Chiropractic Treatment of Dairy Cows
Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Anatomic Characteristics of the Bovine Spine
3. Exemplary Description of the Bovine Facet Joints
4. Case Reports
4.1. Cases
4.1.1. Case 1
4.1.2. Case 2
4.1.3. Case 3
4.1.4. Case 4
4.1.5. Case 5
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Facet Joint | x-Axis | y-Axis | z-Axis |
---|---|---|---|
C1/C2 | - | 14° | 65° |
C2/C3 | 30° | 44° | 20° |
C3/C4 | 16° | 46° | 36° |
C4/C5 | 25° | 57° | 21° |
C5/C6 | 19° | 50° | 33° |
C6/C7 | 27° | 43° | 35° |
C7/Th1 | 15° | 64° | 14° |
Th1/Th2 | 19° | 66° | - |
Th2/Th3 | 15° | 44° | 15° |
Th3/Th4 | 21° | 31° | 15° |
Th4/Th5 | 11° | 38° | - |
Th5/Th6 | - | 43° | - |
Th6/Th7 | - | 53° | 17° |
Th7/Th8 | 17° | 57° | 3° |
Th8/Th9 | 2° | 81° | 7° |
Th9/Th10 | 12° | 56° | 3° |
Th10/Th11 | - | 37° | 1° |
Th11/Th12 | 9° | - | 30° |
Th12/Th13 | 10° | - | 32° |
Th13/L1 | - | - | 32° |
L1/L2 | 36° | 16° | 33° |
L2/L3 | 24° | 24° | 26° |
L3/L4 | 22° | 19° | 28° |
L4/L5 | 20° | 50° | 18° |
L5/L6 | - | 38° | 22° |
L6/S1 | 14° | 31° | 18° |
No. of the Appointment | Observation of the Stable Staff | Examination in the Stand | Visual Gait Analysis | Chiropractic Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | slight kicks with right hind limb when standing and walking | slight kyphosis of the dorsal line, kicks out backwards with the right hind limb after getting up, hypermobility in the thoracolumbar transition, restricted lateroflexion of the lumbar spine, reduced weight bearing on the right hind limb | low-grade kyphosis of the back, low-slung head, stiff back and lack of pelvic rotation, LS 3 | C5 BR, Th3 PL, Th6 PL, 10th rib P on both sides, L6 PR, PI Ilium L |
2 (after 3 weeks) | no kicks when standing, but when walking only on slippery surfaces | slightly raised back line, slight hypermobility in the thoracolumbar transition, limited lateroflexion of the lumbar spine, evenly loaded hind limbs | low-grade kyphosis, severely restricted pelvic rotation and lateroflexion of the lumbar spine, normal head posture, LS 3 | C3 BL, Th3 P, Th4 PR, L6 PR, L5 P, L3 PR, AS Ilium R |
3 (after 4 weeks) | cows are on pasture, no kicking on the pasture | minor restriction of neck extension, slightly raised dorsal line, no cramping on pasture | slightly raised back line, no cramping on pasture but slight kicks with right hindlimb on a slippery surface in the stable, severely restricted pelvic rotation and lateroflexion of the thoracic spine, slight lameness of the right forelimb, LS 3 | C0 SR, Th7 PL, Th5 PL, Th8 P, Th11 P, mobilisation along the lumbar spine |
4 (after 9 weeks) | clear further improvement | little kick of the right hind limb after getting up | no kicks, slight kyphosis of the back line, moderately restricted pelvic rotation, slight hypermobility of the thoracolumbar transition, LS 2 | C6 BL, Th3 PL, Th4 PR, L1 PR, L5 PR, PI Ilium R, AS Ilium L |
No. of the Appointment | Observation of the Stable Staff | Examination in the Stand | Visual Gait Analysis | Chiropractic Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | toe tip ulcer of boths hind limbs two months ago; since then, partial tremor of the hind limbs | positioning the hind limbs slightly more under the abdomen, slight kyphosis | moderate kyphosis, slight lameness of both hind limbs during the late stance phase, LS 3.5 | Th9 PR, L4 PL, PI Ilium R |
2 (after 2 weeks) | improvement one week after treatment | normal distributed load on the hind limbs | restricted rotation in thoracic spine, slight lameness of the right hind limb (during stance phase), slight kyphosis, hypermobility of the sacrolumbar transition, LS 3 | Th4 PR, L5 PR |
3 (after 3 weeks) | got better within one week after treatment; since then, without symptoms | - | - | - |
No. of the Appointment | Observation of the Stable Staff | Examination in the Stand | Visual Gait Analysis | Chiropractic Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | sudden lameness in the last 3–4 months despite claw health, kicks out backwards when walking and when standing in the milking parlour, increases with excitement | kicks out backwards when shifting weight from one side to the other and when agitated, dorsoventral flexion of thoracic and lumbar spine moderately restricted, poorly muscled | kicks out backwards when starting to walk and when changing tempo, moderate lordosis of sacrolumbar region, and kyphosis of thoracic spine, short steps, LS 3 | C1 PL, C5 BL, Th2 P, Th13 P, 12th rib PL, L4 P, AS Ilium R, 1st–3rd coccygeal vertebrae restricted, very much mobilisation in thoracic and lumbar spine necessary |
2 (after 3 weeks) | no kicks of the hind limbs the first three days after treatment, then again in the milking parlour and under stress (herding) as shown before the first treatment; in group (free movement), more “stable”/less kicks | clear improvement in the mobility of the thoracic spine, mild stiffness of the lumbar spine, longissimus dorsi muscle (lumbar); gluteal muscles on the right side moderately warm and increased in size | mild lordosis of sacrolumbar region, backward kicks only in transition from stand to walk, more active hind limb during walk than usually shown in cattle, short steps, LS 2.5 | L6 PL, AS Ilium R |
3 (after 2 weeks) | no kicks of the hind limbs the first two days after the last treatment, then again with the right hind limb and less frequently with the left, clearly less frequently in the milking parlour | mild nodular tension of the right gluteus region (multiple foci) | right hind limb seldomly kicks backwards during herding, moderately limited pelvic rotation, regular movement in the back line, spacious (normal) steps, LS 2 | C7 BR, Th10 PR, Th11 PL, L6 P, S-A L |
4 (after 3 weeks) | only right hind limb kicks rarely, further improvement when standing in the milking parlour | moderate oedema in the right gluteal region, mild oedema in the left gluteal region, mild nodular tension of the longissimus dorsi muscle (lumbar, more on the right side than left) | right hind limb seldomly kicks backwards during herding, LS 2 | Th2 PR, Th8 P, L3 P, PI Ilium R |
5 (after 4 weeks) | cows are on pasture, no kicking on the pasture, only right hind limb kicks rarely (equivalent to about 20% of the initial symptoms) | mild oedema in the right gluteal region, mild nodular tension in the right gluteal region | right hind limb seldom kicks backwards on a slippery surface in the stable, no symptoms on the pasture (lame-free, even and regular gait), LS 1.5 | C6 BL, Th6 PL, Th10 PR, Th11 P, L3 PL, S-B P, AS Ilium R |
6 (after 9 weeks) | no symptoms | - | - | - |
No. of the Appointment | Observation of the Stable Staff | Examination in the Stand | Visual Gait Analysis | Chiropractic Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | lameness | less weight bearing of the right hind limb | slight lameness of the right hind limb, no pelvic movement, LS 2.5 | C3 BR, C6 BR, Th5 P, Th6 PR, L4 PL, L5 P, S-A L, PI Ilium R |
2 (after 3 weeks) | clear improvement, calmer in the milking parlour, turns right hind limb slightly outwards when walking | normal distributed load on the hind limbs | minimal lameness of the right hind limb, regular movement of the back and pelvis, LS 2.0 | 10th rib RP, L3 P, AS Ilium R |
3 (after 2 weeks) | clear improvement, increased toe sensibility after claw trimming | - | - | - |
4 (after 3 weeks | clear further improvement | - | - | - |
5 (after 4 weeks | normal gait | - | - | - |
No. of the Appointment | Observation of the Stable Staff | Examination in the Stand | Visual Gait Analysis | Chiropractic Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | lameness and restlessness in the milking parlour | chiropracticly uncorrectable pelvic obliquity | slight lameness of the right hindlimb (shortened protraction phase and abduction), LS 2.5 | C5 BR, Th8 PR, L3 PR, PI Ilium R |
2 (after 3 weeks) | calm in the milking parlour | same findings | same findings | Th8 PR |
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Wagner, F.C.; Hesse, F.; Wehrle, J.; Mülling, C.K.W. Chiropractic Treatment of Dairy Cows. Vet. Sci. 2024, 11, 570. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11110570
Wagner FC, Hesse F, Wehrle J, Mülling CKW. Chiropractic Treatment of Dairy Cows. Veterinary Sciences. 2024; 11(11):570. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11110570
Chicago/Turabian StyleWagner, Franziska C., Felicitas Hesse, Johanna Wehrle, and Christoph K. W. Mülling. 2024. "Chiropractic Treatment of Dairy Cows" Veterinary Sciences 11, no. 11: 570. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11110570
APA StyleWagner, F. C., Hesse, F., Wehrle, J., & Mülling, C. K. W. (2024). Chiropractic Treatment of Dairy Cows. Veterinary Sciences, 11(11), 570. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11110570