
Four Signs That It’s Time to See a Horse Chiropractor: Your horse’s spine is made up by a complex system of bones, nerves, muscles, and ligaments—just like your own. If this system develops problems, it can interfere with his or her entire functioning because the nerves connected to the spinal cord lead to all organs and muscles in the body. Nerve damage invites a host of problems such as stiffness, pain, lost mobility, and organ dysfunction. When these types of conditions aren’t treated, animals suffer and lose some of their quality of life.
Chiropractic services for horses treat these problems through a series of drug-free, wholly natural adjustments. A horse chiropractor aims to return your animal to his or her state of normal functioning, which ultimately promotes wellness, overall health, and a sense of total well-being. If your horse exhibits any of the following four signs, you should consider seeing a horse chiropractor in Little Falls, MN.
Four Signs It’s Time to for Horse Chiropractor Services
1. Exhibits Changes in Posture, Gait or Performance
Though your horse may have different gaits for various paces, it’s important to look for overall changes in the way he or she walks. If your horse exhibits a change in posture, begins taking shorter strides, or deviates from a typical gait, he or she may be trying to compensate for soreness or stiffness. It may be diminished performance at competitive events that you notice. Watch for these signs carefully and take your horse to a chiropractor if the changes persist.
2. Resists Giving Rides
Similarly, you should keep the need for chiropractic care in mind if your horse starts to resist giving rides. Horses that are used to being ridden and suddenly struggle to prevent people from getting on their backs are likely suffering from subluxated joints. They may all of a sudden react negatively to being saddled, bridled or harnessed due to discomfort or pain from a subluxation (dysfunction of a joint complex either in the spine, TMJ or limbs).
3. Appears Stiff and Pained
Like humans, all animals have different levels of pain tolerance from one another. Your horse may attempt to work through the pain and may not exhibit clear behavioral changes. That’s why it’s important for you to be acutely aware of your horse’s typical personality and habits. If you start to notice your animal moving a little more stiffly or making different noises while moving, he or she may need to see a chiropractor for horses.
4. Displays a Different Attitude
Some animals become irritable when they are in pain, and you may begin to witness a negative attitude from your horse. If your horse begins bucking or seems unwilling to lead, it could actually be a sign of pain or illness. Be careful to consider all possible alternatives before disciplining your horse, as his or her changed behavior may be a result of a medical condition.
If you care about your horse’s well-being, it’s important to take every action you can to support his or her health. As a responsible owner, you should monitor your horse’s behavior carefully so that you’ll be able to detect signs of injury and illness right away.
Your horse can’t communicate with you in words, so you must be aware of the different ways that he or she might be trying to convey pain. By paying careful attention to your horse and being aware of subtle behavioral changes, you can catch problems early enough to be treated. Horse chiropractic services in Little Falls, MN treat your horse so that he or she may recover naturally and return to normal functioning and a higher quality of life.
-- Dr. DeAnn Adams, DC, offers animal chiropractic services for horses, cats and dogs. Her service area includes but is not limited to the communities of Little Falls, Saint Cloud, Brainerd, Long Prairie, Onamia and the areas between and surrounding them. You may contact “Dr. D” at 320-632-6757 or via email.
Please note that animal chiropractic care requires a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine referral, which you can find on our Services for Animals page.
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