Veterinary-Chiropractic

BackBone-Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic and Healing Arts
Lindenstrasse 4
D-27419 Kalbe
Germany
www.BackBone-Academy.com

Veterinary-Chiropractic
Course Content: Basic Veterinary Chiropractic Course for horses and companion animals. The course is a 210 hours (135 hours theoretical/75 hours practical) complete program following the education standards of the AVCA ( American Veterinary Chiropractic Association) and IVCA (International Veterinary Chiropractic Association), held in 5 modules á 4 _ days. The ATF in Germany has accredited our program with 42 hours per module. The goal of our course is to provide the animal chiropractor with the ability to treat structural und functional problems of animals using state-of-the-art neuroscience as approach to understand the treatment and its benefit for the animals. The modules are divided by body regions and are very much praxis-related containing f.e functional anatomy, pathophysiology of the musculoskeletal system, biomechanics incl. exogene influences on biomechanics like saddle fit or rider and stress on the special importance of functional neurology. Labs are held in very small groups with 2 to 3 students per animal and instructor to give the individual student thourough advice in how to motion palpate diagnosing hypomobility and practicing the techniques of mobilization and manipulation of all chiropractically relevant segments.

Language of Instruction: English.

Instructors: Dr. Pedro Rivera (USA), Dr. Carl DeStefano (USA), Dr. Neal Sivula (USA), Dr. Annette Langlois (CAN) Dr. Dena Jersild (USA), Dr. Ines Wecker (D).

Location: Sittensen, Northern Germany

Module 1: February 7th to 11th, 2007
Cervical

Module 2: March 21st to 25th, 2007
Thoracolumbar

Module 3: May 16th to 20th, 2007
Sacropelvic

Module 4: July 11th to 15th, 2007
Extremities

Module 5: September 5th to 9th, 2007
Integrated

Costs: Complete prepaid Course ( Modules 1-5) 4200¤, Single Module 900¤

Information and Registration: BackBone-Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic and Healing Arts, Lindenstr. 4, 27419 Kalbe, Germany. Phone / fax / e-mail contact

Basic Veterinary Chiropractic Course Program:

The Basic Veterinary Chiropractic Course is an AVCA/IVCA certified programonly to licensed Veterinarians and DC´s who are ready to learn and feel and understand animal chiropractic. If you are not sure, feel free to visit us during a module. The ATF (Akademie für tierärztliche Fortbildung, Germany) has accredited the Basic Course in Veterinary Chiropractic with 210 hours. Course language is English.

The course consists of a minimum of 135 hours classroom and 75 hours laboratory instruction in very small lab-groups of 3 - 4 students per animal and instructor and consists of 5 modules. Every student will be taught on both horse and dog during technique labs. Students are encouraged to take part in the course modules as they are chronologically offered for most effective learning. The theoretical parts of the initial four modules build continuously on the previous module while the techniques are taught according to specific body regions (cervical - thoracolumbar - sacropelvic - extremities). The fifth module is the integrated module which brings all techniques together in an intensive review and includes the final exam.

Each module will start on Wednesdays at 2.00 p.m. and will run till Sundays, 6.00 p.m. in average intervalls of 6 to 8 weeks. In between the modules the students have to review the course notes, practise techniques and write a case report and home study reading assignments and a choice of research articles on CD-rom.

From the second module on the students will have a written and practical review exam on theory and techniques of the previous module with average passing grades of 80% to sit the final exam. The final exam consists of a written and a practical part with passing grades of 80%. All practical examinations will be held on both species, horse and dog for every student.

Curriculum Outline and Structure

Classroom (Minimum of 135 Hours)
Laboratory (Minimum of 75 Hours)

Please understand that the 135 hrs of classroom contact hours will be adapted to each class. Since our class size is kept to a minimum, it is conducive for a faster presentation (again, depending on each class) of the classroom material, hence giving more time to develop skills on motion palpation, adjusting patients and hands on laboratory to practice this health care modality.

Anatomy and Neurology

Anatomy - Review and Comparison: 8 Hours. Focuss on comparing equine, canine, feline, bovine and human joint osteology, myology and syndesmology. Skeleton of the horse and dog, as well as spinal models of the horse and dog and many individual bones are available at any time during the lectures.

Anatomy - Dissection Laboratory: 8 Hours. Students will investigate and feel relevant comparative anatomical structures by examining previously dissected specimens.

Topographical Laboratory: 6 Hours. Static palpation and localization of all chiropractically relevant anatomical landmarks on the equine and the canine.

Neurologie and Neurophysiology: 8 Hours. Review of the basic cellular neurology incl. neuroanatomy and -physiology. Focuss on central and peripheral nervous system.

Functional Neurology: 14 Hours. Focus on the neurologic patterns that explain the chiropractic adjustment. Receptors and cord level reactions act as units that make the whole body function in perfect synchronisation and why and how chiropractic can improve the action.

Biomechanics and Gait Analysis

Basic Biomechanics: 4 Hours. This class will explain normal biomechanics in equine and canine. and discuss biomechanical changes that occur when the body performs not only normal functions but also pathophysiological changes that occur under stress.

Biomechanics and Gait Analysis: 7 Hours. This lecture will cover equine and canine normal movement in each motion unit. Gait analysis will include topics such as normal gaits and abnormal gaits comparing interspecies and intraspecies and how this relates to chiropractic diagnosis.

Animal Chiropractic Adjusting Techniques

General Information about Animal Chiropractic Adjusting/Class: 2 Hours. Theoretical class focussing on the factors that increase efficiency, SAFETY, reliability and comfort of the chiropractic adjustment.

General Information about Animal Chiropractic Adjusting/ Laboratory: 10 Hours. Students will learn and fine tune through hands on laboratories the principles learned above. Topics are doctor position, hand and body positions, contact points, safety and handling, use of speeder boards and practising the chiropractic adjusting thrust in perfect body position.

Motion Palpation Laboratory: 10 Hours. These Laboratories assist the student in developing their "feel" for the normal versus abnormal movement in motion units. Hypermobility and hypomobility will be felt by each student.

Basic Animal Chiropractic Adjusting Techniques/Class: 16 Hours. Specific animal chiropractic techniques will be discussed and demonstrated on horse and dog. Areas included will be cervical, thoracolumbar, sacropelvic, front limb, rear limb, ribs, TMJ, tail and cranium.

Basic Animal Chiropractic Adjusting Techniques/Laboratory: 45 Hours. The techniques will be practised in hands-on labs in very small lab groups. All students will learn how to adjust every single motion unit on dogs and horses at least four times during the course to gain confidence in the chiropractic treatment of the animals. Other spinal manipulative tecniques such as Logan Basics or the Activator method will provide the students with information about different ways to adjust.

Complementary and Rehabilitaiton Therapy Modalities: 5 Hours. This class will give the student exposure to other modalities in introductory lectures to provide practitioners with the basic understanding of the pertinent aspects of the use of acupuncture, acupressure and applied kinesiology or magnetic therapy as well as physical modalities to speed up the healing process.

Rehabilitation Exercises: 2 Hours. This lecture provides the students with useful exercises for the chiropractic patients.

Case Management of the Animal Chiropractic Patient

Diagnostic Imaging: 2 Hours. Plain film radiography, digital radiography, myelography, fluoroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging are discussed and evaluated for normal and abnormal findings for the diagnosis of the chiropractic treatment.

Basic Case Management: 8 Hours. These lectures address some of the common topics in everyday case management including the lay lecture, introduction to leads and collars, introduction to saddle and harness fit, equine teeth and the equine foot.

Integrated Case Management: 8 Hours. This class will emphazise the "diagnosis" aspect of case management based on the "case approach". Ideas and standard operating procedures will be given like signalment, history and consultation, posture analysis, static palpation ( osseous, muscle, temperature, coat changes, etc.) motion palpation and gait analysis so that case intake and progress plan will become second nature and proper therapeutic protocols and a realistic prognosis can be achieved and communicated to the owners of our patients. Emphasis is placed on how these diagnoses relate and integrate into the primary health care of the animal and are demonstrated on real cases.

Chiropractic Philosophy and Studies

Animal Chiropractic History: 1 Hour. This lecture explores the modern history of animal chiropractic.

Animal Chiropractic Philosophy: 2 Hours. Here we explore the philosophy behind the chiropractic approach to health care and how it influences the practice philosophies of the animal chiropractor.

Chiropractic Basics: 8 Hours. Fundamental Chiropractic topics are discussed including terminology and listing systems. The student will be provided with an overview of the vertebral subluxation complex so that he can relate to the chiropractic topics at an early stage in the course.

Chiropractic Pathology: 5 Hours. This class will emphazise the pathological changes of the joints, the body and compensatory mechanism that develop secondary to the vertebral subluxation complex.

Veterinary Studies

Basic Veterinary Class: 12 Hours. Fundamental veterinary topics are discussed including safety and handling, physiology and pharmacology, zoonotic and metabolic conditions and lameness.

Veterinary Pathology: 8 Hours. Relevant large and small animal pathologies are discussed as well as their implications in complimentary chiropractic care. Discussions include how chiropractic and other integrative modalities can be of influence on the treatment of these pathologies.

Ethics and Legalities

Ethics and Legalities: 3 Hours. The class will prepare the students to deal with the every day legal issues that will be faced in both conventional or alternative/complementary practice.

Scientific validity

Scientific validity: 8 Hours. Up to date available research will be presented to the students that not only valids the spinal manipulation health care modality but will further expand knowledge of functional neurology. Part of the home work is to read a given number of current research articles handed out on CD-rom each module.

Examinations

Written Examinations: 5 Hours. Starting at the second module, students are tested on material covered in previous modules. A final examination is taken on the last day of classes.

Practical Examinations: 6 Hours. Starting at the second module students are tested on their application of the basic animal chiropractic adjusting techniques taught at the previous modules. A final examination is taken on the last day of classes.

Home Study

Case reports: From the second module on each student has to hand in one case report at the beginning of the module. These reports will help to reflect the review of chiropractic tecniques at home.

Reading Assignments: Each module the students are given reading assignments from required text, or other provided material. These readings are required and and will be tested on the written exams.

Test Questions: Each student has to hand in 5 test questions from the required reading assignments. This will help the students to find the key points in the offered reading material.

Take home tests: Part of the homework is to work on a take home test. This will give the instructors a good picture of the students improvements and whom to give more help.

Retour