Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, a good rest, and a celebratory start to 2026!

We thought we’d start off the year with something a little different. Chiropractic care for animals! 

You may have already seen You Tube shorts of horses and dogs receiving Chiropractic care.  Unlike humans, animals don’t ‘click’ during a manipulation.  Any clicks you hear in the videos are added in edit later.

If it helps us humans, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t help other living creatures that we share the planet and our homes with, right?  When you consider the cost of a horse, especially a thoroughbred racehorse, or the depth of love that we have for our pets, it’s not surprising that these videos, have grown in popularity.  

We’ve had many queries asking if people could bring in their pets to us.  The short answer is no – not at this clinic though. The longer answer is that because we love our pets, it’s worth learning a little more. 

Humans and animals have spinal columns, ribs, joints etc., and Chiropractic care will help restore the normal range of motion of vertebrae, and improve lymphatic and circulatory systems’ functions in both.

So why don’t we perform Chiropractic care on animals?  Because humans and animals are built differently.  Chiropractic care for animals is a specialised field and we’re not trained for it at this clinic.

What should you know about Chiropractic care for animals?

The First Thing To Know

Animal Chiropractic is not a substitute for veterinary medicine, nor is it meant to be the primary option for animal care.

Unless your dog is a pure-bred ancient wolf, or a Heinz 57 special canine, your dog’s breed will be a human created one.  Even your thoroughbred horse is a human-created breed. In fact, any horse except the Przewalski’s Horse a.k.a. the takhi, is a human-created or human-refined breed. Human refined horses are the Shetland pony and the Icelandic ponies. In each case, humans didn’t mix two different breeds to create them.

Why does this matter?

Human-created breeds have the best of the breeds that are in their lineage.  They also have the worst.  The thousands of years of breeding has resulted in many breeds suffering from conditions with biomechanical or neurological origins, including among others:

• Hip dysplasia

• Osteoarthritis Intervertebral disc disease

• Degenerative myelopathy

What To Look For In Your Pets

Cats or dogs:

• Being less active

• Being reluctant to jump or play Running at an angle

Horses:

• An uneven gait

• Poor performance

• Resisting the bridle Stubbornness or bucking

What To Do Next

The best course of action, if he or she has a primary neurologic condition, is to see your vet first. If necessary, the next visit should be paid to a neurologist.  Based on their advice, your pet should then be seen by an animal chiropractor.

How can Chiropractic care help?

Even though Chiropractic care is often sought after an injury, it plays a large part in:

• Injury prevention

• General well-being

• Post-surgery recovery

• Arthritis and dysplasia care

Working dogs, in particular, will benefit from regular visits.  Their high-level of intense activity stresses their bodies, joints, and bones, creating muscle spasms and stiffness.

It’s important to remember that Chiropractic care doesn’t replace primary veterinary care.  But it can provide an alternative form of diagnosis and effective treatment options for pain from spinal related problems and musculoskeletal disorders. 

If you would like to chat more about chiropractic care for your pet, give us a call and we will gladly refer you to an Animal Chiropractic care specialist.

Remember, pets are good for you. Having a properly aligned spine is also good for you – physically and emotionally.  If your spine needs some attention, contact us today and let us help you to start 2026 well.

And on that note, we’d like to take this moment to wish you all a healthy, peaceful, prosperous, and joyful 2026.