What is Animal Chiropractic?
“Animal chiropractic” means diagnosing and treating animal vertebral subluxation through chiropractic adjustment of the spine or extremity articulations of fully awake dogs and equids. The chiropractic adjustment may be performed only with the hands or with the use of a handheld low-force mechanical adjusting device functionally equivalent to the device known as an activator; all other equipment is prohibited.
“Animal chiropractic” does not include:
– Performing veterinary medical care and diagnosis;
– Performing surgery;
– Dispensing or administering medications, dietary or nutritional supplements, herbs, essences, nutraceutical products, or anything else supplied orally, rectally, by inhalation, by injection, or topically except topically applied heat or cold;
– Generating radiographic images or performing imaging procedures, including thermography;
– Performing acupuncture, or any treatment activity other than chiropractic adjustment;
-Providing magnetic or other nonmanual treatment techniques, colonics, colored-light therapy, homeopathy, radionics, or vitamin therapy;
-Venipuncture;
-Making diagnoses by methods such as live cell analysis, pendulum divining, iridology, hair analysis, nutritional deficiency questionnaires, herbal crystallization analysis, or food allergy testing.
“Animal vertebral subluxation” means a lesion or dysfunction in a joint or motion segment in which alignment, movement integrity, or physiological function are altered, although contact between joint surfaces remains intact, that may influence biomechanical and neural integrity. Diagnosis of animal vertebral subluxation typically involves evaluation of gait and radiographs, and static and motion palpation techniques that are used to identify joint dysfunction. Diagnosis of animal vertebral subluxation does not include methods such as applied kinesiology, reflexology, pendulum divining, or thermography.
WHO CAN PRACTICE ANIMAL CHIROPRACTIC IN COLORADO?
Any licensed chiropractor (with a CHR license number) may practice Animal Chriopractic, regardless on how long they have been in practice, after they complete a 210-hour course from an approved school, course, and submit for their Animal Chiropractic Authority though the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN THE ANIMAL CHIROPRACTIC AUTHORITY?
- Hold an active Chiropractic (CHR) license in Colorado.
- Successfully complete a 210-hour course from one of the following schools/courses:
- Gather your evidence materials according to the Animal Chiropractic Application checklist and apply for the Animal Authority through the Colorado Board of Chiropractic Examiners. You cannot practice any Animal Chiropractic until this Authority is attached to your Chiropractic License.
- If you wish to practice Animal Chiropractic with direct access to adjust Dogs and Equids (Donkeys, zebras, horses, mules, etc,), you must complete a one-time 8-hour Zoonotic, Contagious & Infectious disease course approved by the Colorado State Veterinarian and a one-time, 1-hour Animal Chiropractic Jurisprudence course approved by the Colorado State Veterinarian office. Until successful completion of this course is achieved, an animal chiropractor must obtain a Veterinarian Medical Clearance form prior to treatment of Dogs and Equids.
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To apply for your Animal Chiropractic License, CLICK HERE
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To view the application checklist, CLICK HERE
The CCA’s online Animal Chiropractic Course meets the requirements for both the 8-hour infectious disease course and the 1-hour jurisprudence course. This is a one-time educational requirement.
PLEASE NOTE: This course alone does not qualify or certify you to perform animal chiropractic in the state of Colorado. This course is in addition to the requirements as outlined above/in CRS 12-33-127.
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
- A licensed chiropractor who is registered to perform animal chiropractic shall complete 20 hours of continuing education per licensing period that is specific to the diagnosis and treatment of animals. All continuing education courses must be in the fields of study listed in subsections (4) and (5) of 12-215-127 of the practice act. If you are practicing both human and animal chiropractic, you must complete a total of fifty (50) continuing education hours per licensing period.
- The twenty (20) hours of required continuing education must include a two-hour course on contagious, infectious, and zoonotic diseases, including current information about the incidence rates of rabies virus, West Nile virus, equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, canine brucellosis, plague, and tularemia in Colorado and in other locations that might affect a licensed chiropractor’s animal patients.
CONTINUING EDUCATION PARTNERS:
CSU offers a variety of online training for animal chiropractors. CCA members get 5% off all courses offered by our partners at Colorado State University. FIND COURSES HERE
To receive the discount you will need to provide your CCA Group Number. You can find this number on your main account page when you log into your CCA account.
