By Rachel Pechek, LCAO instructor and Kalie Larson, LCAO Animal Osteopathy Student
Four core principles. They are the foundation of Osteopathic Medicine. We, as osteopaths, view the body as a complex, constantly changing, and interconnected system, where issues in one area can result in complications and compensatory responses elsewhere. London College of Animal Osteopathy student, Kali Larson, and LCAO Pre-clinical instructor Rachel Pechek have both recently experienced heartwarming success stories that exemplify the application of these principles.
Kali’s Client - A great example of how veterinary medicine and osteopathic care go hand in hand.
"Recently, a new client reached out to me seeking help with his horse's health issues. After a day of moving cows, the client's 10-year-old horse suddenly started experiencing stiffness and lameness that persisted.
Despite receiving treatment from different equine body workers, the horse would appear to improve only to relapse into lameness. Afterwards, the horse sustained a puncture wound on its right stifle, which required surgery. A few months after that, the horse slipped out of the trailer and injured its left hind limb.
I agreed to care for the horse for a period of 6-8 weeks in order to investigate the issue and provide rehabilitation. Upon arrival, the horse displayed a camped under stance when standing and would frequently lay down to rest.
During movement, there was a lack of mobility in the pelvis and lumbar spine, he would not track up and his movements were very stiff. Additionally, there were signs of asymmetry and muscle atrophy in the quadriceps and tensor fasciae latae.
The initial osteopathic treatment revealed restrictions in various areas of the hind end (lumbar, sacroiliac, sacrum, hips, stifles and hocks), along with tense pectoral muscles and glutes.
Subsequent sessions uncovered recurring joint restrictions, including a recurring bladder issue detected through a non-invasive osteopathic visceral technique I learned from LCAO instructors.
After additional reflection and examining the interconnections within the horse's body, I decided to proceed with x-rays on the horse's stifle and hocks after I performed the second osteopath session.
After diagnosing moderate to severe arthritis in the horse's stifles and hocks, a treatment plan was created in collaboration with the vet to get this horse back to ridable condition. There was a belief that the horse started developing genetic arthritis in its joints at a young age. The horse was put on Previcox (requested by owner) once a day to manage pain and enable exercise to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint.
By week 6, the dosage of Previcox was decreased to three times a week. Isometric exercises, ground poles, hill work, and riding on trails were gradually introduced over 8 weeks. Muscle stretching was reduced from twice daily to 3-4 times per week after 4 weeks. I also performed osteopathic treatments every 2 weeks.
After completing an 8-week rehabilitation program, an osteopath assessment showed no joint or visceral restrictions, all credited to the treatment of the stifle and hocks. As a result, the owner happily brought his horse back home and rode him joyfully for the first time in a year!
I provided the owner with specific isometric exercises and stretching routines to perform 3-4 times a week. A month later, I checked in and found that the horse was still in good condition, and the owner had resumed riding him on the ranch. The owner is now planning to collaborate with the vet to enhance joint care and ensure joint protection.
Experiences such as these are the reason why I choose to practice osteopathy on animals. The happiness I experience when witnessing an animal's progress and the delight on the owner's face is indescribable.
Prioritizing the animal's welfare is my main focus, and I am committed to providing excellent care. This profession deeply connects with me, and every aspect of it brings me immense satisfaction. I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity to study at London College of Animal Osteopathy and be mentored by some of the best in the world. This experience has had a lasting impact on my life.”
- Kali Larson images
- A happy horse back riding with his owner.
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Rachel’s Client - Osteopathy helping a lost cause
“Zeppelin is a lovely horse with a lovely owner. Unfortunately luck was not on his side in late 2023. He escaped his paddock and was struck by a car. The vet bandaged a laceration following the incident, but otherwise he was considered to be in fare condition. He initially went back to work after the wound had healed, but started refusing to move forward shortly after his rehabilitation began. He had no imaging done after the accident.
When I first saw Zeppelin in August of 2024, his gait looked extremely uncomfortable. He was a pasture pet. His owner hoped to get him serviceably sound for a low level riding job. Zep had previously been seen by a few practitioners of other modalities who thought he may have had fractures to his ribs and pelvis when he was hit.
Based on the way he was moving, it seemed plausible! We decided to proceed with osteopathic treatment every 2-3 weeks, giving his body time to adjust after each treatment. His prognosis was unclear at this point in time as we weren’t sure if what we were seeing was permanent damage to anatomical structures, if it was dysfunction, or if it was a combination of both.
During his first appointment, I was able to mobilise his thoracic spine and ribs and begin articulation in his neck and pelvis. His walk-up after this appointment showed a small margin of improvement.
At the beginning of his second appointment, it was a pleasant surprise to find that Zeppelins body had accepted much of the work we had done in the initial consultation! I was able to build on the previous appointments progress, beginning to focus more on his pelvis. During this second appointment, OAB and HVLA of the hip joints and low back as well as myofascial release were the main techniques used in his hind end.
The beginning of his third appointment was another exciting moment. Zep’s hind end had held much of the work done previously, indicating that much of what was found was dysfunction and not permanent damage.
His owner said he had a notable improvement in movement in the paddock and he was seen standing square on his own which was difficult for him before osteopathic treatment began. During this appointment, I assessed and treated his entire body with OAB, along with some myofascial releases to his pelvis and cranial osteopathic technique. The picture below shows Zeppelins progress after 3 osteopathic treatments. He is standing square in both photos.
The third treatment was timed to have a rehabilitation specialist present as well. It was decided, based on the owners comfort and the rehabilitation specialists expertise, that Zepplin will begin in-hand walking exercises to build strength in his new freedom of movement.
At this point, his prognosis is looking very positive. He may very well be able to handle the riding job his owner has in mind for him. I and the rest of his team of people are excited to see how far Zeppelin will go from here! He has already exceeded our expectations, as horses often do.”
- Rachel Pechek - image
Kali Larson
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