Treating Your Animal
How do I know if my animal needs treatment?
Some indicators that your animal may need treatment are:
- Lameness
- Changes in behaviour, performance or temperament
- Stiffness, uneven muscle development or atrophy
- Limb dragging or irregular movement
- Reluctance to exercise
- Absence of resolution using conventional methods
During the session
The McTimoney practitioner will start by taking a detailed case history of your animal, any problem areas such as injuries and changes in behaviour.
They will then check your animal’s musculo-skeletal alignment to identify particular problem areas, using light, quick adjustments to bring the body into greater alignment.
The practitioner will conclude the session by explaining what they have found and giving you advice on the best aftercare requirements.
After the treatment
Animals may respond to treatment with their own versions of human responses to treatment: they may feel better immediately, be tired or stiff for a day or two afterwards or you may notice changes in their normal behaviour, such as being more or less hungry or thirsty. Talk to your animal practitioner if you are concerned about any response your animal is having either during or after the treatment.
Supporting your animal after the treatment
Your animal may benefit from a short period of rest and gentle exercise before gradually resuming a normal exercise programme. This will depend on the animal and their normal regime. Your practitioner will advise you what is most beneficial to your particular animal.
How many treatments will my animal need?
This is dependent on the nature, severity and duration of the problem and other general considerations specific to your animal.
About your practitioner
The person treating your animal will have completed a two year MSc Animal Manipulation or MSc Animal Manipulation (Osteopathy) at the McTimoney College of Chiropractic. In addition, they may be:
- A McTimoney Method Chiropractor with an MSc in Chiropractic (for humans) who has extended their skills through a postgraduate training to enable them to treat animals. The founder of the McTimoney method, John McTimoney, trained Chiropractors in these animal techniques from the beginning of developing his work. The ability to treat both owner and animal partnership provides the best possible outcome for that ‘team’, as the problem may be lie with one or other, or even both partners, and can therefore affect both.
- A Chiropractor qualified in a technique other than McTimoney Method.
- An Osteopath.
- From another professional background.
All Chiropractors are registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC). Some McTimoney Chiropractors are also members of the McTimoney Chiropractic Association.
Animal Practitioners with other professional backgrounds may be members of the McTimoney Animal Association or their own professional bodies.
All Chiropractors and other Practitioners for Animals are required to work with veterinary permission. If you would like your animal treated, you need to obtain permission from your vet.
McTimoney Chiropractors and other Practitioners for Animals treat many kinds of animals, large and small – cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep and more.
It is easy to search for a McTimoney Chiropractor for animals via the McTimoney Chiropractic Association website. Some McTimoney Animal Practitioners can be found on the McTimoney Animal Association website and on the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioner.
Would you like to know more about animal treatments?
Watch the video on our Home Page. There is more information on the McTimoney Chiropractic Association and McTimoney Animal Association websites.