FAQs

The following is a list of questions that you might have about Dr.Verna and the services she offers:

Q: Why would a dog need acupuncture or a chiropractic adjustment?

A: Not many dogs are built as well as they should be for optimum performance and function. Many dogs develop stiffness and soreness, even when young, from intense activity. So, here is a list of symptoms that would indicate that a dog, young or old, would definitely benefit from Dr. Verna’s kind of medical treatments:

• a young agility dog who has a very long back, or is too straight in the hind legs
• a Show Dog who isn’t moving as smoothly as desired, holds his or her head too low or isn’t gaiting normally in the show ring
• a young dog just going into training, whose owner wishes to keep the dog limber and supple with some preventative chiropractic  care and massage
• a dog with hip dysplasia
• a dog with bad “knees”, especially if a ligament has been damaged or operated o
• any dog with intervertebral disc disease or “a bad back”, whether or not surgery has been performed (sometimes treatments can help so much that we can avoid surgery altogether!)
• any old dog who is limping, stiff, or gets up more slowly than he or she used to do
• a dog who won’t jump on the bed any more, but used to be able to do so
• a dog who can’t go upstairs or downstairs any more
• a dog who seems stiff and sore and painful for any reason
• a performance dog who is not performing at his or her full potential, seems to be “holding back” or “not going full force” like usual

Q: When would I seek Dr. Verna’s help with a cat, rabbit, or other smaller pet?

A: Any animal favoring a leg, walking “funny”, no longer using its litter pan like it used to do, itching, chewing, or licking at a certain area repeatedly, or basically exhibiting any indication of discomfort or change in its way of moving. Chiropractic and Acupuncture treatments work on every animal, even Hedgehogs, Ferrets, Bunnies, Cats, Parrots, and Snakes! Dr. Verna has even managed to help decrease the need for seizure medications in several pets by adjusting their neck and skull bones, and acupuncturing certain areas of the ears and legs.

Q: Will the acupuncture needles hurt my pet? I don’t like the idea of having a lot of needles poked into him!!!

A: Amazingly, the needles do not seem to hurt most pets at all! The initial insertion can occasionally be a little startling, but Dr. Verna is very good at using painless technique and distracting the patient before any needles are placed. In fact, once the needles are in place, many patients lie quietly and appear restful, may yawn or lay their head down and close their eyes. Some cats purr; some dogs go to sleep!

Q: How does acupuncture work?

A: Well, research has shown that the placement of needles in specific locations causes the immediate release of basic endorphins and enkephalins (so the animal experiences a sort of “jogger’s high” feeling of euphoria and calm). In addition, longer term release of some natural morphines and natural body steroids causes decreased pain and inflammation. The specific places the needles are put varies with each treatment and is based on both Traditional Chinese Medicine locations of points (for example, balancing Water or Dampness on the Metal Meridian), some Western point locations (the “Aspirin Point” for pain, certain points for weakness of hindlimbs or hip dysplasia), and some intuitive placement on Dr. Verna’s part (she may feel a certain point needs to be treated based on it’s feel).  More recent research in the United States has shown that spinal cord/disc disease patients with up to a certain degree of damage will respond as well to acupuncture and appropriate chiropractic adjustments as they would to surgery  (and without as much invasion of the body tissues and recovery time!).

Q: My dog Ginger is very afraid of the vet and is too big for me to get her into the car without help, and I live alone. Can Dr. Verna come to our home to examine and treat her?

A: Yes, Dr. Verna makes house calls as part of her regular practice. Give her a call on her cell phone at 703-395-0795 or drop her an e-mail at drverna@drverna.com to arrange a house call visit for Ginger.

Q: My wife and I have both had “rehab” (physical therapy) for our back pain and it worked great! Can Dr. Verna give our dog physical therapy sessions too?

A: Yes, as a Certified Canine Rehabilitative Practitioner, Dr. Verna knows how to set up a program of therapy to help your dog recover from her back pain too! She can give you a set of exercise to do with your dog at home as well as dramatically help her with house call or office visits. Many of the exercises can be performed with minimal equipment, including the rubber strapping and Pilate balls used by Human Physical Therapists.

Q: Is it bad for my dog to jump in and out of our car? My wife keeps fussing at me to lift him instead, but he loves to leap in and out, so I think it is fine. What do you think, Dr. Verna

A: If your dog is very athletic and well-built, and is well warmed-up before-hand (not just stretched-out, but has been trotting around a while and has jumped over some very short jumps to warm up his back first), then it should be okay for him to jump up and down, including in and out of vehicles. However, most of us do not know the internal condition of our dog’s joints well enough to be certain they are “built right” for such burts of activity. Many SUVs and mini-vans are pretty high for most dogs. I strongly recommend training your dog, even canine athletes, to walk sedately up and down a ramp to enter and exit a vehicle. After a long ride, no dog is really “warmed up” enough to jump down out of a high vehicle with guaranteed safety. Save the Olympic activities for the agility ring, after proper warming up and small jumps!