Listen to our conversation on the Pure Dog Talk podcast!

Dr. Clara Medalen joins host Laura Reeves to talk about gait analysis and chiropractic treatment of our dogs. She addresses what we can and can’t objectively measure in our animals after chiropractic treatment.

“In human chiropractic, we have a lot of objective measures we can use,” Medalen nited. “We can use X rays, we can use temperature scans, stuff like that. None of those work very well in dog chiropractic.

“What I wanted to find was an objective measure that people could take something home with them. (That) we could really watch (the pet’s) progress through care. (That) we had exact numbers for people, rather than just going on my word alone. I want people to feel empowered in their own dogs care.

“Gait analysis is a big part of animal chiropractic. It’s normally a visual thing. Some people take videos, which is great. But I wanted real, hard data. So I found a gait analysis system that worked really well. I use Tekscan because they have more pressure sensors per square centimeter than a lot of the other options out there. They also provide a nice print out for people, so it gives the average of every foot step and the pressure on each paw; it gives exactly how much time they’re spending standing on each foot; how long they’re swinging through; how far they’re swinging through; the acceleration; tons of information.”

If people are interested in having Dr. Medalen or another Chiropractor treat their dog, they may need a referral from their veterinarian. Each state is a little bit different.

“In Oregon, we have the vet referral. Which is fabulous because I’ve had some great conversations with vets. It’s a really good way to learn about each others’ professions. I am not treating any disease process. I am just simply fixing misalignments and helping to regulate the nervous system.”

For more information about animal chiropractic:

American Veterinary Chiropractic Association www.animalchiropractic.org

International Veterinary Chiropractic Association https://ivca.de

 

The Pixie Project is our newest addition to the Cloudberry Lane family. We are excited to volunteer our aid to all the rescued small animals that the Pixie Project saves every day. They are a group of incredibly dedicated men and women striving to make forgotten pets with the perfect home.

Approximately 10% of adopted animals are returned to the shelter within the first 6 months. That is an astounding 400,000 pets each year. The Pixie Project is working to change this and we are ready to help. Animals in pain often display sudden and unpredictable changes in behavior as they try to communicate their pain and avoid further injury. The stress they experience when transitioning into a new home also leads to bodily pain just as it does in people. By regulating their nervous system we aim to help these animals adapt to their new surroundings faster by decreasing anxiety caused by hyperactiving in the brain. We are ready to help these pets come out of their shells and put their best paw forward when meeting adopters.

 
 

K9 Kavalry is a nationwide 501(c)3 non-profit providing service dog training, service gear, team-to-team support, and camaraderie for Veterans. We at Cloudberry Lane are so excited to be a part of THE PACK by volunteering our services to keep their dogs in tip-top shape. Chiropractic helps to lessen the emotional and physical toll experienced by these dogs while providing life-saving support for their people.

Acquiring a service dog can cost up to $30,000 in some cases. K9 Kavalry has found a more sustainable path to helping their Veterans with infatigable support and guidance. They have even been officially adopted by the 1st Cavalry Division of Fort Hood. We are proud to support these hard working people and their working dogs.

 

Green Acres Farm Sanctuary is a rescue dedicated to animals great and small. They are often the refuge for unadoptable and severely damaged critters. Green Acres is often the final home for most of these abused farm animals suffering with everything from debilitating arthritis to neurological issues. The wonderful volunteers at Green Acres spend countless hours caring for the world’s forgotten farm animals and we are proud to support their cause.

Dr. Clara has been called in for elderly and the young to make their lives more comfortable and as dysfunction-free as possible. Every animal deserves the chance to put their best hoof/paw/claw/webbing forward and no one knows this better than Green Acres Farm Sanctuary.