Dear Editor:
In response to Dr John Hanks' article on "Animal Husbandry," April 9, 2005 [www.chiroweb.com/archives/23/08/05.html], I support his tongue-in-cheek viewpoint of adjusting the spines of all vertebrates: humans, birds, reptiles and mammals.
Unfortunately, in Pennsylvania, the chiropractic board has taken the position that it is illegal for chiropractors to adjust animals. Most states recognize that animals benefit from spinal adjustments and that chiropractors innately are very good at it. The Pennsylvania Chiropractic Board, however, has decided they would rather have anyone else adjust than those trained to put in specific forces. As more human patients understand what chiropractic has done for them, in Pennsylvania, they have to deny this manner of health care for their birds, reptiles and mammals.
A pet owner can choose to euthanize, many times for their convenience or for conditions that chiropractic could help, but they can't legally get their pets adjusted by a chiropractor. The fact is that a chiropractor faces disciplinary action if they choose to do chiropractic on animals. It makes no difference if it is a much-loved pet or a million-dollar dog, cat, steer or horse; the fact is that a chiropractor is better at chiropractic than anyone and our skills are being denied to all animals by the chiropractic board.
The irony is that in our area, it is common to receive calls by veterinary offices to adjust an animal. We have to deny their request, at the expense of the animal, in order to forgo the possibility of disciplining action by the board. We are then facing the possibility of someone else who is not as qualified, doing what we do best.
Perhaps it is time for the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Board to contact the majority of other states, where animal chiropractic is legal and a viable specialty. Perhaps it is time for them to recognize that nerve interference is detrimental to all vertebrates, and the same philosophy applies to all species. Perhaps it is time for the board to give the same rights to animals as it does to humans, without the threat of disciplinary action. Let us do what we do best on all vertebral subluxations.
Pat Shepherd, DC
New Hope, Pennsylvania