Abstract
M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
Purpose: To determine whether veterinarians in South Africa are using joint manipulation as part of their treatment protocol, seeing positive results from this treatment approach, and to determine if these veterinarians have received some level of training, if any, in joint manipulation therapy. This study may demonstrate, if joint manipulation is seen as beneficial, that there may be an interest in a veterinary chiropractic programme to be introduced in South Africa.
Method: A survey was personally distributed to 30 veterinarians practicing in Johannesburg, with the researcher attempting to include practices from all around the city. The veterinarians were contacted in advance to ensure they would be willing to participate. The survey was anonymous, so that the answers could not be traced back to the participants. The statistical service at the University of Johannesburg (STATKON) assisted with data analysis.
Results: The results of this study have shown that most veterinarians in Johannesburg are not using joint manipulation to treat their patients. Some veterinarians are using forms of joint manipulation to either diagnose or treat their patients, and to great effect, however these techniques seem to be limited by a lack of training. Most of the participants who claimed to be using joint manipulation were using these techniques to diagnose orthopaedic conditions in patients, as opposed to using these techniques as a form of treatment. When joint manipulation was used as a treatment or diagnostically, it was beneficial most of the time, and veterinarians generally were positive about its use.
Conclusion: Joint manipulation was seen as a useful tool in veterinary practice, and it was implied that if more veterinarians were exposed to these techniques, they would be used more often in practice. The positive view on joint manipulation seen throughout this study may indicate that if a facility for training in veterinary chiropractic were established in South Africa, there would be plenty of interest.