Chiropractic Helps Dogs with Knee Problems in Case Studies

Many chiropractors and dog lovers have reported that their furry friends were helped by chiropractic. Now, in a recent study published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research on December 27. 2021, comes two cases of dogs who had bilateral luxating patellas and were helped by chiropractic.

This case study begins by explaining what a luxated patella is on a dog. "The patella, or 'kneecap,' is normally located in a groove on the end of the femur just above the stifle (knee). The term luxating means 'out of place' or 'dislocated'. Therefore, a luxating patella is a kneecap that moves out of its normal location." They note that this is a common orthopedic problem for dogs.

In the first case, a 1-year-old male Sheltie/Aussie mix was brought to the chiropractor because the dog had a history of bilateral luxating patellas which was confirmed on x-ray by the veterinarian. The owner said that the dog's kneecap would get out of place several times a day causing the dog to run on only three legs. The veterinarian recommended surgery for the problem, but the dog owner decided to see if chiropractic could help.

After a spinal examination, it was determined that spinal subluxations were present, and the dog was given specific adjustments. Over the next several visits, the owner reported that the dog's knees improved to where the dog was eventually not having any knee problems and could jump off the couch without issue.

In the second case, a 5-year-old female Husky was also having veterinarian confirmed bilateral luxating patella problems causing the knee to "pop out" several times a day. As with the first case, an examination revealed the presence of vertebral subluxations in the spine and pelvis of the dog. Specific canine appropriate adjustments were given to address the spinal subluxations.

The dog in this case progressed slower than the first case, but the improvement was steady until eventually the dog no longer had knee problems and was able to play normally without issues. The study reported that the owners of the dog could take her on walks without any problems and the dog could play hard in her yard as well as in doggie day care without any signs of a limp.

In the discussion portion of the study, the authors explain subluxations in dogs by stating, "Chiropractic addresses vertebral subluxations in the spine and skeletal system via the chiropractic adjustment. A subluxation, in terms of animal chiropractic, is defined as a shift in the normal structure of one vertebra compared to those above and below, causing a biomechanical change that can interfere with the proper function of the nervous system." It is the change in the biomechanics of the dog's spine, along with restoring proper nerve function to the animal's legs, that allowed the dogs to heal and return to normal.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "The demand for complementary and alternative veterinary medicine is increasing among animal owners. This case series provides supporting evidence that the use of conservative chiropractic care to find and adjust subluxations may be beneficial to canines experiencing luxating patellas."