Chiropractic involves musculo-skeletal manipulations and adjustments. This healing art has been practiced for thousands of years, and the techniques are continually being refined as practitioners' knowledge grows.

Chiropractic strives to improve operation of the nervous system through physical manipulations, addressing conditions ranging from pain to crooked spines. These adjustments should not hurt the animals and, in fact, most animals find great comfort in the relief of pain. There are ways to restore normal vertebra position, varying from using a controlled thrust or typical "adjustment" to gentle massage techniques that restore normal spinal health.

Most people may not be aware of or think about chiropractic care for their pets. However, once they discover chiropractic care for pets, the positive effects become very apparent. While our doctors and staff love hearing pet parents say that “my dog/cat is back to her old self again” or, “he has so much energy,” those are only two of many benefits.

Other benefits of chiropractic care that pet parents have noted in their companion animal include:

SCENAR therapy (Self-Controlled Electro/Neuro Adaptive Regulator — pronounced “Skenar”) is a form of electro-stimulation that is non-invasive, non-toxic, non-manipulative, gentle, and soothing. This innovative device, which works alongside mainstream medicine, is used as an alternative therapy in pain management and musculoskeletal conditions and has shown proven results in the area of pain management.

While similar to the TENS unit, SCENAR has a stronger ability to stimulate the body's innate ability to heal, which aids in both pain management as well as correction of the underlying problem. In animals, it can also be used diagnostically to help locate the source of pain based on the readings of electrical impedance. The specific electrical waveform stimulus the device emits is based on the constant information it is reading from the body. It both mimics the electrical waveforms of a healthy parasympathetic wave (causing a feeling of wellbeing) and stimulates fibers of the nervous system which directly activate the area in the brain responsible for homeostasis and overall perception of pain. This stimulation also causes a local release of pain-relieving peptides, such as endorphins, which in turn, relieves pain and resets the pain cycle.

The effects of SCENAR are shown to be deep, cumulative, and lasting. However, overall health, quality of diet, past injuries, stress/work levels, and the nature of any previous treatments will all affect how quickly the body responds, especially with chronic conditions.

If you are interested in scheduling a chiropractic, acupuncture or SCENAR treatment for your companion animal, call our office at (360) 794-9255 to schedule an appointment.