As our devotion to our pets soars, the new field of pet chiropractic has emerged. It’s not as common or as tested as chiropractic treatment for humans, but it does offer the same relief of pain and back injury, says veterinarian Dr. Karin-Susan Breitlauch, owner of Creature Comforts Veterinary Service in Saylorsburg, Pa.
“It is still not considered a mainstream way of practice,” she says. “There’s still research that needs to be done. But one thing to note is that, with people, there can be a placebo effect. With animals, there’s no way they can have a placebo effect. When they come in not walking and leave walking, I’d say that’s a pretty good indicator that it’s working.”
The American Veterinary Chiropractic Association has certified more than 1,000 animal chiropractic professionals since 1989. Breitlauch has performed animal chiropractic on more than 1,400 animals since 1999. She has worked on dogs, cats, birds, guineas pigs, rats, mice, horses, cows, sheep, pigs, snakes and goats.
