# Chiropractic care?



## greenleaf2001

Hi-

Last week a trainer noticed that my 10 mo GSD Buddy could not sit for a long time. She said his toes stuck straight out and we should see our vet. Instead I called the breeder since she has been in the business for 40 years and she had me come out. She suspected his back/knee/or pelvis was the issue and had a chiropractor come out as he sees her dogs too. They both looked at Buddy and said he is walking on his toes. They also said two of his middle vertebrae were out of alignment, as well as his shoulder and one knee. Now, his was a runt and is skinny ( 58 lbs) and on a RAW diet as he is allergic to commercial dog food, but otherwise healthy. The dr. performed some adjustments and said to bring him back for another look on Friday. He'll need to be watched until he is two.
Well, since we came home he has been jumping around like a jackrabbit. We have a 7 month old hound mix that is the alpha and typically wrestles him and jumps on him etc. The breeder/dr says that's what may have caused these issues, or he may have fallen, etc. The dogs play rough and were outside most of the summer, so this is possible.
Does anyone have a similar experience?

Bev, Buddy and Trixie


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## LisaT

Yeah, they can tweak their backs (and even joints) doing all sorts of things, even jumping in and out of a car. 

Regular adjustments will help them maintain mibility and keep structures moving. Some research shows that the adjustments that keep the joints moving, help delay arthritis even. 

Both mine get regular adjustments. My little one for the last 8 yrs, and the GSD for about 6 yrs. How regular depends on the dog, activity level, bone struture, etc. Some dogs might do well with once a month or every other month or so. Because of chronic issues, mine go every ar or 4 weeks.


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## greenleaf2001

Update-

Hi everyone-

Buddy has had three adjustments and is doing great. His trainer said he looks much better. He's also started to bulk up, which is good since at 10 months he only weighed 58 lbs.

Now he doesn't need any more treatments unless we notice limping or walking on toes again.

Bev


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## LisaT

Great news









I would probably have a tune-up every couple of months though!


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## middleofnowhere

Chiropractic does good things for dogs.


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## Samba

A vet who is a chiropractor trains with us some. We noticed one dog was having trouble getting straight fronts. She adjusted him and he was fine. He had had a big crash playing with a GSD girl. 

My old female loves her chiropractor.


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## jenedge24

could chiropractic care help w/ ear infections too? (along with diet)
growing up my mother always tried to take us to be adjusted brfore taking us to the M.D. How do you find a k9 chiro?


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## LisaT

Yes, they can help with ear infections, though you still have to make sure the diet is right. 

There's a sticky somewhere with a link, here or the senior section. *i think* it's http://www.avcadoctors.com ?


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## jenedge24

Thanks for the site, I found some one in the same city! I just emailed her!


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## Brighthorizondogs

I'm just curious does every chiropracter use the same method to do adjustments? Mine uses a small tool that lightly bumps the area and gives a click at a certain frequency to adjust. It seems to be working and she doesn't mind it one bit.


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## JakodaCD OA

I have taken my dogs to a chiro off and on,,when my female was agility competing, she went on a regular basis.

does WONDERFUL things for our dogs)

My chiro does hands on adjusting as well as using the 'zapper' as I call it. plus acupuncture and chinese meds..


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## celiamarie

you're talking veterinary chiros, right?


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## Anja1Blue

celiamarie said:


> you're talking veterinary chiros, right?


The chiropractor my dogs go to also adjusts humans and other animals (horses, cats, etc.) I take them 2 or 3 times a year when they are younger, and if there's no specific problem. As they age I take them more often - Anja is 9 now, she gets an adjustment every other month. Conor is 3 and goes every 6 months or so, unless he does something goofy. It's a great resource, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Be aware though, just like in any profession, the quality of care can vary greatly. I did a lot of research before settling on the gentleman who is currently adjusting my dogs.
_________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## LisaT

Brighthorizondogs said:


> I'm just curious does every chiropracter use the same method to do adjustments? Mine uses a small tool that lightly bumps the area and gives a click at a certain frequency to adjust. It seems to be working and she doesn't mind it one bit.


I'm wondering if you have someone that is practicing VOM, which isn't quite chiropractic.

I've taken my dogs to 3 different AVCA certified chiros, and each of them use their hands, and not an activator. However, some trained chiros will use the activator when necessary.


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## LisaT

Anja1Blue said:


> Be aware though, just like in any profession, the quality of care can vary greatly. ....


True in any field, yes, good advice!

I have been fortunate, all of the ones that have treated my dogs have been great.


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## LisaT

celiamarie said:


> you're talking veterinary chiros, right?


AVCA certified chiros must either be a vet or a chiro for humans.


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## CanineChiro

*Canine Chiropractor*



greenleaf2001 said:


> Hi-
> 
> Last week a trainer noticed that my 10 mo GSD Buddy could not sit for a long time. She said his toes stuck straight out and we should see our vet. Instead I called the breeder since she has been in the business for 40 years and she had me come out. She suspected his back/knee/or pelvis was the issue and had a chiropractor come out as he sees her dogs too. They both looked at Buddy and said he is walking on his toes. They also said two of his middle vertebrae were out of alignment, as well as his shoulder and one knee. Now, his was a runt and is skinny ( 58 lbs) and on a RAW diet as he is allergic to commercial dog food, but otherwise healthy. The dr. performed some adjustments and said to bring him back for another look on Friday. He'll need to be watched until he is two.
> Well, since we came home he has been jumping around like a jackrabbit. We have a 7 month old hound mix that is the alpha and typically wrestles him and jumps on him etc. The breeder/dr says that's what may have caused these issues, or he may have fallen, etc. The dogs play rough and were outside most of the summer, so this is possible.
> Does anyone have a similar experience?
> 
> Bev, Buddy and Trixie


My first post here. I am the author of The Well Adjusted Dog--Canine Chiropractic Methods You Can Do. I can answer some questions here about animal chiropractic. Types of treatment, legalities, etc.
Daniel Kamen, D.C.
Certified Animal Chiropractor


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## onyx'girl

Canine Chiro, Do you ever treat dogs with seizure disorders & do you have a website?


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## LisaT

CanineChiro said:


> My first post here. I am the author of The Well Adjusted Dog--Canine Chiropractic Methods You Can Do. I can answer some questions here about animal chiropractic. Types of treatment, legalities, etc.
> Daniel Kamen, D.C.
> Certified Animal Chiropractor



Very cool, welcome to the board!!

I have your book somewhere, but it actually made me nervous to try and use some of the techniques. I will have to go find the book and see if I can find the one that I'm thinking of.


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## CanineChiro

onyx'girl said:


> Canine Chiro, Do you ever treat dogs with seizure disorders & do you have a website?


Seizure disorders are common and are regularly treated with chiropractic techniques. These procedures are only done after a veterinarian has carefully examined your dog. The upper cervicals (the first two neck bones right below the base of the skull--Atlas and Axis) are the areas which are adjusted for this to release any nerve pressure at the site of the brainstem. Most veterinary chiropractors use an instrument called The Activator or C.A.T. (Chiropractic Adjusting Tool) to adjust these areas. To get a good idea how this is done, you can visit my website which is animalchiropractic.com then scroll down to and click on video clip number 4. This shows the entire Activator adjusting sequence which includes adjusting the first two neck bones.
Dr. Kamen


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## bianca

CanineChiro said:


> Seizure disorders are common and are regularly treated with chiropractic techniques. These procedures are only done after a veterinarian has carefully examined your dog. The upper cervicals (the first two neck bones right below the base of the skull--Atlas and Axis) are the areas which are adjusted for this to release any nerve pressure at the site of the brainstem. Most veterinary chiropractors use an instrument called The Activator or C.A.T. (Chiropractic Adjusting Tool) to adjust these areas. To get a good idea how this is done, you can visit my website which is animalchiropractic.com then scroll down to and click on video clip number 4. This shows the entire Activator adjusting sequence which includes adjusting the first two neck bones.
> Dr. Kamen


Slightly off topic(not about our dogs) but I had a neck injury from a car accident and after trying all sorts of treatment, I went to a Chiropractor who used the Activator and instant pain relief! I swear by it now


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## LisaT

My dogs have been seen by 3 different excellent AVCA chiropractors (one a vet, the other also people chiros) and none of them have used the activator on the dogs here, including their atlas, so perhpas it varies?

I have a question about where the tail attaches to the sacral area.

Max used to have a relatively straight tail, where it comes out of the body - this is from last year:










But lately it's changing, and there's a "divot" right at the base of the tail. I don't know if this is a great picture of it, but it was the best I could do:












Is that a chiropractor thing? What's up with that?


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## Fuse

How much does a visit to the doggie chiro cost? How old does a dog have to be before they can visit one?

If anyone knows of a good dog chiro in the Portland area, please PM me. Bonus points if they can straighten me out too


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## CanineChiro

It all depends what caused the tail to drop. If it was a severe sprain/injury, then no, chiropractic would not be helpful. If a pinched nerve was the cause (nerve intrapment) then it possibly.
As concerns the activator. I mosly use regular adjusting techniques (manual adjusting). The Activator is a good technique to prevent canine hip dysplasia and for maintenance care.
dr kamen


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## CanineChiro

Fuse said:


> How much does a visit to the doggie chiro cost? How old does a dog have to be before they can visit one?
> 
> If anyone knows of a good dog chiro in the Portland area, please PM me. Bonus points if they can straighten me out too


Price varies, but $50.00 is a good ballpark figure.
You can try www.animalchiropractic.org then click 'referrals' to find an AVCA animal chiropractor in your area.

dr kamen


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## Cluemanti

CanineChiro said:


> Price varies, but $50.00 is a good ballpark figure.
> You can try www.animalchiropractic.org then click 'referrals' to find an AVCA animal chiropractor in your area.
> 
> dr kamen


Welcome to the forum and thanks for the info. Will invest in a little research and will definitely give this a try. 

At what age would you recommend beginning visits?


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## CanineChiro

Cluemanti said:


> Welcome to the forum and thanks for the info. Will invest in a little research and will definitely give this a try.
> 
> At what age would you recommend beginning visits?


To prevent hip dysplasia it's never too soon. High risk pups (German Shepherds and other large breeds) should start right away--about six months old. If after a while a veterinarian tells you the dog is no longer at risk or is not likely to get hip dysplasia, then you don't need regular chiropractic adjustments, at least not for that.
For other dogs, just take it as it goes. If you suspect a musculo-skeletal problem caused by minor trauma then have your dog examined.
d kamen


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## Vinnie

CanineChiro said:


> To prevent hip dysplasia it's never too soon.


Are you saying that chiropractic care will "prevent" HD? Or will it just ease the symptoms of HD?


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## lhczth

Price depends on the area. The two I use in MI and OH are $65/dog.


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## LisaT

Vinnie,

There is some evidence that chiro can help prevent arthritis, degeneration, and the growth of bone spurs. Preventing HD however, if the bones are bad, the bones are bad????

The two chiros in town here are $50 and $55 after the initial appointment, which is more. However, there is another vet, just outside of town, that charges closer to $100. Some vets require acupunture and chiro in the same visit and bundle that way.


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## LisaT

CanineChiro, Thanks for the divot answer. I will also be talking to the acu vet today about it.

A new question for a friend - can chiropractic help a luxating patella at all????


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## Vinnie

LisaT said:


> Preventing HD however, if the bones are bad, the bones are bad????


Thank you Lisa. That's what I thought.  Hard to stop genetics sometimes.


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## Samba

Isn't hip dysplasia a multifactorial disease? Things have been implicated in helping to perhaps prevent its development. I have always been lead to believe genetics, nutrition, growth rate and exercise can all factor into its development.


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## Vinnie

Samba said:


> Isn't hip dysplasia a multifactorial disease? Things have been implicated in helping to perhaps prevent its development. I have always been lead to believe genetics, nutrition, growth rate and exercise can all factor into its development.


Yes, I believe it is what they call poly-genetic. Someone else can probably explain what that means better than I can. But I believe it means there is more than one thing that factors into the causes of HD. Nutrition, exercise and growth rate can be controlled to an extent but genetics sometimes can not.


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## Samba

It may be being too specific, but I usually considered the polygenic part of this disease to refer to the idea that it is controlled by more than one gene. The hypothesis that environmental situations can affect the expression would make it multifactorial in expression. This is part of why it is difficult to irradicate as it is both polygenic and multifactorial. Hey, big words!

FYI, this is a direct download document...

http://yorkiefoundation.org/managedisease.doc


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## CanineChiro

LisaT said:


> CanineChiro, Thanks for the divot answer. I will also be talking to the acu vet today about it.
> 
> A new question for a friend - can chiropractic help a luxating patella at all????


 No, not traditional chiropractic care. The primary purpose of a chiropractic adjustment is to restore normal joint function. A luxating patella is unstable cannot be successfully manipulated. Veterinary care, meaning surgery, would be required in most cases.


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## Vinnie

Samba said:


> It may be being too specific, but I usually considered the polygenic part of this disease to refer to the idea that it is controlled by more than one gene. The hypothesis that environmental situations can affect the expression would make it multifactorial in expression. This is part of why it is difficult to irradicate as it is both polygenic and multifactorial. Hey, big words!
> 
> FYI, this is a direct download document...
> 
> http://yorkiefoundation.org/managedisease.doc


 I hadn’t intended to start a discussion regarding HD or genetics - sorry. I really just had a question about the statement that Chiropractic Care could prevent HD. I hadn’t heard this before and was curious.

Yes, I believe you explanation of poly-genetic is correct and mine is incorrect. I really haven't talked HD in years and have forgotten a lot of what I had learned. Anyway, this is what I've always been told that HD is, poly-genetic.


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## LisaT

CanineChiro said:


> No, not traditional chiropractic care. The primary purpose of a chiropractic adjustment is to restore normal joint function. A luxating patella is unstable cannot be successfully manipulated. Veterinary care, meaning surgery, would be required in most cases.


Thank you, that's what we thought, but we were hoping for a different answer!


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## LisaT

If folks are interested and haven't seen it, there is more chiro info here:
Vetrolaser - German Shepherd Dog Forums


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## LisaT

Okay, maybe this is a loaded question, but what is your opinion of VOM?


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## toaster

Would anyone have a recommendation for a chiropractor located in southeast Michigan. My 12 year old is having difficulty with stairs and is not quite as sure on her feet as she used to be. The vet folded her hind paws over but she didn't immediately spring them back. He said it is a reflex that she was lacking. She does have HD and arthritis but the vet said she may have a bulging disc. She is currently on Duramax and I am giving her glucosamine every morning. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

George


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## LisaT

Welcome to the board toaster!

My dog does that paw thing when she is out of alignment. Of course, with a GSD, DM is also always a concern, but I would first see if a chiro can help. I'm not in MI, which I could help with a referral.


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