Chiropractic
VETERINARY CHIROPRACTICS
Dr. Douglas Lemire (certified by the AVCA)
Is your pet well adjusted? Most people either have had experience themselves or friends who have been to human chiropractors and been helped for lingering neck or back pains but may not realize that their pets may have similar problems and can also be adjusted and feel better and healthier.
Chiropractic dates back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks making it one of the oldest, non-invasive and drugless arts of medicine. Chiropractic deals with the term “subluxations” of the spine which refer to abnormal relationships between 2 adjacent vertebrae of the neck or back usually caused by physical trauma. Subluxations are located through checking for heat in an area of the spine; a lack of motion of a specific spinal vertebra and tightness and pain of muscles surrounding the area. A very specific, non-painful high velocity and controlled short thrust with the fingers on the individual vertebral joint to make an adjustment or manipulation. This will restore the normal range of motion to the affected joint hence releasing pressure to the surrounding soft tissues and muscles. If left unchecked, these subluxations of the spine can and will create more long term health problems for the animals. Each pair of vertebrae contain nerves and blood vessels that travel to and from the area and have far reaching effects.
During a traumatic insult to the area various physiological processes are set into motion—edema or swelling in the area with potential adhesions and scar tissue forming; also potential damage and degeneration of the nerves that can affect the muscles they supply causing atrophy or even have an effect on the function of internal organs of the body that they may also supply; discs between the vertebrae may also start deteriorating with possible deleterious consequences. The clinical goals for the use of chiropractic include—
- Relief of pain and symptoms
- Return of full function
- Promote full healing
- Reduce the likelihood and frequency of recurrences.
I feel that bi-yearly wellness exam physicals should include
a chiropractic exam in order to detect early spinal problem areas or subluxations since our pets usually are so active a good part of their lives—in order to reverse the process of degeneration and to improve the overall health.
After chiropractic adjustments, animals feel better and they even look forward to the next visit. Perhaps 2 or 3 adjustments are generally necessary to restore the spine to its original normal position and function.
