Chiropractic

What is Veterinary Chiropractic?

Veterinary chiropractic is a manual therapy that focuses on the
neuro-musculoskeletal system. It concentrates on the biomechanical dysfunction
of the spine and extremities and its effects on the entire nervous system.

Chiropractors diagnose and treat loss of normal range of motion in joints, particularly in the spine. These lesions are known as ‘Vertebral Subluxation Complexes’ or ‘fixations’. We do not treat ‘bones out of place’, all the joints are exactly in their normal physical location. When a fixation occurs in the spinal column, this not only affects the motion of the affected joint, it also affects all the muscles and tissues around it resulting in pain, muscle spasms and stiffness.

The spinal cord passes down the middle of the vertebrae, sending out nerves at each joint. If the joint is not moving properly this can affect the amount and quality of nerve signals sent back to the brain from the joint nerve receptors and thus the function of these joints can be affected. After a short time, the brain registers the new signal patterns it receives as 'normal', thus maintaining the abnormal gait that has been created.

If left untreated, fixations not only cause pain, but can also result in inflammation and permanent degenerative changes. Because they adversely affect the horse biomechanic, they can result in overload of other areas in the body such as the front feet, tendons, ligaments and other regions of the spine. Ultimately these changes lead to decreased performance and injury.

​Chiropractors treat fixations using a 'chiropractic adjustment'. These are very specific thrusts applied on the affected joint. This stimulates the nervous system resulting in the joints regaining the normal range of motion and allowing surrounding tissues to work appropriately.

Veterinary chiropractic treatment can be used for:

Correcting chronic neuro-musculo-skeletal dysfunctions (back and neck pain, sacroiliac dysfunction, kissing spine).

Acute traumas after a fall or getting cast in the stable.

Preventing injuries by addressing joint dysfunctions on time.

Improving the quality of life of older horses by restoring their comfort.

Enhancing performance in equine athletes.

Rehabilitation: after a long period of rest, the spine mobility could be affected and also recurrence of injuries should be prevented.

Signs that your horse needs a chiropractic treatment:

Rearing

Bucking

Resenting the saddle, mounting or being groomed

Stiffness: not willing to bend to one side, hanging on one rein

Loss of top line, tail swishing, pelvic asymmetry, muscle atrophy

Abnormal gait: poor extension, short striding, disunited canter, lack of engagement from behind

Performance loss: difficulty with collected work, rushing or refusing jumps, not able to engage hind quarters

Head tilting, head shaking, ear shy

Who can carry out Veterinary Chiropractic?

Only Veterinary Surgeons and human chiropractors that have completed an approved animal chiropractic course are allowed to perform chiropractic in animals.

Unfortunately there are people in the UK with less extensive or even no qualifications calling themselves 'back healers', 'manipulators' or 'practitioners'. They do nothing to help the reputation of properly trained chiropractors and at best do nothing to help the horse, at worst they may cause serious injury or overlook other health and lameness issues.

By law any treatments on animals should be carried out under the care of a Veterinary Surgeon. ONLY a veterinary surgeon can carry out invasive procedures such as Acupuncture.