What To Expect

The start of your pets first consultation will see the Chiropractor review your animal’s medical and health history. It is a good idea to bring all documentation along to assist. As our clinic provides Chiropractic for both animals and humans, we ask that you keep your pet on a leash at all times unless your Chiropractor asks otherwise. Your Chiropractor will perform a comprehensive  assessment. This involves examining all joints, posture, muscles and supporting structures. If a musculo-skeletal problem can be found, and that Chiropractic care can be of assistance then your pet will receive treatment that will be properly explained in detail.

1) Full Health History
The chiropractor will discuss your pet’s previous medical and health history. This will include the nature of the injury or the condition, how it happened, when it began and where it occurred. The chiropractor will need to get as much information as possible to build the best clinical case, to find the source of the problem and the also to give the best management.

2) Observation and Palpation
This is when the Chiropractor will do different types of tests to assess, observe and examine the severity of the injury or condition. This is done by observing your pets movements and behaviors as well as palpating joints and musculature of the injured and surrounding areas.

3) Physical Assessment and Testing
The chiropractor will normally observe how your pet is moving when placed in different environments; following this the chiropractor will normally apply different hands-on techniques such as passive and active range of motion testing, moving different limbs, and testing various joints of the animal’s body like shoulders, neck, elbows, knees, mid and lower spine and pelvic girdle.

4) Posture and Gait Analysis
This involves performing an ‘analysis of their gait’ i.e how your pet is walking and moving from point A to B. This done by assessing the repetitive movements and transporting their body to a different location, often this is an important step to analysing the point of injury. Future posture analysis may reveal an antalgic posture that can support or gait analysis observation.

5) Treatment and Home Advice
Once the chiropractor has made a decision that it is safe to work on your pet then they will apply an adjustment to the affected area. This can be done by hand and also by instrumentation. The main goal for Chiropractic care is to remove pressure off the nervous system. When there is pressure it may cause different types of symptoms, the most common being pain and lack of movement. When nerve pressure is released the body is in a better position to heal and function. Your Chiropractor will also offer home advice for the coming days in relation to your pet’s prognosis and whether or not future appointments are needed.