What is Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (VSMT)? VMST, often referred to as animal chiropractic care, is a hands-on therapy designed to find and relieve areas of abnormal or restricted movement of the joints and spine. These restricted or abnormal movements affect the nervous system, which, in turn, affects the entire body. The doctor applies small, quick thrusts to specific joints to help restore proper movement. This allows the body to function at its healthiest level and realize its maximum potential. Can chiropractic adjustments be used to treat my pet? Chiropractic adjustments can be very helpful for many clinical conditions, including: •      Back, neck, leg, or tail pain (including chronic pain) •      TMJ problems •      Sports injuries •      Muscle spasms •      Nerve problems •      Incontinence •      Senior pain or stiffness How long will a treatment take? The initial consultation and first treatment tends to take longer than subsequent visits (usually between 30 – 60 minutes), because a detailed case history, examination, and goal assessment is undertaken. Subsequent treatments are usually shorter (between 20 – 40 minutes), depending on the veterinary chiropractor’s findings. Do chiropractic adjustments hurt? Most pets find chiropractic adjustments relatively painless. During an adjustment, your pet may experience discomfort for a brief moment, but most pets are very relaxed and comfortable throughout the treatment.  Occasionally, after a treatment, a pet may be mildly sore for a day or two, as we are after a good workout. Afterwards, their movement and gait are improved. How many treatments are necessary? The number of recommended treatments will vary for different patients. In most cases, a single treatment is not enough to eliminate a problem. Most animals show significant improvement after 1 – 4 treatments. Chronic problems usually take longer to resolve, requiring more chiropractic treatment; whereas animals with acute problems often respond more quickly. Wellness adjustments are often done every 3 months to help maintain spinal health. The goal of VSMT and chiropractic treatment is to address neurological dysfunction in the spine and restore mobility. The muscles and ligaments need to learn to support the spine and maintain this newly realigned position.An animal chiropractor will adjust and correct the animal a number of times, until the body accepts the new position of the spine as normal and the muscles and ligaments can support and maintain this position. How does chiropractic care compare to traditional veterinary care?  Veterinary chiropractic treatment does not replace traditional veterinary medicine; however, it can be an integrative approach to provide additional diagnostics and treatments for spinal and musculoskeletal disorders.     How much experience does Dr. Peterson have?  Dr. Peterson has been a veterinarian since 1981. She completed an intensive 260 hours of in-class training and was certified in Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (VSMT) from the Healing Oasis Wellness Center in Sturtevant, WI in January of 2015. She is also a member of the College of Animal Chiropractors. Dr. Peterson is very familiar with the canine athlete, whether of the backyard-romping variety or a competition dog. She has competed in obedience, field, agility, and tracking for many years with her dogs. She has found VSMT to be very beneficial for cat arthritis and her current feline couch potato. How do I schedule an appointment?  Simply call us at (515) 274-3555 and one of our highly trained staff will assist you.  For your convenience, you may also request an appointment online at https://www.ingersollanimal.com.                                “Chiropractic is both treatment and prevention.  It has much to offer, from improving the quality of life of the geriatric to enhancing the performance of the athlete, and all patients in between.” -The Canadian Veterinary Journal