Will Chiropractic Benefit My Horse? Part 3 of 3

The science behind chiropractic 

by Brooke Johnson, DVM, IVCA certified Animal Chiropractor 

Chiropractic is a very powerful tool in veterinary medicine. Why does it have such an impact on overall animal health? 

Neurology and kinesiology--study of the nervous system and study of movement--form the scientific base of chiropractic. Previous articles have discussed what a chiropractic exam entails, signs to look for indicating animals that will likely benefit from chiropractic, and how animal chiropractors diagnose vertebral subluxation complexes and correct them with adjustments. Vertebral subluxation complex, used in the chiropractic sense, means a joint that has a reduced range of motion. As the last article in this series, discussion here will focus on what effect a chiropractic adjustment has on the body and why such a small motion can have such a big impact. 

Understanding the Nervous System

A basic understanding of the nervous system is necessary to illustrate how information is transmitted through the body. The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system, and peripheral nerves travel from the central nervous system to all points of the body. Peripheral nerves have two parts: the nerve pathways leading toward the central nervous system, where incoming information travels, and pathways leading away from the brain and spinal cord, carrying outgoing information. Nerve cells only pass information in one direction, so the pathways leading away from and toward the same body part are separate. 

The nervous system has the enormous duty of coordinating all actions of the body. It must gather information from its sensory nerves to determine what kind of environment the body is facing. From the constant inflow of sensory information, actions are executed to keep the body working smoothly and allow it to appropriately deal with any ongoing stresses such as extreme environmental conditions, illness, nutritional deficiencies and social stressors. 

Healthy and smart decisions from the nervous system require healthy nerves. Nerves are healthy when they are used and fired frequently, much like a muscle requires regular use to maintain healthy muscle tone. The nervous system is used to accomplish consciously directed tasks such as movement, but the vast majority of nervous system use is done unconsciously to maintain posture against the ever-present force of gravity, digest food, thermoregulate, and carry out routine body processes.

Joint Health

Animal chiropractors gain access to the nervous system by evaluating movement within joints of the spine. If restricted movement is found, then an adjustment is performed. An adjustment is a specific, controlled thrust along the plane of a joint that stays within the normal range of motion of the joint. 

Joint health, like nerve health, requires regular use of the system. A joint that doesn’t move, or moves with a decreased range of motion, is more likely to become inflamed and injured. Joint movement involves much more than just the bones making up the joint. Muscles, tendons, cartilage, joint fluids, joint capsules, ligaments, and vertebral discs all work together to make joints move properly. Eighty percent of joint stabilization comes from muscle and tendon crossing the joint. Joint injury is mostly due to failure of soft tissue structures supporting the joint. Strong joints require movement and support. Movement and support are provided by muscles, and muscles need healthy nerves to work properly. Chiropractors can directly impact the nervous system by initiating movement within a joint during an adjustment.

The brain can be considered a computer. It takes in information, analyzes it, then performs an action. For the brain to make decisions about which muscles to use, how much to use them, and when to rest them it needs good, reliable incoming information. Joints that don’t move properly don’t send quality information to the brain for use in decision making. Poor inflow of information increases the chance of a poor decision on how to run body functions. Poor decisions may be seen as muscle spasms, decreased flexibility, pain, or organ malfunction. This is a classic example of garbage in, garbage out.

Whole Horse Health

The previous discussion is needed to illustrate where chiropractic impacts the nervous system. Chiropractic affects input into the nervous system. The most efficient way to treat and have a corrective influence on improper joint mechanics is to change the input from that joint to the brain. A chiropractic adjustment accomplishes this and makes message inflow clearer so the brain can make better output decisions. Chiropractic helps optimize nervous system function. 

Many people easily make the connection between chiropractic and the musculoskeletal system. The less obvious connection is between chiropractic and all other body systems. The immune, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive and musculoskeletal systems are all coordinated by the nervous system. If the nervous system works better, the whole animal works better. 

In conclusion, chiropractic is able to positively impact animal health by allowing the nervous system to function more effectively. Since the nervous system coordinates all actions of the body, benefits of chiropractic are seen within all body systems. 

Will Chiropractic Benefit My Horse? Part 1 of 3

Manage the full spectrum of your horse's health

by Brooke Johnson, DVM

Many horse owners are using chiropractic care as an important component of their horse’s health care plan. When used in conjunction with traditional veterinary care, it can provide pain relief from chronic or acute problems. Chiropractic approaches health issues from a different angle from traditional medicine and offers an additional tool to keep your horse working in top form. 

Symptoms and Underlying Causes

Qualified animal chiropractors can diagnose and treat vertebral subluxation complexes (VSCs), or areas of motion restriction within the spine, through a chiropractic examination. There are also symptoms owners, riders or trainers can observe that may indicate a horse is having spinal problems and could benefit from a chiropractic exam. The most common sign is pain, which may be expressed in posture, reaction to touching the body, or refusal to work. The following signs may indicate pain or other effects of a subluxation:

• Reduced performance

• Abnormal posture

• Pinning ears during saddling

• Difficulty during collection or lateral gaits

• Changes in behavior

• Abnormal gait rhythm

• Muscular atrophy

• Interfering or consistently pulling shoes

• Difficulty flexing at the poll

• Shortened stride

• Unusual itching

• Asymmetrical or reduced perspiration

Horses are also exposed to a variety of situations that may cause subluxations, such as:

• Trauma - falls, slips, or being cast in a stall

• Performance - each discipline strains the spine in a different way

• Rider - a crooked seat while riding can lead to spine problems for the horse

• Shoes - poor hoof care or overgrown feet may result in spinal problems

• Saddle - poorly fitting saddles are a very common cause of back pain

• Transportation - long transportation times, trailer accidents, or traveling rough roads can affect the spine

• Birthing - difficult births can cause problems for the mare and foal

The Spectrum of Health

The above lists are just brief samples of the situations that can cause VSCs in a horse’s spine. That said, a horse does not need to have any outward signs of disease to benefit from chiropractic. To illustrate this, we need to think of health as a continuum or gradient that ranges from optimal health to disease (see image below). Stages of health can be labeled in order of increasing severity as general health promotion, deviation from normal, vertebral subluxation, dysfunction, signs and symptoms, advanced disease, and palliative care. 

On the disease end is the majority of medical care, while chiropractic care is weighted heavily at the health end. This makes sense because if a horse sustains major trauma it needs traditional medicine to provide urgent care. 

Notice where "signs and symptoms" appears on the health continuum. Several stages of disease have already happened prior to any detectable outward clue that health is less than optimal. If medical care, chiropractic care, or a combination of both is used to treat signs of disease, it is important to remember that stages of disease resolve in reverse of the order in which they appear. Once signs resolve, there are still subclinical aspects of disease present. Chiropractic is unique and powerful because it can have a major impact on resolving subclinical disease patterns. 

Full Health Potential

An example of using chiropractic to gain full health potential would be a dressage horse that initially receives chiropractic care to address a recent behavior change such as head tossing when asked to take a right canter lead. An animal chiropractor would do an initial exam, determine if there was need for traditional veterinary care, then perform adjustments to correct any vertebral subluxations found. If after two chiropractic exams the horse didn’t exhibit head tossing anymore, the chiropractor would likely set up a regular supportive care program aimed at correcting any problems still in the subclinical phase. 

If any disease can be stopped before advancing into an outward clinical phase then chiropractic is helping the horse achieve optimal health.

Discover the Power of Chiropractic, Part 1 of 3

A new series exploring the mechanics and benefits of equine chiropractic care

by Brooke Johnson, DVM

What is Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic is a holistic health care system widely used in human medicine and quickly growing within the veterinary field. The word “chiropractic” is a combination of the Greek words for “hand” (cheiros) and “done by” (praktikos), meaning “done by hand.” The science and philosophy of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between spinal biomechanics and the nervous system. Restoring spinal motion will optimize nervous system function. Since the nervous system is critical for all body functions, a restriction to spinal movement will adversely affect coordination of movement and overall health.

Chiropractic is not intended to replace traditional veterinary care, but offers a complimentary therapy that is used to successfully treat many health and performance problems.

 

Focus on the Spine

The equine spine is a complex structure made of bone, ligament, cartilage, nerve and muscle. It has two very different, but very important, functions. The first is to protect the spinal cord that runs within the spine. The spinal cord and the many nerves emerging from it are necessary to keep the information highway of the body communicating openly between the brain and every part of the animal’s body. The second function of the spine is to facilitate movement. Individual vertebral joints have little mobility, but when acting as a whole the back and neck are quite flexible. Horses are phenomenal athletes, and the spine is the centerpiece of the biomechanical mechanism that takes propulsive forces generated in the hindquarters and translates the energy into forward movement. Knowing both of these functions, it is easy to see why a healthy spine allows a horse to be flexible, healthy and happy. Conversely, a spine that does not move properly will cause a horse to be stiff, sick, and not performing to its potential.

Vertebral Subluxation Complexes

Vertebral subluxation complex (VSC) is the term used by animal chiropractors to label a joint of the spine that exhibits a restricted range of movement. Simply put, the joint is “stuck.” Flexibility at that area of the spine is decreased and the body compensates by over-flexing a different part of the spine. Compensation uses extra energy and requires engagement of different muscles that are asked to do a job they are not intended to do. VSCs identified during a chiropractic exam are corrected by an adjustment. An adjustment is a quick, short, controlled thrust along a joint plane. These corrections are very specific, high speed, low amplitude motions that cause a stuck joint to become unstuck. The list of reasons VSCs develop is quite long and will be covered in an upcoming article.

What to Expect

Veterinarians or chiropractors who have taken extensive animal chiropractic post-graduate training are eligible to be members of the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA) or American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA). Using a doctor certified by one of these organizations will ensure your animal is getting the very best treatment. 

A chiropractic exam begins by discussing the animal’s medical history and any current conditions the owner hopes to address through chiropractic. The doctor will begin to examine the animal and make a determination whether examination by the primary care veterinarian is necessary prior to chiropractic therapy. If the doctor feels it is appropriate to proceed with chiropractic care, then the entire musculoskeletal system will be palpated for soreness, muscle spasm, pain, swelling and muscle atrophy. The animal will be observed in motion to identify gait abnormalities. Then, the spine will be motion-palpated to identify VSCs. Each VSC identified will be treated by a chiropractic adjustment. Although particular attention will be given to the spine, other joints within the legs, jaw, or skull may also be adjusted. Lastly, aftercare instructions regarding exercise and follow-up appointments will be given. 

Will Your Horse Enjoy a Chiropractic Exam? 

Yes! Chiropractic exams and treatments should be very positive and enjoyable for both you and your animal. 

Upcoming articles in this series will explore chiropractic further. Topics to be covered include how to determine which horses will benefit from chiropractic care, what causes restriction of spinal movement, and the science of how an adjustment affects the nervous system.

Essential Health: Equine Dental Care

Prevent common dental problems in your geriatric horse
By Brooke Johnson, DVM, Kulshan Veterinary Hospital

As many of our horses live into their third and fourth decades of life, proper oral care is essential to the overall health of a senior citizen equine. Dental care is so important that the American Association of Equine Practitioners recently began a campaign to strive for yearly dental exams of every horse. Regular exams and preventative care beginning at an early age will help identify and correct problems that can be devastating or much more serious when present in the geriatric mouth. The goal of this article is to briefly discuss several of the most common dental problems identified in the older horse.

Abnormal Wear Patterns
Terms such as ramps, hooks, rims, steps, and waves are used to describe abnormal wear patterns of the cheek teeth. Normal cheek teeth have a flat, relatively even grinding surface that functions to break down a tough roughage diet. Daily grinding of coarse plant material continually wears down the cheek teeth. This is countered by the fact that equine teeth continue to erupt for the majority of a horse's life. As this dynamic process unfolds, substantial problems with the grinding surfaces can form. These problems greatly limit the ability of the horse to adequately grind food. Routine dental floating can identify and correct problems before they have the opportunity to begin hindering the chewing process. Older horses lacking regular dental care may have abnormal wear patterns present on a massive scale. Once a problem develops on the grinding surface it tends to self-perpetuate. If a horse is having noticeable trouble chewing because of an abnormal wear pattern, the problem is likely at an advanced stage.

Periodontal Disease
Studies show that 60% of horses over age 15 have periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is inflammation of the gums that can result in pain and destruction of the gums or deeper tissues that anchor teeth firmly in place. In advanced stages this “domino cycle” of inflammation, plaque build-up, swelling, tissue destruction and bone loss will lead to tooth loss. Periodontal disease is best addressed with prevention since advanced stages with large amounts of gum loss and erosion can not be reversed. Periodontal disease is painful and often a reason horses quid, or drop feed from their mouths.

Diastemata
Diastemata (singular: diastama) are alignment problems between adjacent teeth that make ideal environments for periodontal disease to begin. Normally, horse teeth sit so closely together that no food can be pushed between them. If a small gap forms between teeth, then feed material packs tightly into the space. Since horses don’t floss regularly, the entrapped food begins to rot and ferment. Sometimes a foul odor is present. Food tightly packed between teeth can be exquisitely painful. If this problem is identified during a dental exam, the gap between the teeth can be shaped with a power float tool so feed doesn’t remain trapped within the space.

Sinusitis
Sinus infection of the older horse is often secondary to dental problems. Horse cheek teeth are very long and the roots of several of the upper cheek teeth actually sit within the sinus cavity. If a path opens for bacteria to migrate along the tooth because of a fractured tooth or severe periodontal disease, then a sinus infection can form. Sinus infections become obvious to owners when the horse develops nasal discharge (usually only on one side) that has a very pungent, foul odor. To completely clear the infection the sinus needs to be flushed, antibiotics given, and the offending tooth removed.

In conclusion, one of the most important activities older horses do during their day is eat! A horse does not need to have one of the problems described above to greatly benefit from an oral exam and routine dentistry. Dentistry is the most important routine care given to older horses. Geriatric horses need one and sometimes two dental exams per year. The goal is to identify and address problems before they begin to cause chewing problems, quidding, oral pain or weight loss.

About the Author
Dr. Johnson grew up in Oakridge, OR and received a BS in Microbiology from Oregon State University. After graduating with a DVM degree from Cornell University, she completed a year-long equine surgery and medicine internship at Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital in Snohomish, WA. As a doctor at Kulshan Veterinary Hospital she especially enjoys equine medicine with specific interests in ultrasound imaging, chiropractic care, neonatology, and technical large animal emergency rescue.

Outside of work, Brooke lives with her dog, Mulak, and cat, Simon. She enjoys mountaineering and hiking in the North Cascades, listening to live music, telemark skiing, quilting and traveling.