. If chiropractic options aren’t the best type of CAVM for your pet, consider these alternatives: holistic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and homeopathy. When I return to my chiropractor I promise to listen closer to my body and appreciate the skill it takes to ensure my wellness and if I ever get a dog, I will try to keep his or her body adjusted to its needs as well.