Stephanie Boehm, DC, CVSMT, (NUHS 14) was recently featured in a Chicago Tribune article highlighting her experience using chiropractic care with dogs, horses, cats, and other animals.

Stephanie Boehm, DC, CVSMT, (NUHS ’14) with a patient from her practice ChiroHealth Animal Wellness

After opening her animal chiropractic practice, ChiroHealth Animal Wellness in Oakbrook, it has seen tremendous growth, particularly this past summer.

“As people are becoming more interested and aware of natural or holistic alternatives for their own healthcare, that idea is now expanding into animal care,” Dr. Boehm said. “Most pet owners would prefer to find a healthcare option for their animal that does not require medication or surgery; animal chiropractic is one of those holistic alternatives.”

While the option of chiropractic care for animals is not very well known everywhere, she added that it is becoming popular due to word of mouth. “Once you start having great results, people tell their family and friends,” said Dr. Boehm, who received her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from the National University in 2014.

Dr. Boehm, a lifelong lover of animals, first got interested in chiropractic animal care during her last couple trimesters at National University. She started the program immediately after graduation at The Healing Oasis, a facility that National University now partners with to provide Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (VSMT) Certification.

In the VSMT program National University currently offers, students learn from both veterinarian and chiropractic instructors about animal spinal manipulation with an emphasis on functional neurology. Open to licensed chiropractors and veterinarians, the course allows for hands-on experience with both small and large animals.

“Because this program includes spinal manipulation of equine as well as small and large animals it has the ability to greatly expand patient demographics for both veterinary and chiropractic disciples,” said Jenna Glenn, DC, ND, MS, dean of the Lincoln College of Postprofessional, Graduate and Continuing Education. “The instructor, Dr. Rivera is a pioneer in the field of veterinary spinal manipulative therapy and we are thrilled to bring his program and vision to the NUHS campus.”

In the Chicago Tribune article, Boehm discusses success stories while volunteering at Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin and at her own practice. Similar to chiropractor care for people, animal chiropractic also focuses on the nervous system.

“I provide chiropractic care for animals as I would for people,” she said in the article. “The difference though, besides anatomy, is that my animal patients cannot tell me what is hurting them. It’s my job to find the root of the problem so as to get people’s pets back to their healthiest state possible.”

Licensed chiropractors and veterinarians interested in helping animals and expanding their practice can receive Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (VSMT) Certification through the Lincoln College of Postprofessional, Graduate & Continuing Education. For more information or to apply contact [email protected] or call (630) 889-6622.