Dr. Bates is certified to treat animals 

• What is Animal Chiropractic?

  • It comprises the adjustment of vertebral joints, extremity joints, and cranial sutures.
  • A chiropractic exam includes a neurological exam, stance and gait analysis and motion and static palpation.
  • It includes evaluating the patient’s history, intended use/athleticism, health state and prior x-rays and tests.
  • A chiropractic adjustment is defined as short lever, high velocity controlled thrust by hand or instrument that is directed at specific articulations to correct vertebral subluxations.

• Why Animal Chiropractic

  • Neck, back, leg, and tail pain,
  • Muscle spasms and nerve problems,
  • Injuries from slips, falls, and accidents,
  • Jaw or TMJ problems, difficulty chewing,
  • Event or sports injuries,
  • Post-surgical care,
  • Bowel, bladder, and internal medicine disorders,
  • Maintenance of joint and spinal health,
  • Healing/helping with chronic internal medicine disorders.

• Indications for Care

  • Lameness, trouble getting up and down, athletic competitions,
  • Surgery involving anesthesia, seizures or neurological problems, recovery from illness or injury,
  • Geriatric household pet, behavior or mood change,
    In horses, signs of navicular disease or laminitis,
  • Chronic health problems that do not resolve as expected.

• Why an AVCA Certified Doctor?

  • AVCA is the primary national credential for this field in North America (est. 1989)
  • AVCA Certification identifies those professionals who have met specific standards of knowledge and experience
  • Certification was developed based upon input and oversight from both chiropractic and veterinary profession
  • Certificants are licensed doctors of chiropractic or of veterinary medicine
  • Certificants have successfully completed an AVCA approved post-graduate program (minimum of 210 hours)
  • Certificants have passed the Animal Chiropractic
  • Certification Commission’s (ACCC) of the AVCA comprehensive certification examination
  • Certification is issued for a 3 year period. Certificants must maintain certification though approved continuing education.
  • AVCA Certified Doctors are required to practice within the laws and regulations of their state/provincial licensure boards
  • AVCA has embarked upon a program of continuous improvement for the certification program
  • AVCA Certification establishes and promotes professional accountability and visibility
    Certification encourages continued professional growth and development

FAQs

• What is chiropractic care?

  There’s nothing mysterious about chiropractic. It’s a natural method of healthcare that focuses on treating the root causes of physical problems, rather than just treating the symptoms. Chiropractic is based on a simple but powerful premise. With a normally functioning spine and healthy nerve system, your body is better able to heal itself. That’s because your spine is the lifeline of your nervous system. It controls feelings, movement, and all bodily functions.

• How does chiropractic work?

  Chiropractic works by restoring your body’s inborn ability to be healthy. When under the proper control of your nervous system, all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body are designed to resist disease and ill health. The chiropractic approach to better health is to locate and remove interferences (subluxations, misaligned vertebrae) to your nervous system.

  With improved spinal function, there is improved nervous system function. The goal of the chiropractor is to remove interference that may be impairing normal health through specific chiropractic adjustments, allowing your body to heal itself. A healthy spine and a healthy lifestyle are your keys to optimal health!

• What type of education do chiropractic doctors receive?

  Doctors of Chiropractic are well educated. Chiropractic education and medical education share many similarities and differences, as chiropractors do not prescribe medications or perform surgery, whereas medical doctors do not correct vertebral subluxations. After graduating with a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) Degree, each candidate passes the demanding four-part National Board Examinations.

  Then, doctors apply to a governmental or professional licensing board and pass a still more difficult test before being granted the privilege to practice. A chiropractor’s education, however, never ends. Most doctors complete regular postgraduate instruction for license renewal and to stay current on the latest research and adjustment techniques.

• What is a chiropractic adjustment?

  A chiropractic adjustment is the art of using a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a subluxated joint, “locked up,” or not moving correctly. The purpose of this safe and natural procedure is to eliminate interference to the nervous system, improving spinal function and overall health. “Gentle spinal adjustments boost your body’s immunity.”

• Do children need chiropractic care?

  Since significant spinal trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked for vertebral subluxation. Naturally, chiropractic adjusting procedures are adapted for the child’s spine. Many childhood health complaints that are brushed off can be traced to the spine. Health problems that emerge in adulthood could often be prevented by having your children’s spines checked by a chiropractor early. Most parents report that their children enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and are healthier than their peers.

• Are all patients adjusted the same way?

  No. The doctor evaluates each patient’s unique spinal problem and develops a treatment plan. Each chiropractic adjustment builds on the one before. The resulting recommendations are based upon years of training and experience. Each patient’s care is uniquely different from every other patient.

• Is chiropractic safe?

  Yes. Chiropractic has an excellent safety record. It is the result of a conservative and natural approach to health that avoids invasive procedures or addictive drugs. As proof, one merely needs to compare malpractice rates between chiropractors and other healthcare professionals. Chiropractors’ malpractice premiums are a small fraction of those for medical doctors.

• What causes the sound during an adjustment?

  Actually, adjustments do not always produce a sound. Often, however, adjustments can create a sound similar to a spinal “release” or a “popping” sound. The sound is caused by gas rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated. This sound is painless and totally harmless.

• Can I adjust myself?

  No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a particular direction to a specific joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself correctly and accurately. It is possible to turn, bend, or twist in particular ways to create a “popping” sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs!

• Is chiropractic care addictive?

  No. If only it were, there would be more healthy people around, and chiropractors would not get patients who last saw a chiropractor “a few years ago when their back went out.” It is possible to become accustomed to feeling more balanced, less stressed, and more energetic as a result of regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic is not addictive; however, good health is.

• Can a person who has had back surgery see a chiropractor?

  Yes. It’s an unfortunate fact that up to half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too-common occurrence is known as “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.” Chiropractic care may help prevent the need for repeated back surgeries. In fact, if chiropractic care is utilized initially, back surgery can often be avoided altogether.

• Is it OK to see a chiropractor if I'm pregnant?

  Anytime is a good time for a better functioning nerve system. Pregnant mothers find that chiropractic adjustments improve their pregnancy and make delivery easier for themselves and their baby. Adjusting methods are always adapted to a patient’s size, weight, age, and health condition.

• Why do chiropractors take X-rays?

  Chiropractors take X-rays to reveal the internal structure and alignment of the spine. We are also concerned about underlying disease processes and disorders of the spine, including spinal deterioration, arthritis, abnormal development, bone spurs, disc disorders, tumors, and spinal curvature. X-rays also provide a blueprint for correcting the spine back to optimal health and alignment.

Commonly Treated Conditions with Active Release Techniques