Barnyard Chiropractic

09/15/2025

Animal chiropractic has lost two amazing Illinois doctors in very short order. I've received numerous calls and texts from their clients asking to schedule. I appreciate your patience as I respond as quickly as possible, coordinate with veterinarians, and get everyone taken care of while also mourning the loss of my colleagues. 🤍

08/06/2025

There are people out there who claim to be “animal chiropractors”…

Some say they manipulate animals.
Some use the term “animal chiropractor” in quotes or parentheses, because they aren’t actually trained or certified.

🚨 This is a serious red flag.

Becoming an animal chiropractor requires years of education, training, and certification. Here’s a look at what’s involved:

✅ A Bachelor’s degree (typically in biology or a related field)
✅ A Doctorate in either Chiropractic (DC) or Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
✅ Passing all required board exams (for chiropractors: Parts I, II, III, IV, and Physiotherapy)
✅ Completion of an accredited 220hr animal chiropractic program
✅ Passing of the AVCA certification exam and/or IVCA certificate exam
✅ A current active DC or DVM license
✅ Ongoing continuing education for professional licensure, whether DC or DVM
✅ Ongoing continuing education to maintain animal chiropractic certification
✅ Malpractice insurance, which those who are unlicensed can not obtain
✅ Compliance with your state’s laws (in Illinois, for example, a veterinarian must sign off on animal chiropractic care)

As you can see, becoming an animal chiropractor takes 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 of commitment and rigorous training.

👉 Please do not trust anyone who is not properly educated, licensed, and certified to perform chiropractic care on animals. It’s not just unethical, it can be dangerous.

💡 Always ask:
Are they licensed?
Are they certified?
Do they follow state laws?

🐕‍🦺 If you love your pets, protect them by choosing qualified professionals only.

𝑨𝒕 𝑽𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑨𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄, 𝒘𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒍𝒚 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒕’𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔.

If you’re not in our area, we still want your pets in good hands. Search for certified professionals near you here:
🔹 animalchiropractic.org (AVCA)
🔹 ivca.de (IVCA)

AVCA is the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and IVCA is International Veterinary Chiropractic Association. If a doctor completes their education passing their certification exam and maintains their required continuing ed, they will automatically be listed. Question those who are not. If they do have the qualifications, they should welcome you asking, just like Dr. Cat and I would.

04/06/2025

Happy half-birthday to this beast 🧡🧡🧡 she’s well-adjusted and experiencing spring for the first time. The neurons from their nose create a super highway to the visual cortex of the brain — dogs literally see with their sniffs! 🌱

03/19/2025

There’s a growing issue in the Illinois equine community regarding equine and animal chiropractic care. I've addressed it before in comments, but believe it's time to provide more clarity because horses are being injured and their people do not know where to turn.

There are people in Illinois and other areas who claim to be Equine/Animal Chiropractors without the proper training and certification. Sometimes they have other professional training like massage or dentistry, but often they have no training at all. Trusting and well-intentioned horse owners don’t know the difference, and I see these people recommended over and over again.

ALL animal chiropractors are required to be an Illinois-licensed DC or a DVM first then complete an AVCA or IVCA-approved certification course with 210+ hours of training and passing an exam. These are doctorate-level degrees with an additional certification; it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours of training to be an animal chiropractor, and certification requires continuing education to maintain. A weekend course even with a professional degree simply cannot be comprehensive enough to come close to the equivalent.

Anyone not a DC or DVM cannot obtain malpractice or liability insurance, which means they cannot be held accountable if you, your horse, or staff are injured during an “adjustment.” All of the liability falls on the barn/property owner. Licensed out-of-state practitioners are required to request a permit to practice, or they also won’t be covered. Again, barn/property owners take note.

To help you protect your horse and the equine community, here are steps to verify if your Equine/Animal Chiropractor is trained and certified:

1. Check their license: Verify online at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) website (https://online-dfpr.micropact.com/lookup/licenselookup.aspx). If they’re not listed, they’re not licensed, and you should stop there.

2. Confirm animal chiropractic certification: Your chiropractor or veterinarian must have attended an AVCA or IVCA-approved animal chiropractic school. There are 5 recognized schools in the USA: Options for Animals (Wellsville, KS), Parker College (Dallas, TX), ACES (Meridian, TX), Healing Oasis Wellness Institute (Sturdevant, WI), and Health Pioneers Institute (Naperville, IL).

3. Verify certification: Ensure they are certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) or International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA). Check these associations' websites (animalchiropractic.org, ivca.de) or contact them directly for verification. Note: Some certified professionals may not be listed online due to annual fees, but you can always confirm their credentials directly.

Please be cautious when selecting someone to adjust your horse. Improper adjustments can cause serious harm. If someone uses ropes, mallets, or boards—none of which are part of any recognized chiropractic curriculum—be especially wary. While I believe most are trying to help animals, the consequences may not be the intended outcome, and it breaks my heart that I’ve seen countless injuries in animals that could only have been caused by inappropriate adjusting techniques. So many that I simply cannot stay silent anymore.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

02/07/2025

There are so many ways to build trust and relationship with horses. Inviting others to work with and support them is an exercise of trust for both them and their guardians. I feel a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility every time I show up to adjust animals knowing this whether it’s the first or the last time I see them on their journey. It’s like a dance. Huge thank you to Elizabeth for dancing with my Max and Delilah to show them windows of opportunity in their own bodies and being part of the tribe that is listening and supporting horses with intentional respect and integrity.

02/06/2025

Thank goodness for sunshine! 💛

12/19/2024

The FDA just published a letter to veterinarians warning them *for the first time* about possible reactions to Librela, a monoclonal antibody injectable intended to reduce pain.

When Librela came on the market, it was touted as a risk-free solution to chronic musculoskeletal pain in dogs (Solensia is the same medication for cats), but pet parents and veterinarians have been reporting serious adverse reactions that they were not expecting. I believe that I have seen adverse reactions including seizure and death linked to Librela in several of my own patients. I have also seen several do seemingly well. My concern has been that informed consent requires education on the risks.

As an AVCA certified animal chiropractor, I do not advise on or manage medications. Please talk to your veterinarian if your pet is receiving Librela injections or your are considering it as an option for pain management.

The FDA has identified and analyzed adverse events in dogs treated with Librela (bedinvetmab injection).

12/17/2024

We're in the clinic on Monday, 12/23 with limited appointments and will return on Thursday, 1/2. Please text for availability at 630-394-4228. Happy Holidays! 🐎❤

12/14/2024

There’s a new kid in town…sent by the angels 🪽, Lina has decided to keep us as her humans. We are incredibly lucky — pouring our love into her and delighting in her sweetness is just the best🖤🤍🧡

11/07/2024

💙Thank you to all of our veterans who have served.
💙The St. Charles Veterans Day Ceremony takes place Monday, 11/11 10:30 AM at the St. Charles Fire Station 1, 112 N. Riverside Avenue.

09/10/2024

I'm off to farm animal adjusting with ! If you have an urgent concern about your animal, please text me at 630-394-4228 and contact your veterinarian for guiadance if you do not hear from me within 15 minutes. If you have a scheduling questions, please text me, and I will return your message as soon as possible. Thanks! -Dr. Natalia 🐎

08/29/2024

Coordinating with treating veterinarians prior to initial chiropractic exam ensures that your animals receive the most effective care, and it is required in IL.

Veterinary authorization forms are posted on barnyardchiropractic.com. Click "New Clients" in the main menu > select "Small Animal Vet Form" or "Horse/Large Animal Vet Form" > email to your veterinarian with the top portion completed. When we receive the form back completed, we will reach out to schedule! 🐾