Dog Signs & Symptoms

Pain when being touched, pet, or lifted
Reluctance or difficulty climbing stairs or jumping
Difficulty getting up after lying down
Negative changes in attitude or behavior
Altered sitting (“puppy sitting”)
Changes in eating or eliminating
Constantly licking or chewing paws
Lameness or changes in gait
Changes in performance
Lying on one side

Cat Signs & Symptoms

Obvious pain or discomfort
Difficulty jumping, reluctance to climb stairs, cries when being picked up
Loss of appetite
Changes in litter contents; urinating outside the box
Sudden hiding; cats tend to hide when injured or ill
Constantly licking or chewing paws; grooming is normal, but excess licking in one area is a sign of a problem
Negative changes in attitude or behavior

Horse Signs & Symptoms

Pain and stiffness when moving or being touched
Reduced performance
Negative changes in behavior or attitude
Abnormal gait, shortened stride, or lameness
Inability or difficulty taking a lead
Bucking or rearing
Inability to or difficulty collecting
Pinning ears or snapping when being cinched
Difficulty flexing at the poll
Changes in posture
Resistance to being ridden
Difficulty in or refusal to jump

Ready to book an appointment?

Click below for intake paperwork and the veterinary referral form for small and large animals!

Small Animal

Large Animal

Frequently Asked Questions

What is animal chiropractic?

Animal chiropractic is a field of animal health care focused on promoting the health of the neuromusculoskeletal system. Nerves control everything, and anything that adversely affects the nervous system will have negative effects throughout the body. Motion is critical to nervous system health as the majority of input to the brain is from motion.

Animal chiropractors assess joint motion and provide gentle, specific adjustments to restore proper motion to dysfunctional areas. This allows the body to function at its maximum potential.

What kind of training does an animal chiropractor have?

An animal chiropractor must be either a doctor of chiropractic or a doctor of veterinary medicine and have completed an animal chiropractic certification course at an accredited school. Most hold an additional certification from either the AVCA (American Veterinary Chiropractic Association) or IVCA (International Veterinary Chiropractic Association).

Why do you need a veterinarian referral to adjust my animal?

In Nebraska, chiropractic is considered a specialty practice, so I need a referral from your primary veterinarian to adjust your animal.

In addition, I require the referral because your vet knows your animal and their condition(s) best! Your vet knows what care will best help your animal and what will not. Chiropractic adjustments are very safe with relatively few side effects, but there are some conditions where chiropractic is not the best treatment option or additional diagnostics are needed prior to chiropractic care. Your vet will know this and help me provide the top-notch care your animal deserves.

Chiropractic is NOT a replacement for traditional veterinary care. Chiropractic works in conjunction with and complementary to veterinary care.

How long is a typical treatment plan?

Animals tend to respond quickly to chiropractic care, so a typical treatment plan is 4-8 visits. If we are not seeing results by then, patients are referred back to their primary veterinarian for additional diagnostics and care.

However, each animal responds differently to care, so the length of a treatment plan will depend on your animal’s specific presentation.

How long does a typical visit take?

For small animals, the initial visit usually takes 30-40 minutes and follow-up visits 10-20.

For large animals, the initial visit usually takes 30-60 minutes and follow-up visits 20-40.

Does the adjustment hurt?

Sometimes, an animal may experience brief discomfort during an adjustment, especially if they are in pain. This discomfort is short-lived and most feel better immediately following the adjustment.

How long will it take to see results?

Most animals show improvement immediately to within the first 24-72 hours after treatment. However, results depend upon several variables and it may take up to 10-14 days before you see any changes. Some animals will need a couple treatments before any significant changes are seen. Each animal responds differently to care because each animal is unique, but most respond very well to chiropractic care!

You may notice a brief relapse in symptoms after the first couple treatments. This is normal and part of the healing process. Make sure to let Dr. Cass know of any changes in your animal’s progress or care!

How long does my animal need off after the adjustment?

In most cases, we recommend allowing your animal to have the rest of the day off to rest following treatment. Depending on the severity of your animal’s condition and symptoms, additional days off may be recommended. Each animal’s needs are different and taken into account with all recommendations.