FAQs | Oliphant Equine

Frequently Asked Questions

Small Animal Chiropractic

What symptoms should I look for to know that my dog or cat is in need of a chiropractic adjustment?

All of us, dog, cat or human, are built asymmetrically. As such, we are prone to subluxations as a result of trying to compensate for these asymmetries. Furthermore, trauma, changes in environment or exercise level, age, and existing injury can all lead to an increased need for chiropractic care. While each animal is different, there are some symptoms that are often noticed when VSCs are present. These often include:

Acute neck or back pain as evidence through stiffness or decreased willingness to move
Decreased performance
Reluctance to climb stairs/jump
Altered sitting position
Recurrent ear or anal gland infections
Hypersensitivity to touch
Recurrent digestive trouble

While the above is a list of more commonly seen symptoms, each animal is an individual, and they may demonstrate their own unique set of symptoms when a subluxation is present, depending on how they compensate for the malalignment.

How often will my dog or cat need chiropractic care?

This is largely assessed on an individual basis. Improvement can be noted after the first visit or may take a few treatments in more chronic conditions. The body is amazing at adapting, and as such, the soft tissues will conform to a subluxation and can often fight against correct alignment if the subluxation has been present for some length of time. When the adjustment is performed the soft tissues must also adjust and strengthen to help hold the correct alignment. This is often the reason for more frequent initial chiropractic care, after which the interval between treatments can usually be lengthened. Life style, conformation, age, and existing pathologies also contribute a large part to determining the interval between adjustments that works for each individual animal.