They Weren’t Done Yet

As an animal chiropractor—and as Tessie’s mama—this experience was an important reminder: chiropractic care has a valuable place, but it cannot remove a physical obstruction. When an animal continues vomiting, appears painful, becomes unusually quiet, or simply isn’t acting like herself, we have to recognize when she needs veterinary care—and act quickly.

When I first met Biscuit, she was a 13-year-old bird dog whose life had changed after one trip down the stairs. About a year and a half earlier, Biscuit had been chasing geese at her family’s lake house when she injured herself going down the steps. After that, she stopped walking. She was also struggling with skin and gut issues, and her family was watching their beloved senior dog lose the strength and independence she once had. At 13 years old, it would have been easy to a