Just like us, for your pets those quick slips are hard to anticipate and equally difficult to respond to.  With age it gets even more difficult to catch ourselves quickly and maintain balance.  When your dogs or horses are out cruising around and hit a patch of ice at 15-40 miles per hour it can spell disaster.

How can Chiropractic help you ask?  Well in several ways.  First, you have heard of rehabilitation well I’m talking about prehabilitation.  Making sure that your pets nervous system is firing quickly and their muscles are balanced and strong will help them be much more responsive to quick changes in footing and much more resilitant to those akward falls. Those falls are what can lead to serious injuries, like muscle strains, ligament and tendon tears and disc injuries.  After the slip and fall getting your pet the proper therapies quickly can be the difference between a short term, fast healing injury and a chronic problem that lasts a life time.

A visit to Dr. Nelson will involve specific chiropractic adjustments, therapies and at home exercises that will help your pet heal quickly, correctly and hopefully without long term issues.

I hope that you and your pets never take that hard fall after hitting a patch of ice but if you have seen your pet take a hard fall like I recently have with my own pets give us a call today, your pets will feel better and live longer healthier lives.

Yours in health,

Dr. Nelson

We have to think about a couple things when looking at a cribbing horse.  First, is this a result of your horse in pain? Having pressure in the upper neck or in the jaw due to bad dental alignment can cause a horse to chew or pull to relieve pressure.  The other form is more of a problem.  If your horse is constantly looking for anything hard to grab onto and then is making a large sucking sound and is doing that over and over again they may be displaying true cribbing and the addiction associated with it.  The difference is a big indicator to me as a Chiropractic Physician as to the problem your horse may be dealing with.

Recently I have had the pleasure to help a few horses with both kinds of Cribbing like symptoms.  One was a true cribber an addict the other was a TMJ and upper neck related issue.  The differences are big as  the treatment plans for each.

In true Cribbing there is an addiction pattern and your horse is a junkie, to a certain extent.  The difficulty in treating this is multifold, in some cases the addiction pattern can be broken with some straight forward therapies but it can sometimes be very difficult to treat.  Anyone who has ever lived with or experienced addiction knows that it can be a very trying process to get it under control.  Chiropractic can sometimes quickly change the necessity for the horse and can break the cycle…sometimes not.  There are cases that require much more intense intervention that may require surgery, medication and specialized theraputic products.  Surgery and medication are great tools but exploring all your natural options first is always a safer and usually less expensive course of action.  Thankfully for my patient who was cribbing she responded wonderfully and the pattern broke quickly and to this day she has not gone back to that behavior.

The other form of cribbing doesn’t involve loud gasping but can look like an addictive activity where your horse is constantly trying to chew on hard objects.  The great thing about this form is that it is usually a much more straight forward treatment strategy.  In my experience with these cases it requires some dental intervention, chiropractic care and a little TLC.  These cases are mostly very responsive and fixed quickly giving you and your horse some sanity back.  My recent case was a one time treatment after dental care and that horse also has not displayed any of its previous behavior.

Do a  Google search on cribbing.  There are several great websites out there that explain the neurologic feedback and chemical reward that your cribbing horse gets.  It is a very interesting topic, have fun!

If you are dealing with some issues that resemble what  I have described please call today your horse will thank you.

Dr. Nelson here:

Dirty diapers, gross right?  What are you talking about dirty diapers for?   In our animals a dirty diaper gait is a pretty undesirable, it looks silly and can be a sign of sore backs and hips.  Young animals can display this kind of gait but it usually dissipates when they are running and as they grow up.

Recently, I helped a horse that was walking stiff legged and what most people would describe as a dirty diaper gait.  When we started his care the owner described the problem as worst after resting, stiff legged and it took some time for it to wear off and slow to warm up.

So why in some cases does a low back problem or a pelvic imbalance cause the dreaded dirty diaper gait?  Regardless of species the pelvis’s primary function is a base for support and flexion and extension in the legs.  Lift your knee up towards your chest,that’s flexion, kick your foot behind you that’s extension.  When you did that you probably thought that the motion is all legs, well you would be wrong.  The pelvis has 2 sides that move independently when we walk.  When the sacrum and pelvis are restricted the body makes changes to accommodate the lack of motion.  The change can result in pain in the back and hips casuing legs swinging out to the side which looks wobbly and like they are wearing dirty diapers.

What now?  How do we get passed this gait?  Well in some cases the animal just needs to grow up.  My dog when he was young had a very pronounced dirty diaper gait at a walk but when he ran he flew so I wasn’t too worried.  In most young animals they just need to mature physically.  If you have an animal that has just started doing it or has been for a while then there are some options that may be of use.

First, give your animal plenty of time to warm up whether or not you are doing anything strenuous, a good warm up can go a long way.  Make sure that if your animal shows discomfort that doesn’t pass you contact your veterinarian or myself to have your pet assessed.  Second, chiropractic care in this situation becomes invaluable because the problem usually lies in the way the tailbone and the hip bones are working, or in this case not working.  It usually requires an adjustment to the hips, tailbone and low back.  The difference can be very dramatic.  Seeing your pet go from a dirty diaper, wobbly gait to a smooth clean gait is amazing!  Third, try a little massage, use a light touch and rub your horses low back and hips or better yet contact a certified animal massage therapist.

I have seen some pretty nasty gaits come around quickly with a little chiropractic care, TLC and some simple homework.  Give me a call if you have any questions and pass this along if you have a friend that could use the help.

Have a great day,

Dr. Nelson

Recently I have started working with a new equine patient who was purchased as a trail horse, no competitions just having fun on the trail.

Its sad when I get a call and people tell me that their horse hasn’t been able to do hills or slopes without major gait changes or reluctance.  It’s dangerous for you and your horse to try hills when they are having difficulty doing it you risk injury from a fall and they risk further injury due to imbalance in their muscles and joint motion.

I got a great email today telling me that a patient  who had been acting really reluctant to be used on hills was awsome over the weekend.  He was taking hills as well as flat ground and was feeling fantastic.  I was thrilled because I know that horse feels much better and the owner is extremely happy because they can just focus on the ride and not worry about their horse.  It was great to hear another success story the horses especially because the anxiety and pain are gone and they can just have fun playing their role.

Get yourself and your horses adjusted!!!  A well adjusted team makes a better team!

Have a great labor day,

Dr. Seth

ps  Tell your friends!

Working with human patients I usually don’t have to worry about getting kicked or bitten too much.  Animals can be sometimes unpredictable but in most cases they behave very well and love getting adjusted.  I didn’t grow up around horses but I have spent my whole life working with dogs and have developed a pretty good sense of when I am in trouble with my patient and need to give them some space to cool down.  Since I started practicing with horses I have learned how they talk; eyes, ears, body language and sometimes vocally .  I have been stepped on several times, bitten a few times and now kicked.  Why am I telling this story?  First, it was a new experience that I don’t want to repeat.  Second, I reinforced the power of nutrition (I will tell you more in a minute). Third, I actually learned a little piece of valuable information.

The power of nutrition?  Have you ever fallen, been hit, kicked or punched, sprained/strained, tweaked, pulled, wrenched ect……..If you have ever dealt with a soft tissue injury(muscle, skin, tissues) you may have dealt with the injury longer than you may have needed to.  The kick to my leg left me immediately in pain and after I did some tests on myself to make sure I had no broken bones and finished the treatment for my patient.  I got in my car and started driving home I realized how swollen my knee was getting.  It was hot, already a baseball sized goose egg and VERY sore.  Getting out of my car and walking was a bit of a challenge but once inside and laying down I started taking nutritional supplements.  Proteolytic enzymes are fantastic and something I recommend for my human patients in acute cases for this very reason, they reduce inflammation, clean up scar tissue and promote healing because of it.  There is a TON of research about them and I am not going to go into it here.  My wife who happens to be an AWSOME acupuncturist and a dedicated learner of nutritional practices started getting me Enzymes, and a few other Standard Process supplements.  I iced, took the nutrition hourly and the next morning I had NO swelling, the bruise wasn’t pretty but I was able to walk, work a full day and bend my knee and squat on the ground.  I was amazed! I continued the protocol for the next 4-5 days and by then I had no bruise.  Lesson here!!!  If you are dealing with a new injury call your Chiropractic Physician, Nutritionist, Naturopath, Acupuncturist, Medical Physician and get on the proper nutrition for soft tissue repair and fix yourself right the first time!

The last part of my lesson for that evening was to always be intune with your patient.  Everyone has had an experience at the doctors office where you may have felt less than listened to.  Doctors are people too and sometimes life interrupts when we should be dedicating time to you.  Well on that evening I was talking with the owner about another horse while I was checking out my current equine patient, she let me know with a very strong exclamation that I needed to be focused on her alone.  I realized after I got a painful wakeup that I wasn’t tuned into her and I should have been.  This is a good lesson for all the things we do.  Be in the PRESENT moment with any activity that we do.  Most days I am very tuned into my chiropractic patients whether they are human or animal because I get better results, quicker but that night I learned there is never a time where it is ok to not be fully focused on what I am doing.

I know this is a longer post but I learned 3 valuable lessons: 1) Horses kick Very Hard! 2) Nutritional supplements are powerful medicine 3) Focus on what you are doing, always, avoid letting your mind wander.  You get the job done faster with a much higher quality.
Yours in health

Dr. Nelson

This website will answer common questions about animal chiropractic, give you information to take to your veterinarian and even get started scheduling an appointment with Dr. Nelson.

BIG NEWS!!! Dr. Seth will be speaking for the 2010 Minnesota Horse Expo, April 23-25 at the State Fair grounds. For those of you who haven’t been to the expo before its huge and a ton of fun, bring the family and come by. You can see him each day of the show, Friday at 10am, Sat at 11am and Sun at noon. This is a great honor and he is REALLY looking forward to it. If you are going to the expo stop in and say Hi!
Dr. Nelson can be found at many weekend dog shows and horse events. If you would like your animal seen at any of these events contact Dr. Nelson prior to the event so he can take care of the referral.
Congratulations Gator! He is the new proud father of a upcoming litter of (future CHAMPIONS) Saluki’s with Blondie. I will be putting up pictures as the pregnancy and birth progress.
Another congratulations to Gator! Check out the link below to see him in action at WESTMINSTER dog show! http://www.westminsterweekenddogshows.com/

Rising Sun Animal Chiropractic is your new home to chiropractic care for your four-legged friend. Dr. Nelson is southern Minnesota’s first certified animal chiropractor under the new Minnesota state laws.

This website will answer common questions about animal chiropractic, give you information to take to your veterinarian and even get started scheduling an appointment with Dr. Nelson.

BIG NEWS!!! Dr. Seth will be speaking for the 2010 Minnesota Horse Expo, April 23-25 at the State Fair grounds. For those of you who haven’t been to the expo before its huge and a ton of fun, bring the family and come by. You can see him each day of the show, Friday at 10am, Sat at 11am and Sun at noon. This is a great honor and he is REALLY looking forward to it. If you are going to the expo stop in and say Hi!
Dr. Nelson can be found at many weekend dog shows and horse events. If you would like your animal seen at any of these events contact Dr. Nelson prior to the event so he can take care of the referral.
Congratulations Gator! He is the new proud father of a upcoming litter of (future CHAMPIONS) Saluki’s with Blondie. I will be putting up pictures as the pregnancy and birth progress.
Another congratulations to Gator! Check out the link below to see him in action at WESTMINSTER dog show! http://www.westminsterweekenddogshows.com/

Yours in health

Dr. Nelson

Since I started working with animals I have had the opportunities to treat many animals for both acute and chronic cases.  I have seen very positive results with most cases and have also had it shown to me over and over that maintenance care makes a big difference in the lives of animals and people.  Getting adjusted regularly can make your life a better place.

Yours in health,

Dr. Nelson

Yours in health

Dr. Seth