Options for Animals offers a Certificate in Advanced Animal Chiropractic. Like other advanced certifications and specialty designations in the chiropractic and veterinary professions, our Advanced Animal Chiropractic Certification is a challenging program that requires years of dedicated work and education in animal chiropractic.
Most candidates take at least three years to complete the requirements for this prestigious title. Animal chiropractors can begin to work toward their advanced certification immediately after completing their basic courses, even if the number of their animal chiropractic patients may be limited. By the time the requirements are completed, however, candidates should be able to demonstrate a clear and concise knowledge of the theories and principles of animal chiropractic; and they should also be treating animals with chiropractic care on a regular (at least weekly) basis. There is no time limit for the completion of the certification process.
Requirements for Certification in Advanced Animal Chiropractic
1. Candidates must be doctors of chiropractic or doctors of veterinary medicine. They must supply documents confirming that they have completed a Basic Animal Chiropractic Course that was approved by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) or the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA). A copy of the applicant’s certificate of completion is required at the time of registration.
2. Candidates for Advanced Certification must complete 8 continuing education courses. These courses are offered on a regular basis at Options for Animals (See Previous Schedule of CE Courses).
Six (6) courses are mandatory, and the remaining two (2) are chosen by the candidate from a group of elective courses *. The following is a chart outlining the courses:
| Mandatory | Elective | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| xx | Advanced Sacropelvic | 20 | |
| xx | Advanced Thoracolumbar | 20 | |
| xx | Advanced Cervical | 20 | |
| xx | Advanced Extremities | 20 | |
| xx | Advanced Integrated One – A complete Review of Basic and Advanced Animal Chiropractic Techniques | 20 | |
| xx | Advanced Integrated Two | 20 | |
| xx | Quadruped Basic Technique – Logan Basic | 20 | |
| xx | Chiropractic Manipulative Reflex Techniques (CMRT1) | 20 | |
| xx | Chiropractic Manipulative Reflex Techniques (CMRT2) | 20 | |
| xx | Intro to Essential Oils | 12 | |
| xx | The Equine Foot and Ankle; Biomechanics, Balancing, Radiology, Trimming and Shoeing | 16 | |
| xx | Intro to Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Techniques | 12 |
* CE from other Schools Approved by the AVCA and/or IVCA will be considered for Elective Courses on a course by course basis; to be approved by Options for Animals.
3. Candidates must complete three (3) days of Mentorship in traditional chiropractic or veterinary clinics. The mentor must be a chiropractor for veterinary candidates and a veterinarian for chiropractic candidates. Mentors are not necessarily required to be animal chiropractors. Applicants for the Advanced Certification are encouraged to visit traditional practices so that veterinarians see chiropractors at work with humans; and chiropractors experience traditional animal health care in a veterinary clinic.
4. Candidates must complete an original animal chiropractic research project. Candidates will get guidance from the Options for Animals staff, but ultimately it is their own responsibility to complete the project. Projects can range from extensive case studies, to clinical trials, to double-blind complete research projects.
5. Candidates must present two (2) Complete and Integrative Case Studies to the students at any of the Mandatory Courses. These are to be formal presentations, 30 minutes to 1 hour long; and each case must be on a patient with a unique condition in which integrative care had an influence (positive or negative) on the outcome.
Completion of Advanced Certification
Once a candidate feels they have completed all of the above requirements, they must then contact Options for Animals and ask for a Review of their records. A committee of three (3) Advanced Animal Chiropractors will: one, review the candidates records for completion; two, contact the candidate and complete an interview in which their animal chiropractic practice will be discussed; and three, make a final decision as to the merit of the candidate. The Committee will then: one, pass the candidate and recommend that they become an Advanced Certified Animal Chiropractor; or two, make recommendations to the candidate for further work or education that must be completed by the candidate before their requirements are met.
After successful completion of the requirements, the candidate will receive a certificate stating Options for Animals Recognition of Their Advanced Achievement in Animal Chiropractic. This exceptional designation will also be prominently displayed in the Doctor’s Referral Page on our web site and at the College.