Dr. Jewell, veterinarian chiropractor, gave a very interesting talk yesterday at the DOGSmart Training centre in Vancouver.She has developed a stretching regime that can help prevent injury and in many cases also help the animal tap into its own healing powers. Her method of chiropractic is also well suited to animals, very gentle, using only her hands and well tolerated by the animal.
Main take aways from her talk - 1) moderation, 2) observation, 3) proactivity.
1) Try not to play or train (ie a single agility event) with repetitive actions for more than a few minutes at a time. Chasing balls, with constant quick stops and starts; catching frisbees, jumping up high and landing; weaving over and over, can be very hard on a dog's body.
2) Changes in behaviour or desire to do a behaviour may be your dog telling you something. This can signal a physical issue that may not be readily apparent, or that may not be picked up by conventional testing. Take note of those changes, including desire to be touched, held or petted.
3) Any injury will cause some overcompensation in another area which could create misalignment and imbalance in the body. Regular chiropractic checks - one or two a year, or more frequently for active dogs or dog althletes - can head off minor problems before they become big ones.
From Dr. Jewell's web site:
Chiropractic is based on the philosophic theory that the body has an innate ability to heal itself. This innate intelligence is similar to the idea of chi or the vital force, as in homeopathy.For more information about Dr. Jewell and her practice:
