By: Kaitlyn Lackey DC cAVCA
Published: Oct 1 2024
Certain breeds of dogs are predisposed to a disorder known as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD.) Most commonly, this disease can occur in the neck or the lower back and is most prevalent in chondrodysplastic breeds (frenchies, weenie dogs, etc).
In addition to traditional veterinary medicine, you might consider exploring complementary means of helping your dog should they begin to experience symptoms. Complementary is an umbrella term that could include different modalities or treatments, such as: animal chiropractic, canine massage, rehabilitation, red light therapy, and more.
Animal chiropractic care involves identifying and correcting areas of improper motion in your pet's joints. Through restoring proper joint motion, an adjustment can reduce painful muscular compensation, reduce strain to soft tissues, and can aid in promoting proper nerve signaling between the body and brain.
When it comes to your canine companion- animal chiropractic can help to decrease discomfort, manage symptoms, and help slow down the progression of IVDD.
What is IVDD?
👉🏻 IVDD is thought to occur when the spongy shock absorbers known as intervertebral discs break down. When the discs collapse, the bones of the spine can come closer together and, with prolonged compression, the inner jelly center of the disc may poke out of the spinal canal, leading to a pinched nerve.
IVDD is most prevalent amongst chondrodysplastic breeds such as weenie dogs, pugs, french bulldogs, and more. These breeds are often over represented due to their genetic inability to properly form cartilage, a critical component of the intervertebral disc. This can make the discs weaker and more predisposed to injury.
What are the symptoms of IVDD?
👉🏻 IVDD is most commonly located in the lower neck or the mid-low back areas of the spine.
Pets with IVDD in the neck may exhibit lowered head carriage, reduced neck motion, shortened stride, and will cry out with sudden movements. Pets with IVDD in the mid-low back may show resistance to jumping, arched back, crying out when being lifted, paralysis, and sometimes even difficulty with elimination.
*It's important if you suspect your pet has this condition to first visit with your animal's veterinarian. Diagnostics may be warranted to understand the severity of your pet's problem.
Will chiropractic care help my pet with IVDD?
👉🏻 The "success" of animal chiropractic care can vary depending on the severity of the problem, the length of time a pet has been struggling, and the quality of the provider. Multi-modal care with your animal care team will be important!
*If your pet cannot feel their feet at all when pinched, if they lose the ability to stand or walk, and/or if they lose the ability to know when it's time to go potty, it may be best to speak to your vet about more critical response measures.
In pets with IVDD, a certified animal chiropractor will adjust other non-compromised segments with the goal to improve motion and reduce adjacent areas of improper stress and strain. This can mitigate symptoms and improve recovery.
--> Should your pet not be improving with care, it's important to pursue further management. Chiropractic is pretty amazing, but it is not a replacement for further medical intervention should your pet continue to struggle.
It's important that when choosing care for your animal that you do your research. Not all providers are created equally!
When choosing an animal chiropractor, be sure to choose a TRAINED PROFESSIONAL.
Only veterinarians or chiropractors are eligible to undergo post graduate education in animal chiropractic. Upon completion of the coursework, these individuals may also prove proficiency via examination such as the tests offered by the American veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) or International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA).
Common vernacular or abbreviations include:
Certified animal chiropractor (CAC)
Certified in veterinary chiropractic (CVC)
Certified in veterinary spinal manipulative therapy (CVSMT)
Certified AVCA or IVCA (cAVCA, cIVCA)
A licensed, trained, and certified provider is going to be the most responsible choice when moving forward with animal chiropractic care.
You should avoid the following:
provider does not do a thorough evaluation
provider does not evaluate pre AND post treatment
provider uses excessive force and/or theatrics during treatment
pet is excessively uncomfortable or painful during treatment
provider cannot answer your questions about what they are doing
provider continues to treat without any signs of measurable improvement
provider cannot answer where they received training, their license #, or if they have insurance
It is advisable that you seek animal chiropractic care in supplement to your existing vet care.
Numerous conditions and unexplained symptoms can often be improved with animal chiropractic treatment, however, a primary care veterinarian should always be involved and routinely monitoring your animal for signs of degrading health status so that further diagnostics and/or interventions can be explored if necessary.
Across the United States there are different rules and laws about animal chiropractic care. In a select few states pets can see an animal chiropractor without first consulting a veterinarian... whereas in many other states an animal chiropractor may require a written referral or direct veterinary supervision. Please be mindful of this as it could delay your pet's accessibility to an appointment should they immediately be in need.
Chiropractic care care be preventative
👉🏻 If you have an at risk breed, consider evaluation and management before symptoms begin!
A 2021 research study on boxers showed that puppies adjusted 1x/month had significantly less signs of spinal arthritis on xray at 1 year of age when compared to controls.
Starting your at risk dog can be an amazing non-invasive preventative measure in order to promote better mobility and reduce the chances of them having a painful episode.
In Summary
IVDD is a disorder of the spinal discs that can cause compression of your pet's nerves. This most often occurs in the lower neck and the mid-low back and is most prevalent in chondrodysplastic dogs.
Animal chiropractic can be a valuable complementary treatment to help promote better alignment and reduce strain on compensatory areas. Chiropractic should NOT replace but rather complement your current veterinary care.
It's important to choose a properly trained and certified animal chiropractic provider in order to achieve the best outcome for your pet. I hope you consider adding an animal chiropractor to your animal's health care team! You can find a provider near you at animalchiropractic.org
Would you like more information?
Consider purchasing our all inclusive IVDD guide!
About the author
Kaitlyn Lackey DC cAVCA
Many people don’t know that I’ve sustained 3 very serious head injuries due to horseback riding.
When I sought medical treatment for these injuries, traditional medicine "failed me."
I'm very fortunate to have found chiropractic. Getting adjusted gave me my life back after I was struggling every day with dehabilitating migraines.
After seeing what it did for me, I thought: why isn’t this available to animals, too?
I decided against vet school and instead pursued chiropractic education. I graduated Parker University in April of 2017 with 2 Bachelors and my Doctorate then later received my AVCA certification in June of 2017.
I practiced for 2 years on humans and then shifted my focus to offering chiropractic care for animals full time in 2019. I now travel across North Dallas offering care to all sorts of animals.
I continue to do all that I can to practice evidence informed and patient centric chiropractic care to guarantee that my clients receive the best results.
DISCLAIMER
We operate in full compliance with all laws and regulations. Our services are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any specific illness or condition and should only be used as a complement to routine veterinary and/or medical care. Our services may provide support and encourage the body into its most optimal state of health. The content provided herein is informational only and is not to be construed as medical or veterinary advice.
Get your pet started with us:
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We are certified by the AVCA which is a top notch and rigorous certification program of 200+ hours class time followed by a written and practical board exam. We take 10 yearly hours of continuing education because we value knowing the most in order to provide the best.
When choosing chiropractic for your pet, choose someone licensed, trained, and certified.
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