Like people, animals have a spinal column, which houses the spinal cord and nerves. The spinal cord carries nerves to every organ and tissue throughout the body. When the bones of the spinal column, called vertebrae, are misaligned or restricted, they affect the nerves and surrounding tissues. These misalignments and restrictions can cause pain, muscle tightness, decreased mobility of joints and decreased function of our vital organs.
So, can I take my animal in to see a chiropractor? Yes!
Let’s say you are about to take your dog for a walk. Have you ever thought about how you or your dog’s body knows that one foot has to go in front of the other to get you to move forward? Think of the nervous system as a complex communication system. Your brain has to get a message to the muscles of your leg and foot to “tell” your foot to move forward. But how does this work?
First, the brain sends a message to the spinal cord. The spinal cord then needs to get the message all the way down to your foot, by way of the spinal nerves. The spinal nerves branch off in multiple directions, going to every tissue and organ throughout the body. The nerves are now telling the muscles in your leg to either contract or relax, which causes your leg to be able to lift off the ground and move forward.
When there is a break-down of communication, the messages from the brain and spinal cord do not get to the tissues and organs properly or effectively. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore the communication so that the body is able to function at its absolute best.
Here are just a few of the possible indications that your animal could use a chiropractic adjustment:
- Neck, back, leg and tail pain
- Trouble getting up and down
- Limping
- Behavior or mood disorders
- Illness or Injury
- Chronic health problems
- Muscle spasms
- Nerve problems
Many animals show improvement very quickly with chiropractic treatments. Dr. Jen Skelton at Balanced Body Chiropractic will evaluate your animal and discuss the most appropriate treatment plan.