Note – I am not a veterinary medical professional. This is strictly the experience that I had taking Little One to the chiropractor. I took her to the chiropractor with the approval from her vet. If you’re interested in taking your dog to the chiropractor, talk to your vet and make sure they approve the course of treatment.
On Wednesday I took Little One to the chiropractor. It’s been in the back of my mind while she has recovered from her injury. My sister has taken her dogs to the chiropractor when they’ve needed it and they’ve always rebounded from whatever was slowing them down. So, of course, when I decided to take Little One to a chiropractor, I took her to the one who took such great care of Wolf and Jake over the years.
Even though I’ve been going to a chiropractor since I was in high school and Wolf and Jake thrived while being cared for by theirs, I was still a little apprehensive about it. When I looked at the chiropractor’s website, I was pleased to see an FAQ that answered a lot of the questions that I had. It meant that I was much more at ease in the days leading up to her visit.
I should also note, that I discussed the possibility of taking her to the chiropractor with my vet before setting up the appointment, and my vet approved this as a course of treatment.
In fact, from what I’ve read, in the state of Minnesota it’s legally required that a chiropractor has approval from the vet before treating an animal. This is to ensure that the chiropractor reports back to the vet and keeps them informed of the animal’s treatment. So after I talked to the vet, I scheduled an appointment with the chiropractor and they confirmed my appointment after receiving approval from the vet to treat Little One.
If you’ve ever thought about taking your dog to the vet or wondered what happens during an appointment, read on to find out more about our visit.
1 // The first thing the chiropractor did was meet Little One. She had a bag of great quality treats–like, the treats that I give Little One–and she gave Little One a treat to make that first connection. Little One loved it, of course. After that she asked me a lot of questions–and when I say a lot I mean A LOT! I was surprised, but obviously not upset, about the amount of questions that she asked. It gave her a lot of information about my pup’s medical history and her temperament. She also asked if there was anything that would scare Little One during the appointment.
2 // After she got to know Little One, the chiropractor had me put her on the table and she did her exam and adjustments. Little One’s back was to her and she worked from her hind quarters on up. I was in front of her, to make sure that she stayed on the table. I appreciated it and I think Little One did too, because she was able to see me the entire time.
3 // There was no cracking or popping during the adjustments. At least, there was no cracking or popping from Little One. This was stated in the FAQs, so it wasn’t something that I was concerned about. When I did hear a little cracking, the chiropractor immediately said it was her, not my dog.
4 // The adjustments are very gentle. She used her thumb to make them and it didn’t appear as though Little One really knew anything was happening. She knew someone was touching her, of course, but her look was more of, “Human, why am I standing on this table?” than “What’s happening to me?!?!”
5 // The chiropractor told me what was happening every step of the way. She told me what she found (like Little One’s hips were tighter than they should be at 4) and what adjustment she was going to make. After each adjustment she entered it into the computer. When the appointment was over she went through the chart with me again, before giving Little One another treat. She got right on the floor with Little One to give it to her, which I thought was really sweet.
6 // The chiropractor followed up with me (and the vet) after the appointment was over. She emailed the chart of adjustments and her notes about the visit to the vet and me the next day.
We have an appointment to go back in a couple of weeks to make sure the adjustments held, but she already told me she’s not concerned about that.
Obviously, I can’t say that every chiropractor will be the same way, but I really appreciated that she worked to earn Little One’s trust and kept me informed every step of the way. She obviously wanted Little One (and me) to be comfortable. It was also apparent that she loves her job and she loves working with animals. I enjoyed looking through the information that she sent after the appointment and have no qualms about taking Little One back to her.
If you’re interested in taking your dog to the chiropractor, be sure to talk to your vet. If your vet approves this as a course of treatment, they’ll probably be able to give you the names of a couple of chiropractors to look into.
My vet knew that I had a chiro picked out, but she still gave me a few suggestions if I changed my mind.
And, in case you’re wondering, Little One is doing really well. She’s running and jumping again and her little wiggle when she walks is back. It’s so good to see!
HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN YOUR DOG TO THE CHIROPRACTOR OR THOUGHT ABOUT IT? WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT?
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I never knew anyone who had this done for their dog. Great experience thanks for information.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed reading the post.
It sounds like you found someone special to treat your Little One. I have a friend with a senior dog that seems to be having discomfort and will recommend this to her. I never had thought of it.
Thank you! It’s nice to have someone you can trust and who you know cares to take your furry friends to. 🙂
So happy to hear that she’s doing well! I’m glad that this was helpful for her!
Thank you!
So glad to hear she’s doing fine! We took our pup to the chiropractor because of her arthritis and it helped her a lot! Love that you went as well! happy Monday, Crystal xxx
I’m glad to hear of someone else who visited a doggy chiropractor and had great results! And thanks! I’m glad she’s on the mend too. 🙂
I never even knew chiropractors for animals existed. I guess you learn something new every day! I’m glad your little girl is getting back to her fun self!
They do! I think they’re really popular for dogs and horses. Thank you!
I wasn’t aware there was chiropractic care for our four-legged friends. It’s nice to meet your Little One. You’re a good pet parent for taking her, and I’m glad she’s back to running and jumping!
It took me by surprise when my sister first told her that she was taking her pups to a chiropractor, but it totally made sense when I thought about it. They’re really popular for horses too. 🙂
This is great information! My dog could probably use this.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂
Awww, so glad to hear Little One is doing well AND that you had such a thorough exam but what sounds like an incredibly knowledgeable and sweet vet chiropractor. Now that my Buster is getting up there in years and he has some joint troubles, it’s something I’d definitely like to think about, too… thank you for this 🙂
Let me know if you decide to look into a chiropractor. We just had Little One’s second appointment and she was so sweet and gentle with my pup again. Little One’s pelvis was a little tight again today, but when we left I thought I saw more of her swagger back. It’s good to see that! 🙂
I’ve heard a lot of great things about dogs visiting a chiropractor and/or getting acupuncture. I’m glad that you found someone who is able to make a difference for your dog!
Just seeing the change in my sister’s dogs when she’s taken them is enough to convince me that it’s totally worth it, but I’ve also heard about even more amazing results. 🙂 Thanks! I’m glad I found her too.
Wow – what an interesting concept! I love the idea of a chiro for dogs. If it works for humans why wouldn’t it work for our pets?
Exactly! When I first heard about I was kind of surprised, but then I thought, “Why not?” 🙂