Veterinary Chiropractic

Dr Riggien offers chiropractic services for horses and dogs.

What is veterinary chiropractic?

Veterinary chiropractic is concerned with the maintenance of a healthy, functioning musculoskeletal system, with a particular focus on the spine. Veterinary chiropractic is useful in detecting spinal problems, and alleviating pain without the use of surgery or medication. It is a holistic approach to alleviating neck and back pain.

Veterinary chiropractic can be used to treat the following conditions:

• Chronic musculoskeletal problems
• Tension
• Stiffness

It can also be used to enhance performance ability and maintain fitness in horses, and as a complementary treatment for lameness.

How does it work?

Dr Riggien performs treatments to realign the spine and restore mobility to the joints in horses and dogs. Re-alignment is made manually by placing the hands on the affected vertebrae. Because the vertebral joints are quite flexible, they are handled with minimal force, and the treatment does not cause pain or discomfort for the animal.

What causes chiropractic injuries?

Chiropractic injuries can be caused by a number of factors. These include:

• Trauma caused by falls or hard knocks
• Composition problems
• Transportation accidents
• Birthing problems
• Inactivity
• Poorly fitted saddles
• Ageing
• Incorrectly fitted shoes or poor hoof care

Does my animal need chiropractic treatment?

If your animal appears to be in pain, it may be helpful to seek chiropractic treatment. Back pain is often made visible by a change in posture, or unwillingness to move as usual. Some other common symptoms of pain in horses include:

• Changes in behaviour
• Sensitivity to touch
• Irregular gait
• Stiffness
• Lameness

Some common symptoms of back pain in dogs include:

• Unwillingness to move
• Difficulty walking up stairs or jumping
• Change in usual sitting position
• Sensitivity to touch

If you are not sure what may be causing your animal pain, speak to Dr Riggien about arranging an assessment