Last Updated on September 6, 2023 by Dr. Alisha Barnes
One of the best things you can do for your dog is ensure they have access to regular, expert care.
Most people believe that taking their dog exclusively to a veterinarian is all the care that they need to thrive, but that’s not usually the case. While veterinarians are experts in identifying and treating disease, their toolkit is relatively limited in terms of what they can do to promote wellness.
Regular examinations, while indispensable, are more about preventing disease than encouraging wellness. Along this same vein, disease treatment is precisely that—treating your dog’s symptoms to try and return your dog to homeostasis.
But what about thriving? Do any interventions and treatments exist for those who want to take their dog’s health to the next level or holistically treat symptoms at the root cause? That’s where your pet chiropractor comes in!
1. Increased quality of life, even when nothing is wrong
You’ve undoubtably encountered the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Your dog chiropractor embraces this phrase with the knowledge that regular chiropractic care can serve to enhance already good health in your dog, as well as provide a protective function against future ailments.
For example, in small dogs who frequently jump on and off of furniture, regular chiropractic care can help to protect their joints, discs, and nerves, keeping everything working harmoniously and guarding against impact-related degeneration. In larger dogs who are prone to bone degeneration, hip dysplasia, and other alignment-related imbalances, chiropractic care can offer the same protective function.
Of course, in instances where dogs are already exhibiting the subtle signs of back pain, chiropractic care is also invaluable. But as a preventative measure, nothing beats the expertise of an experienced pet chiropractor.
2. Noticeably improved posture and mobility
If your dog seems lethargic and down, your veterinarian will investigate for a disease, disorder, or environmental change. If none of these things apply, however, then their treatment can go no further.
This is where pet chiropractor experts are different. A pet chiropractor is attuned to the overall balance of your dog’s health, including their muscles, nerves, and joints. By analyzing your dog’s gait, stance, and general energy levels, and then providing treatment as appropriate, you may notice a significant uplifting effect to your dog’s demeanor.
Improvements are obvious in not just their behavior, but the way that your dog carries themself, as well. After chiropractic treatment, your dog will often display improved mobility, improved head position and posture, increased energy and motion, and a broad increase in well-being.
3. Better physical performance
Some dogs live primarily sedentary lives, and others live mostly active lives. In both cases, enhanced physical performance is ideal, as it better equips your dog for whatever lifestyle they lead.
A dog that is mostly house-bound and does not engage in much physical activity would benefit just as much—if not more—from chiropractic care as a dog that regularly walks and runs. In both instances, chiropractic care can provide a fresh burst of blood circulation to the entire body, relieve and soothe individual nerve networks, and increase mobility and limberness.
The benefits of these treatments apply whether your dog spends most of their time jumping on and off the couch, or running next to you when you ride your bicycle!
4. Achieving optimal health and highest potential
Your veterinarian is concerned with helping your dog to stay free of disease and as close to a baseline of general health as possible. Your dog’s chiropractor is interested in helping your dog achieve the highest level of optimal health and potential that they can.
Where your veterinarian may prescribe medication for pain relief, or a specific brand of food to aid with weight loss, your dog’s chiropractor will help to relieve pain at its source, assisting your dog with their mobility, which may help them return to activities that result in weight loss or help reduce boredom-related eating.
While your veterinarian may provide a general examination for your dog and confirm that “they’re healthy,” a dog chiropractor will perform an examination with the following question in mind: “How can they thrive?”
Which one should I choose?
Veterinary care and chiropractic care are not one and the same, but they are certainly complimentary. By no means do we advise that you stop returning to your vet for care—veterinary care is a vital part of the complete picture for making certain that your dog’s health is properly protected.
Instead of substitute one for the other, why not embrace the diverse benefits and varied offerings of both kinds of care?
Chiropractic care for pets strives to ensure that the efforts taken by you and your vet to maintain your pet’s well-being are supported. Chiropractic care helps your dog to thrive, and creates a foundation of health that may help prevent age-related degeneration and imbalance as time progresses.
To best support your furry friend, we recommend regular visits to both your vet and your dog’s chiropractor. Together, your dog’s health will be comprehensively supported and strengthened for years to come.