By KELLY WILSON
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
MENDON, Ill. -- Dr. Shanie Cahill says chiropractic care isn't just for two-legged creatures.
A licensed chiropractor who is certified in veterinary chiropractic, Cahill works on both humans and their four-legged friends, with horses and dogs being her most common animal clients.
"I love what I do, and people are very interested in learning about this," Cahill said.
People will get a chance to see what animal chiropractic is about when Cahill gives a free demonstration from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Adams County Fairgrounds near Mendon.
The event, sponsored by the Quincy Saddle Club, will take place rain or shine. Those who attend should follow the signs to the demonstration site once they arrive on the fairgrounds.
Because it is a Quincy Saddle Club event, Cahill primarily will focus on horses, but she also might bring her dog.
Cahill practices at Noah's Ark Chiropractic in Geneseo, but travels up to three hours to see patients, including some horses and other animals in the Quincy area.
"I am getting busier and busier," she said.
The profession is about 35 years old, she said, and there are more than 600 chiropractors certified in animal chiropractic in the U.S., with more worldwide.
She became interested in chiropractic care when she was in nursing school. She had an ear infection, and she said it got better after a chiropractic adjustment.
So she quit nursing school and started on the path to become a chiropractor. She graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2001 and then spent six months in an animal chiropractic program. She is certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association.
"I was introduced to (animal chiropractic) while going through Palmer. I mentored under several doctors," Cahill said. "I thought that was amazing that an animal would stand there and allow you to find out where they hurt and allow you to fix it."
The result is an animal that moves better and performs better for the owner, she said.
Cahill says it was a natural for her to become trained in animal chiropractic techniques.
"I love animals," she said. "I've been around animals my whole life. I've found that the animals will relax more than people, and I can distract them more than I can a person."
For horses, she uses a three-step stepstool to check the spine.
"I feel where tender spots are," Cahill said. "You listen to the feel of the animal and adjust them. When you check (the spine) again, you can tell there is relief."
She said when a horse isn't behaving or performing the way it should, it could be more than a training issue; the horse could be in pain. Some signs include a horse that won't take the right lead, one who swishes its tail, one that doesn't want to back up or one that simply isn't performing well.
Cahill also has adjusted dogs.
"A lot of dogs are not able to walk into my clinic ... they come in in a doggy wheelchair and they leave without using it," she said. Some dogs who couldn't pick up their heads were able to do so after a chiropractic adjustment.
"To watch the animals and owners be happy (after chiropractic treatment), I love that," Cahill said. "It's pretty powerful stuff."
In addition to horses and dogs, Cahill has worked on cats, cows, chickens, ferrets, rabbits, goats, sheep -- and even a pig.
She says chiropractic care should be a complement to traditional veterinary medicine, and that animal owners should be sure to find a certified professional through the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association.
Cahill eventually plans to turn over her Quincy area chiropractic clients to a local woman who is enrolled in Logan College of Chiropractic and plans to become a certified animal chiropractor.
For more information about Cahill's demonstration, call Quincy Saddle Club members Linda Link at 242-7590 or Vicki Chandler at 224-3348.
-- kwilson@whig.com/221-3391
