Here's the outbrief from the chiropractor visit.

First -- no exercises or homework or anything of the sort.  Nothing cool and useful to share.

The visit was probably a lot like a human going to a human chiropractor (I've never gone, but I've seen it on TV!)  Because it was his first visit to the practice, there were questions about his diet and and activities and such.  Dr. Karas, the pain management , anesthesiologist from Tufts and had already talked to Dr. Rogers, the chiro, so she had some expectations -- good expectations, that Milo wasn't in bad shape.  After a bit, it was treatment time.  Milo was standing on a mat, the vet tech was near his head, keeping him calm, and occasionally feeding him a liver treat, and the chiro was near his back end and moved around more.  At one point, she was manipulating his back left leg (he's missing his front left).  Then she said "Whoa, did you feel that?" to the tech.  Yes, she had!  She said his left pelvis was all out of whack, and it was a big re-alignment.  She seemed to pull his tail alot.  She had her arm wrapped around his abdomen as she pushed on his back hips.  A couple of times he had to balance on just two legs -- front right, and one rear at a time.  Near the end, she even did the turn his head slowly and far in each direction, like she was cracking his neck (just like on TV!)  Milo stood for 3/4 of the time, and laid for 1/4.  The whole thing took about 20-30 minutes.  She then listed all the points she adjusted, e.g., T10-T11, lumbar whatever, shoulder-ma-jig.

I asked how often do dogs go.  She said some are one-and-dones, but typically she suggests every 4-6 weeks.  But for a new dog like Milo who has such a significant change in alignment with the amputation, she likes to see them again in 7-10 days to see if it "stuck", or if he regressed back.  She says it might take a few visits to get his body and nervous system to start holding the alignment.  So we are headed back again this coming Monday (one week).

The vet practice is Integrative Animal Health in Bolton, MA.  They do traditional medicine, hollistic, hydro-therapy tank, physical therapy, chiro, acupuncture, and who knows what else.  At this point, she thinks just chiro is necessary for Milo, but if he starts to show weakness in back legs, for instance, then we could add physical or hydro.  She thinks he seems strong and balanced for now.  While waiting for the tech to print the bill, we got Milo to step up on the soft, nubby physical therapy thing they use for balance and working on the core.  He did it for a treat and was happy to stand there for a good bit waiting for another, hopped down, back up -- the vet said he has great balance. 

So.... how has it effected Milo?  I swear when I petted him the next morning, along his spine felt softer, less hard/tense muscle.  On our Tuesday night walk in the neighborhood, he was crazy, happy, high-energy all over the place.  (we live in a cul-de-sac-like subdivision, so we don't use a leash, we just put a headlamp around his neck so he can be seen at night.)  It does seem like he's a bit klutzier the last few days, stumbling more, almost like he forgets he doesn't have a leg.  He'll be standing there, and go to move, and almost face plant, as if he tried to put his missing left foot our first.  His back left leg is still tight when I massage him, and I think it's a bit tender when petting/rubbing him, but it doesn't seem to bother him when he's moving.  

I give the trip to the chiro -- two thumbs up!

Peace,

-Jenifer & Milo

P.S.  Thank you to this Tripawd community and to Rene and Jim and the authors of the "Loving Life on 3-Legs" book.  I've learned so much in terms of exercise, strengthening his core, keeping him healthy, etc.  I probably sounded so "smart" and like the perfect pet parent when sharing with the vet what we do with him (cookie exercises, sit-stands, walking on the bed) -- and it's all stuff I learned here!