Veterinary chiropractic

Veterinary chiropractic, also known as animal chiropractic, is the practice of spinal manipulation or manual therapy for animals. Veterinary chiropractors typically treat horses, racing greyhounds, and pets. It has become a fast developing area.

It remains controversial within certain segments of the veterinary and chiropractic profession. There is some degree of risk associated with even skilled manipulation in animals as the potential for injury exists with any technique used.

The founder of chiropractic, Daniel David Palmer used the method on animals, partly to challenge claims that the placebo effect was responsible for favorable results in humans. Chiropractic treatment of large animals dates back to the early 1900s. As of 2016^[update], 40 states in the US provide statutory or regulatory guidelines for the practice of chiropractic and related treatments on animals, generally requiring some form of veterinary involvement.

Veterinary chiropractors typically treat horses, racing greyhounds, and pets. Some animal chiropractors perform adjusts on exotic animals such as birds, dolphins elephants, iguanas, turkeys, pigs, and llamas. It has become a fast developing area. A 2011 survey in New Zealand found that use of animal chiropractic on competition race horses is widespread.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines recommend that a veterinarian should examine an animal and establish a preliminary diagnosis before any alternative treatment, like chiropractic, is initiated. Before performing a chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor examines the animal's gait, posture, and the vertebrae and extremities. The chiropractor may also make neurological evaluations. In addition to spinal manipulation, other adjustive procedures can be performed to the extremity joints and cranial sutures. Those that specialize in horses are referred to as "equine chiropractors."

The AVMA lists chiropractic as a complementary and alternative treatment (CAVM). Other CAVM treatments include acupuncture and physical therapy. The AVMA Model Veterinary Practice Act includes CAVM in the definition of veterinary medicine, (thus generally limiting its practice to licensed veterinarians) and that standard has been adopted in 20 states as of 2016^[update]. An additional 20 states have enacted other provisions regarding the use of CAVM on animals, most of which require some type of veterinary input such as supervision or referral. Veterinary chiropractic is not recognized by the American Chiropractic Association as being chiropractic.

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