Chiropractors....

[Guest jettcricket]

Hi all...my girlie, Cricket, has been limping for a few weeks now. I took her to my vets to rule out the "C" word. I can't even say it...it freaks me out. I lost my first greyhound, Chance, to osteo at the tender age of 5. Such a horrible disease.

 

Any way my vet took x-rays and thank God everything came back normal. I really didn't think it was osteo cause when she picks up her pace, the limp seems to disappear. Having dealt with it first hand, that was not the case with Chance.

 

We just came back from visiting my vets chiropractor. In examining her, he told me that her hips are out of alignment. In watching her gait, it makes sense. Cricket has always been very hard on herself....she has some scars and people will ask me, "Oh...poor girl...did she get those from the race track?" I tell people....no, she got those from living with me.

 

Anyone who knows my girl has seen her in action - she's nut and she still thinks that she's 2. I've been telling her for years, "Cricket....slow down sweetie, your gonna hurt yourself". She's going to be 11 in August.

 

He readjusted her and told me that some patients respond quickly and some don't. I did notice a bit of difference as she seems to be putting more weight down on her bad side. I have another appt. this Tuesday.

 

He also showed me different exercises to do with her to strengthen her bad side.

 

Hopefully, she'll benefit from it. I know RobinW takes Loca to get adjusted. Anyone else?

Edited June 19, 2008 by jettcricket

[Hubcitypam]

I had a very bad experience with a AVCA doc who was also a vet AND an instructor at the college here. Will never do chiro again...am open to accupuncture in the future. I tried chiro against my vets advice and it was a total waste of money and put Rex in a lot of pain. Some on this board have had succes with it though.

[Guest jettcricket]

I had a very bad experience with a AVCA doc who was also a vet AND an instructor at the college here. Will never do chiro again...am open to accupuncture in the future. I tried chiro against my vets advice and it was a total waste of money and put Rex in a lot of pain. Some on this board have had succes with it though.

I know...it does scare me a bit. Hopefully, she will benefit from it. I did ask him about accupunture and he told me, "Yes...there has been much success with that". I'll take it one visit at time and if I don't see an improvement, I'll consider accupunture.

[Guest Flint]

It worked for Flint. He had some back pain, would no longer jump into the car and became very reluctant to do stairs. The vet couldn't find anything wrong with him but the chiropractor found a bone in his spine that was rotated, made some adjustments and within days he was better. She checked him out from head to toe (he had a couple of jammed toes) and Flint just loved it.

[Guest lizmego]

LOVE our chiropractor/acupuncturist vet (she's also a licensed DVM). She also practices Eastern Chinese medicine. All three of my pups are healthier now than they have ever been.

[Hubcitypam]

I did ask him about accupunture and he told me, "Yes...there has been much success with that". I'll take it one visit at time and if I don't see an improvement, I'll consider accupunture.

My vet told me tht accupuncture has a much better clinical track record than chiro. FWIW

[Guest moremoney]

LOVE our chiropractor/acupuncturist vet (she's also a licensed DVM). She also practices Eastern Chinese medicine. All three of my pups are healthier now than they have ever been.

 

Same for my chiro/acupuncture vet. She is greyt. She has seen many of my dogs and even saw two of my rats when they were diagnosed with hereditary ataxia. I've known her for several years and I have seen many of the patients that she treats who are doing much, much better.

 

Edited to add that this is actually retiredracers... I didn't realize my sister was logged on.

Edited June 19, 2008 by moremoney

[Burpdog]

All of my greys (and Burp) have been adjusted. Currently, the chiropractor comes weekly as Tootsie needs her. Mizzy is finally every 3-4 weeks after every 2 weeks for a year.

 

All of my kids love the chiropractor! They mob her when she comes in

 

Last week she adjusted Mizzy. She did an adjustment and Mizzy took off running around with glee She had to get her back to finish. Once she finished, off went Mizzy with the zoomies again.

[Guest jettcricket]

Cricket's funny as when he examined her and pressed on certain areas of her back to locate her problem...she yiped. He then was giving her some sugar and she buried her head in his neck. Ladies...I'm here to tell you this guy is drop dead gorgeous. She seemed to stay there forever loving on him.

 

I told her out in the parking lot that she was a hussy!

 

Seriously...I hope it works.

[Guest VanillaBean]

Being that I am a chiropractor, I can definitely say it does work. I see it work every day, day in and day out. My first dog experience with chiropractic was before I became one. My little mixed breed girl had hot spots all over her body. Vet gave her steroids and sent her home. Didn't work worth beans. The chiropractor I worked for adjusted her and she never had hot spots again. Good Luck with it. It takes a while sometimes, but it is worth it!

[turbotaina]

Turbo had some success with it. He would crab-walk because of his corn - looked like his front end was going one way and his back end another. Chiro couldn't stop the corn, but she did get him adjusted so that he walked straight again. I'll have to call her out sometime soon since Turbo is out of whack again.

[Newgreymom]

Love chiropractors for our animals. Ours is also a DVM. She has done wonders for Dylan. Good luck. I think it's a wonderful thing..

[Guest tcornwel]

Keeper goes to the same vet as Loca, chiro does wonders for him. He was yelping in the winter when he would move his neck - too much running through the snow. A couple of adjustments fixed that up. Keeper does the whole GSOD during the evaluation and adjustments, although I know he is doing it when she is just touching his toes. Drama King.

The longer the joint is out of alignment the more adjustments it takes to get things to stay straight.

 

[RobinM]

I am uncomfortable with chriopractor measures for the DOG only becasue they get manipulated a lot and the dog can not tell the doctor if it hurts. I would prefer the acupunture route, which is more benign of the 2.

 

That's a personal preference.

[krissn333]

Our vet also does animal chiro. I have had my kids adjusted and usually try to do it every 3 to 6 months. Sometimes we are there more often if they've fallen somehow or had a collision out in the yard. Fritz has an ornery neck problem that occasionally gives him trouble also.

 

We had a little girl come into the kennel who had a cervical spine injury when she was little. Her right rear leg worked overtime whenever she tried to walk, so much so that she'd end up springing her back end up in the air when she was trying to move about. She was treated with chiro and muscle relaxants. I took her every few weeks to be adjusted and it made all the difference in the world. Her leg still works overtime but it's really toned down, so she can pretty much walk normally now, without springing her hind end around. Her mother also saw the chiro with her for her hip and it relieved a limp that she'd had since she came to us from the farm.

 

I hope that Cricket sees some benefits, chiro seems to really help the older hounds

 

 

[Guest crazy4greys]

Phoenix and Autumn both have gone to the chiropractor. Autumn also had acupuncture at the same time. It did help and I always recommend it.

 

I also go myself and let me tell you, when my back is hurting a few days of adjustments does wonders!!

[Bill419]

When Susie was 14 1/2 she collapsed from a slipped disc in her neck. Because of her age surgery was not an option. We carried her into the chiropractor/accupuncturist as she could not even stand. By the time we left she was standing on her own. 2 1/2 months later she was running. I credit that vet for giving Susie 9 more months of life. She died 1 1/2 months after her 15th birthday. Wendy, I thank you every day for giving me the name and phone number of Dr. Nancy. I would not hesitate to do it again.

[Guest jettcricket]

Thanks everyone for your input....I really hope she benefits from it. She's still limping, but she seemed to be in better spirits last night. I take her in again on Tuesday.

[LisaB]

My DVM does chiro and accupuncture--did wonders for my diabetic cairn terrier, and has been great for Sweetie & Spicy. I agree, though--just like chiropractors for humans--you're going to have some that are good and some that are charlatans. If you're comfortable with the recommendations, and feel, in your gut, that he's a good guy (regardless of his visual appeal), then I bet everything will be good and Cricket will feel much better. Especially if you follow through on your end with the exercises, etc.

 

Good Luck!

[Guest UGAKarlandBrook]

Glad I found this thread! Wylie has been a bit twitchy on his back the past few days and I was wondering if it was reasonable to look into getting him adjusted. He's not having any problems getting around - just a little stiff. When you rub along his spine, his entire side has a muscle spasm. Do you think warm compresses would help loosen up the muscle?

 

It hasn't been terrible for him - he still does 360s in the living room - lol!

 

Brook

[Guest longdogs]

Don't get me started. Chiropractors may help some people/animals sometimes but it's basically quack 'medicine' and can actually be damaging. I wouldn't allow a chiropractor anywhere near myself or my grey when there are better options.

[Guest VanillaBean]

Don't get me started. Chiropractors may help some people/animals sometimes but it's basically quack 'medicine' and can actually be damaging. I wouldn't allow a chiropractor anywhere near myself or my grey when there are better options.

 

 

You are spouting this from say so. Do some homework first before you bash some one.

[Guest longdogs]

Don't get me started. Chiropractors may help some people/animals sometimes but it's basically quack 'medicine' and can actually be damaging. I wouldn't allow a chiropractor anywhere near myself or my grey when there are better options.

 

 

You are spouting this from say so. Do some homework first before you bash some one.

 

I'm going to bow out rather than hijacking this thread. I've done the research. I know the history. I've read the reports by the Cochrane Foundation and others. I stand by my informed opinion, like it or not.

[Hubcitypam]

Don't get me started. Chiropractors may help some people/animals sometimes but it's basically quack 'medicine' and can actually be damaging. I wouldn't allow a chiropractor anywhere near myself or my grey when there are better options.

You are spouting this from say so. Do some homework first before you bash some one.

From personal experience I'd have to say I might as well have tossed my money in the street. And I will never forgive myself for letting sweet mellow Rex be muzzled because he was biting and snapping during his adjustments.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Hubcitypam

[Guest lizmego]

Don't get me started. Chiropractors may help some people/animals sometimes but it's basically quack 'medicine' and can actually be damaging. I wouldn't allow a chiropractor anywhere near myself or my grey when there are better options.

 

 

You are spouting this from say so. Do some homework first before you bash some one.

 

I'm going to bow out rather than hijacking this thread. I've done the research. I know the history. I've read the reports by the Cochrane Foundation and others. I stand by my informed opinion, like it or not.

I will say that when I spoke to our chiropractic/acupuncturist vet about some chiropracty I saw being done at a greyhound event she did say that it was probably the Australian method and she would NEVER advocate that method. What I saw was a man lifting the entire front half of the dog off the ground, leaving his back/rear legs on the ground and manipulating/probing/pulling. pushing various parts of the body while the dog was yelping. It did not look good at all. Our chiropractic vet DOES NOT practice this method.

 

ETA - I don't appreciate all chiropractic vets being lumped into the bad ones that some of you have experienced. As we say all the time, there are bad apples in every profession (religion, racing industry, etc).

Edited August 29, 2008 by lizmego