A qualified animal chiropractor will begin by obtaining a detailed case history of the animals’ health history and especially the reason for the appointment.  A thorough chiropractic evaluation includes static and motion palpation of the animals’ spine and extremities and may also include evaluation of posture and gait analysis.

Information from the case history and the examination are combined to determine what chiropractic adjustments your animal may require. The evaluation using motion palpation helps detect abnormal or restricted movement of the joints of the spine and extremities which have an effect on your animal’s wellbeing.  Keep in mind, the areas requiring adjustment may not always be the area where the problem manifests (example: restriction in the neck may cause pelvic abnormalities). It should also be noted that Dr. Kohn is a human chiropractor who is certified to perform animal chiropractic adjustments. As such she is able to diagnose and treat joint restrictions, all other problems must be diagnosed by your veterinarian and if necessary, referred to Dr. Kohn for further treatment.

Adjusting your animal is somewhat like being adjusted by a human chiropractor in that once an area with either decreased or restricted motion is found, a high velocity (quick), low amplitude (shallow) thrust specific to the anatomy of the joint is applied, thereby restoring normal movement. The adjustment has little or no pain and most (but not all) animals enjoy being adjusted.  Occasionally an animal will exhibit a pain response to an adjustment in the form of biting, growling, crying, tail swishing, ear pinning, kicking, etc. these are normal responses and do not indicate anything is wrong.

Typically, an animal will exhibit immediate improvement after the adjustment and continue to show improvement over the next 24-72 hours.  Results may vary greatly on an individual basis and can depend on several variables such as; length of time from the initial trauma, age, severity of the restricted motion in the joints, and whether the animal is exposed to repetitive micro traumas or injuries after the adjustment.  It is not uncommon for an animal to show improvement that lasts for days to weeks then have a relapse or return of their initial complaint. This is a normal part of the healing process, make of note of how long your pet had relief and let your animal chiropractor know as this is a good gauge of the healing time your animal requires between adjustments.  After 2-3 adjustments, these relapses will resolve, and your animal will respond positively and results will last longer.

A follow-up adjustment may be required after 2-3 days or up to 1 to 2 weeks to continue the healing process. If improvement is noted, then the follow-up visits may be spaced out further. Depending on how active your animal is with performance activities (agility, fly ball, jumping, gaming, etc) or just a family pet, chiropractic care is recommended anywhere from every 4-6 weeks to once every 6 months.  To prolong the effects of the adjustment it is recommended that the animal be allowed plenty of easy, non-strenuous movement after adjustment whether lunging, turn out, pasture time for horses, or a trip to the dog park, or nice walk for dogs. Adjustments are designed to restore normal movement to the joints and encouraging movement in those joints after the adjustment is recommended.