Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation: VOM

Many of the problems that veterinarians treat are vague and hard to define because our pets can’t tell us what is going on An emerging field in veterinary medicine is a version of chiropractic manipulation for animals known as veterinary orthopedic manipulation (VOM). Unlike the typical human chiropractic adjustment, which requires awkward positions and quick forceful movements, VOM uses non-invasive, even enjoyable treatments for your pets. Not only are the treatments extremely effective, but because of the differences in the nervous system of humans vs. animals, we are able to use the treatment for diagnostic purposes.

This technology is not new to the veterinary field, but because of its “alternative medicine” label, it has been slow to gain the recognition it deserves. As with chiropractic medicine in humans, it akes time to win over the skeptics of the world. VOM was actually formulated by Dr. Bill Inman in the 1980’s and was submitted to the American Holistic Veterinary Medicine Association in 1996.

The basic principle in all forms of chiropractic medicine is to “re-program” the body to establish normalcy. when traumatized, our body responds with muscle tension which in turn causes nerves to become “pinched”. Once this happens, blood and lymphatic flow to that muscle are compromised and it is difficult for the body to heal itself. This treatment “re-programs” the nerves to allow the muscles to relax and re-establish normal blood and lymphatic flow so that natural healing is stimulated. A side benefit of this kind of treatment is that it does not require drugs or medications to accomplish the task. In some instances, however, drugs make a great auxillary to treatment and may actually speed recovery.

VOM may, in some situations, actually pinpoint problems long before clinical signs become obvious. It has been found to be approximately 60% more accurate at finding muscle tension over standard palpation and can find certain kinds of problems up to 10 months before radiographic changes are apparent.

VOM, while typically thought of for muscle pain and pinched nerves, actually claims a significant success rate in many different conditions such as seizures, urinary incontinence, neurological disorders, lick granulomas, “allergies”, and hip dysplasia. As with any form of medical practice, no one will claim a 100% success rate, but for many conditions, the successes are greater than that of conventional medicines.

When will your dog or cat benefit from VOM treatment? We must remember dogs and cats are very stoic when it comes to pain because of their strong survival instincts. The most common reasons for seeking veterinary treatment for our animals include changes in behavior; eating, drinking, urination, defecation, activity, or sleep habits. We have treated many dogs with non-specific problems and have either found situations that we condirmed radiographically or saw a marked improvement in how the dog felt and behaved after treatment.

VOM does not replace conventional medicine. It provides us with additional information to enhance our current medical and diagnostic tools. If you are interested in learning more, or your animal has a condition you feel may benefit from VOM, please feel to contact us at Animal Health Services at (480) 488-6181.

Submitted by Animal Health Services of Cave Creek