Veterinary chiropractic
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Veterinary chiropractic, also known as animal chiropractic, is the practice of spinal manipulation or manual therapy for animals. Proposed benefits of veterinary chiropractic include enhanced performance and improved quality of life. Currently, there are uneven regulations and licensing standards across North America. Evidence supporting the efficacy of veterinary chiropractic is limited.
Contents
History and present status
Chiropractic treatment of large animals dates back to the early 1900s.[1] Traditionally, all animal care fell under the exclusive jurisdiction of veterinarians. With the emergence of veterinary chiropractic, both doctors of chiropractic (DCs) and veterinary medicine (DVMs) can take additional training to become certified in veterinary chiropractic. The primary certifier in North America is The Animal Chiropractic Certification Commission (ACCC) of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA). Earning certification from the ACCC requires attending an ACCC-approved animal chiropractic program followed by ACCC written and clinical examinations.[2] In some locations, a veterinarian must supervise the treatment provided by a veterinary chiropractor.[3]
Clinical practice
The American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines recommend that a veterinarian should examine an animal and establish a preliminary diagnosis before any alternative treatment, like chiropractic, is initiated.[4] Before performing a chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor examines the animal's gait, posture, and the vertebrae and extremities. The chiropractor may also make neurological evaluations.[5] In addition to spinal manipulation, other adjustive procedures can be performed to the extremity joints and cranial sutures.[5] Veterinary chiropractors typically treat working horses, racing greyhounds, and pets.[6] Those that specialize in horses are referred to as "equine chiropractors."[7]
Efficacy and safety
There is limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of spinal manipulation or mobilization for equine pain management and the efficacy of specific equine manual therapy techniques is unknown.[8] Both the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners have stated that there is currently insufficient evidence to make specific recommendations about the use of chiropractic intervention for dogs and cats.[9] Veterinary chiropractic methods can potentially cause injury through the use of inappropriate technique or excessive force.[9] In addition, there is some degree of risk associated with even skilled manipulation in animals as the potential for injury exists with any technique used.[10][11] This risk may increase in the presence of structural disease, such as equine cervical vertebral malformation or canine intervertebral disk disease.[10]
References
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- ↑ avmajournals.avma.org/doi/pdf/10.2460/javma.2001.218.1729
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