MARSHALL, Wis. — Balancing on three legs — one of her hind legs was amputated because of an injury — Olive basked under the agile fingers of Julie Kaufman, reveling in her chiropractic session at Animal Holistic Care Specialists.
Two years ago, the long-haired mini dachshund’s remaining hind leg stopped moving. Because of their shape, it’s common for dachshunds to suffer spinal problems, usually in discs near the spot where their ribs end. Owner Marie Woerpel brought Olive, writhing in pain, to Kaufman.
Kaufman diagnosed a paralyzed disc in her back. By gently restoring range of motion through massage and acupressure, an ice pack fastened around Olive and other homeopathic methods, the rescue pup regained use of her back leg.
Chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal medicine, JointYoga and other holistic remedies are no longer just for humans. A growing number of pet owners are bringing their animals to places like Animal Holistic Care Specialists — dogs, cats, even horses and other pets suffering from ailments and injuries.
Last year Americans spent a record $58 billion on their pets, according to the American Pet Products Association, which estimates that number to grow to $60 billion this year. Of that amount, around $15 billion is spent on the health of pets.
At Animal Holistic Care Specialists, most animals brought in for chiropractic work are injured in slips or falls — three to four paralyzed dogs come in each week for treatment — or are older and having difficulty getting around. The clinic sees a range of animals, from performance animals such as police dogs, show cattle, racing horses and service dogs, to geriatric animals that are virtually homebound. The largest patients for Kaufman have been draft horses with pelvic and range-of-motion issues. The smallest was a zebra finch named Chester suffering from a bum leg, which meant he couldn’t hold onto a perch.
Prices for chiropractic treatments range from $120 for small animals and $151 for large animals for a first visit, which includes a full exam, and $60 to $91 for a return visit. Acupuncture treatments are $140 for small animals for a one-hour first visit and $88 for return treatments; for large animals it’s $150 for a first visit and $98 for further sessions. Animal Holistic Care Specialists makes house calls for large animals such as horses, sheep and cattle.
In another room at the facility, veterinarian Lisa Kluslow places acupuncture needles in a retired greyhound named Judge. She can tell by Judge’s toenails that he’s dragging his rear legs, like an older person walking with a shuffling gait. She places 17 needles at pressure points throughout his body, some on his head, down his sleek back and a few in his hind feet.
Kluslow uses the same acupuncture needles for animals as humans though she sometimes needs longer needles for patients with thick fur or heavily muscled bodies. Acupuncture points are roughly in the same parts of the body for both humans and animals, areas with bundles of nerve endings that release endorphins that help alleviate pain and nausea, modulate blood supply and affect the immune system.
Pet owners often notice an almost immediate change in their pet. Dogs that couldn’t jump into a car or walk up stairs have a new spring in their step.
“We see pets that the owners thought would never walk again,” said Kluslow, a 2001 University of Wisconsin-Madison Veterinary School graduate.
After a session or two, animals quickly figure out what’s happening and sprawl out during the treatment and nap.
“A lot of times they’ll present the body part they want done. We see a lot of older hunting dogs with problems especially in their hips, and they’ll position themselves for the hip they want done,” said Mari Frank, as she held a cat named Nacho for acupuncture treatment. “Horses will do the same thing — they’ll position themselves if you’re not hitting the spot right away.”
Frank sought Kaufman’s help when her roping horse suffered a pulled groin muscle. She later became a certified JointYoga practitioner who combines acupressure, joint alignment and massage to alleviate pain and calm anxious animals as well as people.
Before becoming a JointYoga practitioner, Frank worked as an MRI and X-ray technician in Madison, Wis., and joked that, although she works with many animals in pain, “I got bit scratched and hit more in the medical field” with humans.
Referrals come from veterinarians or other pet owners. Sometimes those who don’t want to spend money on surgery or euthanasia come to Animal Holistic Care Specialists as a last resort, finding that their pets respond well to treatments and tell others.
Kaufman was a pre-veterinary student at University of Wisconsin-Madison when she injured her back in a horseback riding accident. She sought treatment for her back with a chiropractor but then wondered about her horse.
More than 1,200 people have become certified through the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association since the late 1980s when the program started, said Leslie Means, the association’s executive director. Veterinary chiropractic certification programs are also offered in Australia and Europe. Members include a mix of both veterinarians and chiropractors, quite a few of whom work with both humans and animals.
Gene Giggleman, a veterinarian and director of the postgraduate program at Parker University in Dallas, is seeing an increase in the number of veterinarians seeking chiropractic training. Class size is limited to 40 students and the program is always filled.
Giggleman’s small animal practice has evolved over the years to where it’s now 90 percent chiropractic and 10 percent traditional veterinary medicine. He thinks more veterinarians are getting chiropractic training because they’re becoming more aware of the benefits.
“More and more animal owners are seeking chiropractic care because they are concerned about the adverse effects of drugs and the cost of surgery. I have helped so many dogs who were brought to me because the owner could not afford surgery and the veterinarian recommended euthanasia. They bring me their beloved pet, and through chiropractic care we are able to restore the pet’s quality of life,” Giggleman said in an email.
A year ago Lora Post heard her dog, Turbo, bang headfirst into a door at her home. Her poodle-fox terrier mix was paralyzed. Surgery would have cost $4,000 to $5,000 with an iffy chance of Turbo regaining mobility, Post said.
Her veterinarian suggested contacting Kaufman, who could see that the dog’s neck was swollen and he was suffering from head and cervical injuries.
It took six weeks of once- or twice-weekly chiropractic treatments before Turbo could move again, as Kaufman gently increased the range of motion in his neck. Now Turbo comes once every two months.
