Alternative Therapies

Your pet's health and well-being are our primary concerns at the Animal Hospital of Chester County. To help achieve these goals, we are proud to be able to offer alternative therapies for your dogs, cats, and rabbits. These therapies include physical therapy, along with acupuncture, chiropractic care, and laser light therapy. The services are provided by Dr. Carlos Jimenez, graduated form University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1986 and has been practicing acupuncture and chiropractic since 1996.

Physical therapy for small animals is identical in principle to human physical therapy. Although a relatively new field in veterinary medicine, physical therapy for pets has been shown to be remarkable helpful at reducing pain, increasing mobility, and allowing for a faster return to normal strength and ability after injury or surgery. Clearly, rehabilitation is helpful for animals recovering from orthopedic surgeries, including those of the knee, hip, and back. Additionally, canine physical therapy is recommended for performance dogs, including those participating in agility or obedience trials, working dogs, and rescue animals. The physical therapy that is performed for your pets is somewhat different than that for humans, because there are anatomical differences. However, the therapy is similar in that it may involve manipulation of joints, massage, controlled exercise, electrotherapy, the use of heat and/or ice, ultrasound, and other techniques similar to those used with people.

Chiropractic helps maintain normal alignment of the spine. Subtle misalignments can lead to pain, discomfort, lack of mobility, joint problems, and even illness of the internal organs. Chiropractic is often recommended for pets with back problems, neurological disease, joint problems such as hip dysplasia, muscle weakness, and certain internal illnesses. Chiropractic manipulations involve a thorough examination followed by hands-on realignment of the spinal vertebrae.

With its origins in traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture has been available for animals for approximately 3000 years. Acupuncture is useful for problems involving the joints, muscles, and bones. It can increase blood flow, promote mobility, and reduce pain, and may be helpful to dogs suffering from problems as diverse as hip dysplasia, ligament tears, and physical injuries, along with those recovering from surgery. It is also used to control and treat some internal diseases, including those in the respiratory, reproductive, and digestive organs. Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles into specific points on the body. Variations of the standard method of inserting a needle and leaving it in place for 10-20 minutes include: hooking the needles up to electrical current to provide stimulation to the acupuncture site and injecting small amounts of B vitamins into the acupuncture points. In addition, acupuncture can be done with the use of a cold laser instead of the needles.

Physical therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic complement standard Western medicine. Pets that do not respond to traditional treatments may have remarkable success with one or more of these therapies. The Animal Hospital of Chester Country is extremely pleased to have these services available for your pets.

• Home
• Services
• Exotics
• Pet Health
• My Pet
• Pet Loss
• Rx Refills
• Boarding
• About Us
• Contact Us