Chiropractic for Pets?
Absolutely!
Much like Chiropractic care for humans, your pets can benefit from Chiropractic adjustments to keep them healthy and well throughout their life. Pet owners often report seeing increased energy, reduced pain or wagging tails after just a few treatments.
Whether your pet is athletic or geriatric, chiropractic care may help to reduce pain and promote optimal function of the musculoskeletal system.
All vertebrates are good candidates; however, dogs, cats, horses, and rabbits are the most common. It is important to have your pet examined by a certified Animal Chiropractor regularly, even when there is nothing obviously wrong.
A certified Animal Chiropractor is a Chiropractor or a Veterinarian who has over 200 additional hours of instruction in the safe and effective treatment of animals using specific Chiropractic techniques.
If your pet is showing signs of problems, then Animal Chiropractic may be needed now!
You know your animal better than anyone. A change in behavior or mood is often a symptom that your pet is in pain, and might be caused by a joint that is not moving properly. Sometimes they may experience changes in appetite.
Chiropractic benefits pets with both acute injuries and chronic conditions.
- Your pet has difficulty rising from a lying down position or from sitting to standing.
- Your pet has muscle stiffness or weakness.
- Shaking /tremors in the limbs or the body.
- Mobility and gait abnormalities or limping.
- Different posture, i.e. hunched back, sitting on one hip rather than squarely.
- Your pet has been injured or there is a decreased performance in athletic ability.
- Bowel or bladder control problems.
- Changes in behavior, mood, or appetite.
What conditions respond well to Animal Chiropractic care?
- Osteoarthritis (Arthritis)
- Pain associated with hip dysplasia
- Intervertebral disc disease (slipped disc)
- Idiopathic Lameness
- Weakness in a leg
- Urinary Incontinence
- Sports injuries
- Other neurological conditions
Pet owners report the following benefits and changes in their animals after they have received Animal Chiropractic care:
- Less pain medications required (or none at all)
Dr. Kremer adjusting Fez the cat
- Pet is more comfortable and happy!
- Improved mobility
- Improved gait
- Improved bladder control
- Increased energy and improved health
- Better temperament and mood
- Improved athletic performance
- Pet is more playful
Dr. Amanda Kremer is an AVCA Certified Animal Chiropractor. She provides chiropractic services to pets at East Padden Animal Hospital and helps people at Cooper Chiropractic. For more information, please visit Dr. Kremer’s website: www.Chiro4Critters.com.
How Chiropractic Can Relieve Your Sinus Problems
With cold and flu season still upon us and allergy season just starting, many people are suffering from sinus pain and congestion that can also result in ear pain, achy teeth and drainage at the back of your throat. Did you know there is a non-invasive, drug-free approach to relieving your sinuses that is also very effective? Well there is and it’s from your chiropractor! Through a combination of specific facial massage, CranioSacral Therapy, myofascial release, and SacroOccipital Technique (SOT) sinus pain and pressure can be decreased in as little as one treatment.
So where exactly are your sinuses and how many do you have? There are 4 pairs of sinuses: frontal (in your forehead above your eyes), sphenoid (deep in your skull and between your eyes), ethmoid (above and in front of the sphenoid sinuses), and maxillary (under your eyes in your cheeks).
Now that you know where they are we need to discuss what they do. These air filled cavities in our skulls are lined with a thin layer of tissue that produces mucous. This mucous layer protects our nose from any invading pollutants, micro-organisms, dust, and dirt. It is also considered to humidify the air we breathe and keep our nose from drying out. Bonus effects of our sinuses are making our skulls lighter and helping our voice resonate. That’s why we sound different when our sinuses are full of mucous.
The sinuses are normally empty except for the thin layer of mucous lining them but can fill when the tissue layer becomes inflamed. Our sinuses can become inflamed by invasion of bacteria or viruses and irritation from allergens like pollen or dust. This irritation will cause an overproduction of the mucous in an effort to expel whatever is invading them. This filling of mucous is what causes the pain and pressure in our faces because the surrounding bone can’t expand to accommodate.
So how does CranioSacral Therapy, SOT and all these other techniques help relieve your sinuses? They all gently help release the tension of the underlying skin, tissue layers, and any bony restrictions. Once these are released they will unlock the mucous plug that leads from your sinuses into your nose allowing everything to drain and relieve the pressure or congestion.
Most patients experience relief with just one treatment. Frequency of treatment is unique for each patient and should be discussed with your chiropractor.
Drs. Karis and Cassi have undergone specific advanced training in CranioSacral Therapy, SOT, and treatment of sinuses. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call the office at 360-693-3030.