Just like people, dogs and cats experience body pains and injuries, especially as they get older. But injuries aren’t only reserved for older animals; younger dogs and cats can twist a knee, hurt their hip or have their spine out of whack. If not treated, these issues can cause long-term problems that can affect their movement and flexibility, and thus their quality of life over time. Chronic spinal or joint problems can even make it harder for your fur babies to fight off disease.

Chiropractic care can help. A natural, non-invasive, and drug-free treatment, chiropractic care for dogs and cats can help them overcome injuries, ease the burden of living with arthritis, or, if started early enough, prevent some of the illnesses that plague older dogs.

Which Pets Will Benefit Most?

Dogs and cats with obvious spinal or joint injuries (limping, struggling to move their head, etc.) are the most obvious candidates for chiropractic care.

Especially when coordinated with a vet as part of larger treatment plan, chiropractic work can benefit your pet more than just giving him a cortisone shot, which simply numbs the pain but doesn’t treat the root of the problem.

It’s also particularly valuable for aging pets, working dogs, show dogs and cats, and dogs that participate in agility training. These are some of the pets that tend to have the most problems with their spine, joints, and neck.

Additionally, pets that have trouble eating, have arthritis, suffer from acute stiffness or muscle spasms, or have hip dysplasia may also benefit.

Chiropractic care can also be used proactively, to prevent future problems.

Long Term Benefits

Much like a car’s wear and tear is exacerbated when it is out of alignment, your pet’s joints will experience more wear and tear when he’s out of alignment. The problem is, there’s no easy way to tell if your dog or cat is out of alignment until she starts having problems later in life.

By the time it’s bad enough for your vet to diagnose an issue — like arthritis — it’s too late. You can’t undo wear and tear. And while chiropractic treatments will help an older dog feel relief and regain some range of motion, it can’t fix it.

A New Jersey chiropractor Keeping It Pawsome spoke to said he sees a lot of dogs and cats whose parents have been through the aging process with a previous pet. They’ve seen how hard aging can be and want to be more proactive with their new pet. (We’re protecting this chiropractor’s name as it is illegal for chiropractors to treat animals in New Jersey.)

Chiropractic care helps ward off future problems by keeping inflammation in your pet’s body to a minimum. Inflammation weakens the immune system, makes it harder for your pet to fight off other diseases, and, of course, contributes to arthritis. Even a once-every-few-years appointment with a cat or dog chiropractor can help with this.

What Does a Dog or Cat Chiropractor Do?

Chiropractors that treat dogs and cats use spinal manipulation or manual joint therapy to realign your pet. But before they can do that, they need to figure out what the cause of the problem is.

According to the chiropractor we spoke with, it’s quite common for them to have spinal imbalances, especially dogs.

The next time your dogs are playing, take a good look. Chances are they’re rolling around, jumping on top of each other, or wrestling. It might be fun, but it can also be rough on their body. As a result, spine, hip, and knee issues are among the most common problems chiropractors treat in dogs.

It’s also common for a dog or cat’s jaw or neck to be out of alignment. This can lead to your pet having difficulty chewing, opening his mouth, or bending his head down to get to the food bowl. If you notice your fur baby isn’t eating, but seems otherwise healthy, this could be the reason.

To treat any of these issues, chiropractors use non-invasive, gentle manipulations to realign your pet. Some treatments are as simple as a gentle tug on your dog’s back legs to stretch out his spine. Or applying a small amount of pressure to your cat’s neck, timed to her inhalations and exhalations.

It often doesn’t look like much, but the benefit can be huge.

When working on the spine, for instance, moving misplaced discs in the spine back into their natural position releases pressure on the surrounding nerve tissues, thus relieving the pain the inflamed nerves were causing. Realignment also can restore some or all of your dog or cat’s full range of motion.

Depending on your reason for bringing your dog or cat in for chiropractic care, he may need five to six visits (equaling weeks or months) to heal thoroughly, particularly for serious injuries and/or if the overall health of your pet isn’t great.

Preparing Your Pet for a Chiropractic Visit

There’s not a lot you can do to prepare your dog or cat for their first chiropractic visit. The most important thing, the chiropractor we spoke with said, is to be relaxed. Your pet will feed off of your energy. If you’re relaxed, they’re less likely to be freaked out. 

If your pet seems unduly nervous, you can also consider using a rescue remedy or an essential oil like lavender to help.

A Success Story

Sometimes chiropractic care for your pet can actually be a lifesaver. The chiropractor we spoke with told a story of a patient who came to him with his older cat. The cat could no longer jump and was having difficulty walking. Their vet recommended putting the cat to sleep. But because his cat didn’t seem to be in obvious pain, his owner decided to try a chiropractor.

An examination revealed a compressed disc in the cat’s lower spine, which was creating weakness in its legs. After a handful of treatments, the cat was able to walk almost normally and after two months it was back to jumping on furniture to get away from the toddler in the family.

His owner was grateful he hadn’t listened to the vet’s advice to put his cat down and instead sought out a chiropractor.

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Finding a Cat or Dog Chiropractor

Animal chiropractic laws vary by state. Some states allow any chiropractor to treat both humans and animals; others only allow veterinary chiropractors to work with your pets. There are also states where the laws are vague or there are no laws dictating who may engage in chiropractic care for animals.

In states where chiropractors are permitted to work with dogs and cats, a referral from a vet is often required.

The easiest way to find a cat or dog chiropractor is to ask your vet or do a Google search for your local area. You can also do a search, specifically for a veterinary chiropractor, on the website of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association.

If you can’t find a veterinary chiropractor in your area and your vet doesn’t offer referrals, you can always reach out to friends and family to see if anyone you know goes to a chiropractor that also sees dogs and cats. This is particularly true in states where the laws are unclear or non-existent, making some chiropractors leery of advertising their pet services.