Those animals who work really hard or are performing on a regular basis, like racehorses, greyhounds, sheep dogs and police dogs can have problems. The Southampton Dog Constabulary have found that regular use of a chiropractor reduces the incidence of injury and prolongs their working life. For greyhounds there is a range of chiropractic care to ensure they are 100 per cent fit for racing. Ms Firth, who has worked with horses all her life, combined her studies for her Post Graduate Diploma in Animal Manipulation with her job as a tutor in equine studies and animal care at Park Lane College in Leeds. To prepare for her practical tests, she used the technique on her own horses and pets and found her dog loved it.
Cats can be slippery characters.
The laws in relation to the treatment of animals by non-veterinary therapists are strict and Ms Firth will not work on an animal without a vet's referral, but she believes they are becoming more open to complementary therapies and hopes there will be a market for her new skills. She also has a special interest in arthritic conditions affecting horses and is carrying out research into supplements that claim to help. She hopes to present those findings to the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress later this year. Jill's tops in animal care Getting animals back to full fitness is just the job for a West Yorkshire woman who has become the first qualified animal chiropractor in Yorkshire. Jill Firth, from Wetherby, has become the first qualified animal chiropractor in the county after completing, with distinction, a post graduate diploma in animal manipulation.