WELCOME TO
EQUIBALANCE INTEGRATIVE VETERINARY
SERVICES, LLC
Providing chiropractic care to horses and dogs in the St. Louis area.
Acupuncture coming summer 2024!
ANNA HERATH, DVM
Background
Dr. Anna Herath attended the University of Illinois. She earned her Bachelor of Animal Sciences, with honors, from the College of ACES in 2005 and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. She then completed a year long, rotating equine internship (medicine, surgery/anesthesia, ambulatory, and reproduction) at the Wisconsin Equine Clinic & Hospital in Oconomowoc, WI. Dr. Herath attended Options for Animals College of Animal Chiropractic in Wellsville, Kansas, and completed her International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA) certification immediately following graduation In 2015. Dr. Herath worked as an ambulatory equine veterinarian for 7 years, before transitioning to small animal medicine for 6 years, and then shifting gears to full time chiropractic work in 2022. She currently owns and operates Equibalance Integrative Veterinary Services, LLC. Dr. Herath lives in Warrenton, Missouri with her husband, 3 children, a dog and a menagerie of cats, chickens/ducks, and of course horses!
DOES MY PET NEED TO BE ADJUSTED?
One of the most common questions I get is ‘how do I know if my horse needs to be adjusted?’.
Any horse or dog can benefit from regular adjustments (every 4-6 weeks), but this is even more true for horses or dogs in regular work or recovering from an injury.
For horses the most common issues I address present as: not rounding through their back, not engaging their hind end, resistance to bending, changes in attitude/willingness under saddle, or owner’s have noticed muscle soreness and tightness.
For dogs I'm often looking at back injuries or arthritis, or situations where owner's have noticed a decrease in activity or a change in attitude.
If you are not sure if your pet needs to be adjusted, schedule an appointment. There is no harm in having them evaluated!
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A VETERINARY CHIROPRACTIC PROFESSIONAL?
Veterinary Chiropractic Care
Do you know what qualifications a veterinary chiropractic professional should have to work on your pet?
If you are having someone out to adjust your horse or dog; please, please, please make sure they are certified by the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA) or the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA). In order to obtain these certifications a candidate has to be a DVM (veterinarian) or a DC (human chiropractor). In other words they have to have, on average, 8 years of college education and a medical degree, ensuring extensive medical knowledge.
They then chose to continue their education by attending an accredited school specifically focused on animal chiropractic care. Typically this entails 5 months of classes and training, followed by written and hands on exams. Upon completion of their chiropractic education, they again chose to pursue professional certification. This means another intensive written exam and a hands on exam with oral questions and exhibiting their adjusting skills. Upon successful completion of their IVCA or AVCA certification, they are expected to complete professional development (30 hours every 3 years, minimum) in order to maintain their certification. This ensures they are staying up to date on current recommendations, research and continually learning and fine tuning adjusting techniques.
Looking for more information on animal chiropractic care? Check out these websites:
https://optionsforanimals.com/
https://ivca.de/
http://www.animalchiropractic.org/
WHAT TO EXPECT
Are you interested in chiropractic care for your horse or dog, but are not 100% sure what it entails?
A chiropractic exam consists of watching the horse or dog move to evaluate soundness, stiffness and overall quality of movement. The next step is evaluating for muscle pain, heat or swelling on palpation. Finally an assessment of the spine, identifying areas of decreased movement, and correcting them (chiropractic adjustment) is performed. A chiropractic adjustment is a subtle; high velocity, low amplitude thrust to restore normal range of motion to a vertebrate. These areas of decreased movement (or ‘stuck’ vertebrae) are called subluxations. Correcting subluxations allows maximum movement of the spine, which improves overall engagement and flexibility under saddle. It also helps prevent muscle stiffness and soreness and allows nerves to function and fire optimally. Keeping a horse or dog adjusted regularly optimizes athletic performance and helps to prevent injury.
Still have questions? Please contact me, and I’d be happy to answer them!
Photo Credit: Audrey Lee Photography