Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care involves a physical and neurologic exam to identify joint restrictions in the spine, pelvis, and limbs. These restrictions can lead to muscle tightness, inflammation, and nerve compression. By restoring normal joint function, we can reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle tension, while promoting better spinal cord and brain stimulation.

Chiropractic care is done by doing a full physical and neurologic exam to find hypomobilities along the spine and pelvis as well as the limbs. These hypomobilities not only keep the joints from moving the way they were meant to, but we can also see compensatory changes with tight muscles and a pro-inflammatory state in the body. Between the inflammation and tight muscles, nerves can become entrapped causing a loss of blood supply (think pins and needles when you sit on your legs). If we can get the joints functioning normally, it can help reduce some of these changes that were just mentioned, as well as increase good stimulation to the spinal cord (and brain) that will actually help reduce pain.
Along with helping back pain or lameness, there are a lot of other ways that we can utilize chiropractic care. There is a connection between the nervous system and the GI system, obviously through nerves and the spinal cord, but also the effects that the autonomic nervous system (the part of the nervous system that controls all the involuntary functions in the body) has with digestion. Dysfunction along the spinal cord can play a role in both urinary and fecal incontinence issues. Regular chiropractic adjustments can be a good option along with medical management for patients when the client can’t afford surgery for a torn cruciate or other orthopedic issues (chiropractic along with physical therapy exercises and pain management with traditional medications), since it can help decrease muscle atrophy seen from disuse, prevent the joint capsule from tightening, and help dampen pain signals that are being sent to the brain.
The most common side effects that can be seen after an adjustment are being a little sore or slightly looser stools for a day or two. We want to make sure that they have access to water and keep them moving with gentle exercise for several days following. There have been many studies done in humans that have shown that when a thorough exam, diagnostics done when needed, and adjustments have been done correctly, there is lower risk of complications with chiropractic care when compared to surgery and medications– about the same risk as being struck by lightning.
Dr. Dunn completed the veterinary spinal manipulation therapy course from an accredited school, Healing Oasis Wellness Center, in Wisconsin in the Fall of 2024. This course provided both traditional classroom education as well at over 80 hours of hands-on practice under direct supervision. She looks forward to helping our canine and feline patients in need.