Lulu and Saskia

Lulu spent the first 4 years of her life in a hoarder's dark shed filled with uncountable other dogs and in filthy conditions without any human contact. The Humane Society rescued the dogs and Lulu was one of the groups whose physical health was stable enough to be given a chance for adoption. She was adopted twice. The first time she stayed hidden in the new owner's closet and was returned to the Humane Society for that reason. When she was adopted a second time she panicked and ran away from her new owners when a door was left open. She was hiding outside and ate what she could find on the streets. She was seen multiple times, but it took months before someone was able to catch her and return her to the Humane Society once again. I was volunteering there at that time and overheard that due to the fact that she was just too scared of humans and her overall fear of everything she was declared "not adoptable" and that she would be euthanized. I immediately asked for a chance to foster her. Needless to say that I fell in love with her and after a short period of time decided to adopt her. At first she was so nervous and fearful that stepping on a twig or leaf would make her jump in fear. We also had to whisper for months, because "normal" volume of speech scared her. She slowly started to get out of her shell and we can speak normal and walk outside with her. The love she gives is just amazing. The last 8 years were wonderful. I always say that we are soul mates. She saved me at least as much as I saved her. I live in the country with 4 other (rescued) dogs and cats, and have lots of space for her to run and a timber for walks.

It was Memorial Day 2016, when I was sitting in the living room and noticed her slowly crawl up to me using only her front two legs. I do not know what happened. She was hardly able to move at all. I immediately called my Veterinarian. Blood tests were done and radiographs were taken. Nothing obvious was seen on the radiographs; therefor I had to make the decision then and there, if I would take her to the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Hospital for MRI and possible surgery, or if I wanted to try medications and other options. Due to her mental sensitivity, fearfulness and age I decided not to go to Madison. My veterinarian started medications immediately and also did class 4 laser rehab treatments. She also recommended looking into acupuncture. A friend gave me Dr. Christine's name. I was seen the day after I called. Dr. Christine started acupuncture, Magna Wave, stretching and chiropractic treatment, and I could hardly believe my eyes: when she was done that day Lulu was able to move her head both ways and sit up in a more relaxed position. Lulu had only been able to lie down and move her head to the right before that. The most important improvement I saw was that she had the twinkle back in her eyes. She was happy again! After each and every one of Dr. Christine's treatments Lulu conquered/conquers milestone improvements. It has been about 3 ½ months since starting treatment from Dr. Christine. Lulu can now get up and stand, stay standing and even walk (!) when on grass ground. She has been off medication for weeks. I had mentally prepared for the worst (and even purchased a canine wheelchair for Lulu) but my expectations were just blown away. Lulu is 12, and no spring chicken, but her quality of life is 100 percent back to where it was before her collapse 4 months ago - maybe even better. She is visibly happier than ever and I will forever be grateful to Dr. Christine Woodford (VIPs).

Saskia Melchert
(September 2016)

Riley and Debbie

Riley is a 10 year old rescued Dachshund. In January, Riley could not lift or move his head at the neck without screaming in severe pain. We would carry him outside to do his business where he also would have major discomfort. After using heat therapy and pain medication, with little relief, we sought out alternative therapy. We wanted the minimal use of pain meds and hoped the chiropractic and acupuncture would be a long term solution.

After seeing Dr. Christine for 2 months of weekly visits for chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave therapies, Riley improved his neck and shoulder movements to full range. We keep a monthly scheduled visit to maintain his comfort and his mobility to his fullest extent.

Dr. Christine also showed us range of motion exercises that we do at home. She also recommended swim therapy in the bath tub and a healthy diet. All these things combined give Riley a much improved quality of life.

Truly, considering the pain Riley was in, to his health today, he has made an amazing recovery. Thanks to Dr. Christine Riley is as active as ever.

Debbie Derby Pickens
(August 2016)

Becky & Molly

Hi, my name is Becky Thompson and I'm from Forest City, IA. I can't say enough great things about Dr. Christine. She came into my life at a time when I thought there was no hope for my 13 year old Beagle Molly.

Molly is an active beagle. She still acts like a pup and loves her walks, but the morning of April 8, 2016 she was having problems walking. When I returned home at noon, she started to drag her back legs around and was not able to stand at all! I called my local vet office and explained what was going on. They had me bring her in immediately. My vet did a few tests on Molly. She had some feeling for she felt pain and they told me surgery was an option but with her age I really didn't think that was going to be an option for me. I was already dreading the next words that I knew were going to come out of her mouth....I'd have to let her go.

Molly is just more than a pet to me, she's my baby girl and I couldn't bear the thought of losing her....Dr. Ranes could see how upset I was and said we could put Molly on some medications & see what happens. She also mentioned that some people had taken their dogs for acupuncture and chiropractic treatments and have had some good luck with that. I thought it might be worth a shot. Dr. Ranes gave me Dr. Christine's card and I called the next day. To my surprise I could bring her in that day. I have to say my husband and sons thought I was crazy and tried to talk me into just letting her go, I wouldn't hear of it... I was going to give it a try!

Of course I wasn't expecting a miracle but was hopeful this would help with Molly's pain and swelling. I chose to continue a few more treatments and see what happened. Each treatment I could see some improvement. Molly still wasn't walking but she could stand (with help) for almost a minute!! Three weeks had passed by and she started to lose control of her bladder. I thought this might be the end. I contemplated ending the treatments. I called Dr. Christine to let her know what was happening for we had a treatment later that afternoon. She felt that the medications she was on may be contributing to her bladder issues and encouraged me to come to our next treatment. Boy, I'm glad I did....for Molly started standing and walking by herself after that treatment. She wasn't real steady but it was awesome... I cried, I was so HAPPY!! And her bladder issues seemed to be ok again when all the medications were out of her system.

We are now having treatments once a month and I see improvement every day. I still can't believe Molly's progress in just a little over 3 months. I couldn't be happier with Dr. Christine. Not only can I take Molly to her Marion office, but she also has locations that are a lot closer for me and the appointment times are VERY accommodating to my schedule. If you ever find yourself in the same situation as I did with Molly, PLEASE don't give up hope & give Dr. Christine a try....I'm so glad I did!

Becky & Molly Thompson
(June 2016)

Stephanie & Tess

I can't begin to describe the change in my 11 year old corgi, Tess, since beginning to see Dr. Christine at the start of February. I took her to Dr. Christine because I had run out of options for a good quality of life with traditional veterinary care. She was extremely overweight from long term use of steroids due to back pain and a low thyroid. She had seizures that medications were not controlling and had lost most of the use of her hind end due to several spinal cord strokes. Euthanasia was the option several vets suggested after running out of things to try. She was in the ICU on a morphine drip that wasn't doing anything when the veterinarian and I agreed Dr. Christine was our last hope. I took her home that night and went to VIPS the very next day. On Tess's first visit to Dr. Christine I had to carry her in because she couldn't stand on her own. When she left she walked out by herself and has made great strides since. Dr. Christine suggested putting her on a dehydrated raw diet for weight loss. In 3 short months she has lost 14 pounds! That is almost 1/4 of her body weight. She went from 54 lbs to 40 lbs and is still losing about 1 lb per week without starving. She is off steroids and all pain meds, has switched her seizure meds, went on an anti-inflammatory med and receives regular chiropractic, acupuncture, and Magna Wave therapy. Her seizures are nearly non-existent now and she is able to move more normal than she has in years. She even ran the other day! She doesn't cry out in pain anymore and her constant facial tremors have completely gone away. I can't say enough for the service Dr. Christine provides. Her knowledge and care have given me my dog back for whatever time she has left and for that I will always be grateful.

Thank you Dr. Christine and Carla,
Stephanie Howard
(June 2016)

Muriel and Chickie

Chickie has been seeing Dr. Christine since she was 4 months old. She goes monthly for routine treatments. Being a large dog and one of many in the household, the playing and romping can get quite rough. Monthly treatments have kept Chickie very well balanced and healthy looking when she exhibits her winning gait at the dog shows. Thank you for all the care you have given ALL my Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

Flash

An Old Man Who Found His Legs
Owners: Kaitlyn & Ryan Schilling
With the Help of VIPs Vet- Dr. Christine Woodford.

It is hard for anyone to understand- if they haven't had a pet before- that pets are family. For us, this really became a view in our lives at the end of March of 2016. Flash, the family Bassett hound, suddenly could no longer use his back legs. He was an old man, yes, but a loving sweet dog that was rescued and brought into the Schilling family in 2010. We guessed his age between 10 and 12 years old currently (around 6yrs when Ryan took him into his home). When he couldn't walk, we did not know what to do. Out of the two vets in our area we took him to, one mentioned it would be a $3000.00 surgery and they could provide us with some medicine. The other vet also said medicine and a dog chiropractor (crazy right). We were at a loss, on a budget, and could not imagine our life without the old man around. Now, months later, Flash is walking again, and we cannot help but thank VIPs for everything they have done for us.

Ryan and I are located in Dubuque, IA. We are a young couple, newly married in 2015, and moved into our home July of 2014. When we moved in, Ryan brought his dog, Flash (named after Dukes of Hazard of course- my husband's imagination) from his parent's loving home to live with us. I also had a dog at my parent's house. Little Laysie (pronounced Lacie), a teacup Yorkie, was about 12 weeks when we moved in together and started our family. Right before we got married, we could not resist to take in a third dog, Fred, a Bassett too cute not to bring into our home (of course, named after the Bassett on Smokey and the Bandit). Shortly after we were married in September of 2015, we were happy to announce we were having a child in December of that year, who is now expected to join us July of 2016. Everything was perfect.

At the end of September, 2015, we noticed Flash was having difficulty walking. He was falling over a lot and dragging himself. Frightened we took him to the vet in Dyersville, IA, my friend worked at. It was not my usual vet, but I figured since my friend worked there we would give it a try. The call fee was much lower than my normal vet on a weekend. They were extremely helpful, offered us some steroids and told us it could be many things causing him not to walk, but, more than likely it was a bulged disk. If the steroids did not work, unfortunately the only options were a $3000.00 surgery. Thankfully, the steroid shots worked! A few days after our visit, Flash was walking like normal…. If only it would have been that easy.

End of March, 2016, Flash began not walking again. With hopeful thoughts, we called the same vet as last time and got him on the same medicine. Unfortunately, we were not so lucky this time. The steroids did not work, and we were faced with two options. Putting a dog down was not something we wanted to do, and with a baby on the way, paying $3000.00 for a surgery for a dog that may be over 10 years old seem unreasonable. So, we did a little more research. A classmate of mine recommended us to go to a chiropractor for dogs. Said Dr. Christine. I mentioned it to Ryan, who in turn said no way and it was a "dumb idea." Agreeing with his doubts, we waiting a few more days for the steroid medicine to run out. Then, one day, there was no more walking for Flash. He looked miserable. He was dragging himself around the carpet with his front legs, he was in pain. He couldn't stand to go to the bathroom, sores began to emerge on his back legs, and he was bleeding. I, of course, a pregnant mess, broke down balling and called Ryan and his family. Ryan's family stopped by the house and we went over options of what to do. Do we get a doggy wheel chair; do we try and make surgery work, which would be able to help us? I decided to call our normal vet. They too said surgery was an option (the $3000.00 one), but it may not work due to him being so old it could be arthritis. But, they also said, there is this VIPs Vet in Marion you could try and offered me the website…

Turns out, this VIPs was the same person as Dr. Christine! With the two referrals, I did some research, and after talking it over with Ryan, sending emails, a voicemail, and a personal message on FB (keep in mind this was all after hours), we decided it was worth our time to drive to Marion. Flash was family, and we couldn't not try. We were recommended 3 appointments, all close together, to try and get some progress made. We had high doubts, there was no way this was going to work, but, just maybe, it would. We determined that paying $100 a visit and three total visits would be better than giving up all together.

The first visit was very eye opening for the both of us. Flash had to be carried in, by this time the cuts/ rug burn on his legs were getting to the point we were wrapping them with socks and gauze. He had to drag himself across he office to meet Carla and Dr. Christine Woodford. Dr. Christine was very understanding of our situation and helped us understand what she was doing. She explained how she was moving things on his back and where the pain was at. She did acupuncture, which I was unaware at the time, I signed up for when scheduling this visit. Flash did not like it much, but it was neat how she put the needles in him and then used a machine to vibrate the areas needed. She taught us physical therapy to do, recommended some methods to try and get him walking again as well as a new diet plan, and offered to give us medicine through the vet we wanted in order to help with inflammation and pain. It was great to work with Dr. Christine that day. We left there with more knowledge of what dog chiropractor and acupuncture was and scheduled an appointment for the following week. This one was in Dubuque, IA- closer to home.

For the first couple days, we did not see improvement, it was a little disappointing. But, we kept with the therapy and the prescription she gave us. We had to lift him up and down the step into the house. The cuts got worst, I felt terrible for the old man. He didn't like wearing the socks and gauze but it helped. A few days before the 2nd appointment, we saw Flash stand for the first time. Ryan yelled for me to stop putting on makeup to go see. I took a photo of it and sent it to Ryan's family. No, he was not walking full-term yet, but he was standing! It was something. By the time Ryan took him to the 2nd appointment, Flash was to the point where he could walk but then teeter off and fall. But, he was trying hard. I was scared Ryan's hopes were too high. He was still an old dog. I texted Dr. Christine my thoughts and told her my update personally. I had a doctor appointment myself that week for baby Schilling, so I could not join Ryan for this one. She was fantastic. She called me shortly after the appointment and gave me her side of things so I could hear exactly what she told Ryan. She told me she took a video of him walking the short period he did. She also did the chiropractor work and acupuncture again. Dr. Christine was thrilled with the progress, gave us more medicine to get us through until the next appointment and told us to keep doing what we are doing.

The final appointment was also in Dubuque- we got lucky she was in town twice that month. This time I could go. Within the time we had between the 2nd and 3rd appointment, Flash was walking! He no longer needed our help over the step, we could remove his bandages, and he was self-sufficient. Seeing Dr. Christine's excitement was just as great as seeing Ryan's excitement. The old man was walking! She did the usual work of acupuncture and chiropractic. She was very happy for him to be doing so well, and so were we. She told us she would like to see him in a month, said that she likes to do follow ups. Ryan and I both looked at each other and felt bad but just could not justify scheduling more appointments financially- which was slightly embarrassing, but we had to draw a line somewhere. Dr. Christine completely understood what we were saying, which was a little weight lifted off our shoulders. Of course, we wanted to come back and keep up, but with our situation, we just could not justify it. She said she would see him anytime if it flared up again. No pressure on us whatsoever.

About a month later, I got a text message; it was from the VIPs Vet office. I thought that was great and so did Ryan. They were just checking in to see how things were going. Flash was doing great. He tries jumping on the couch, but we have to tell him no, that's not good for the long backs of a Bassett hound. The other Bassett, Fred, and Laysie still try and play with him as much as they can. Of course, we monitor it to a point where when it gets too rough, we tell them to settle down. But, things are finally back to normal again. Fred is still a puppy that drives us nuts at times, Flash is the old man who we love dearly, and Laysie is the spoiled little queen that plays as much as possible. We love them all.

VIPs Vet in Marion did a great job with us and our dog. We have our little family back to normal now. Everything about VIPs was amazing. Carla, the receptionist, kept us posted with location and times of the appointments via text message so I always knew what was going on. Dr. Christine's knowledge and love for animals made us feel like we were in the right place and she understood our situation. They both did a great job keeping in contact with us, asking for updates to see how Flash was doing. Flash is doing great now, and I thank them for that. He runs and walks and is much happier. I can only hope this adds even more life to his long life he has had already. We cannot thank VIPs vet enough for all their dedication to help us get the old man walking again.

Montana & Melissa

Montana (on the right, with her buddy Chevy) is a typical 7 year old Corgi, active and happy. We see another dog for Melissa, so when Montana acutely came down with a painful neck she quickly made an appointment for Montana.

This video shows how Montana presented to us on February 22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHCxhLzBB7M Notice Montana looked at the floor and would not lift her head. She was also very stiff in the shoulders and clearly uncomfortable. Dr. Christine treated Montana with chiropractic, acupunture and Magna Wave. She also prescribed Previcox to help Montana with pain and inflammation.

This next video is Montana the NEXT DAY following the first treatment. She walks around with her head up and much more comfortable. She is even feeling more free in the shoulders and trots around. The sparkle is back in her eye! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBW7N03kwbA

The last video shows Montana after third treatment on March 21st. Treatments were spaced two weeks apart. Clearly she is back to her happy Corgi self! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-fJEtjjx8w

Thanks Melissa for sharing your video. We are so happy Montana is feeling better!

Natalie & Fire

Natalie Spinsby and her Shetland Sheepdog, Fire, have been selected as one of 10 children and 13 dogs to compete on the 2016 European Open Junior Agility Championship team. They will travel to Slovakia in July to represent the United States. The US is one of 9 countries competing at EOJ championships. Natalie and Fire also regularly compete in American Kennel Club agility, earning six titles in their first 9 months of showing. Fire has been a patient of VIPS for the past year and a half. She uses regular adjustments from Dr. Christine to help keep in top competitive form.

Mary Drexler

LinAnn and Piston

Anmial Name: Piston, 10 year old, Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Piston is a 10 year old, Pembroke Welsh Corgi. About 5 years ago, Piston fell in an open register hole in our house - we were refinishing wood floors. After he fell in, he took off running again. I didn't give it much thought until a few days later, when he wouldn't put any weight on his left front leg. I took him to my regular vet for x-rays fearing he broke something. X-rays showed lots of swelling but no breaks or fractures. Pain meds were administered and out the door we went. Since then he has issues with that leg off and on - won't put weight on it, limps terribly, etc. I sought out Dr. Christine after talking with someone who had used her. I scheduled Piston's first appointment in December 2015. I noticed a difference immediately! We continued to see Dr. Christine for weekly visits for chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave treatments every other week. Piston continued to improve with each visit. We now see her once a month and we continue to do the stretches that Dr. Christine has given us.

Piston has begun to act like a puppy again! He runs, plays fetch, chases his fur sister and even tries to jump up on things again! He is no longer the "grumpy old dog" that he was. He is happy and healthy again Thanks to Dr. Christine!!

I never thought I would ever take an animal to a chiropractor in my life. That was for crazy people who didn't know what else to do with their time and money. I am a true believer now!! Dr. Christine has given me my buddy back and made him young again!!

LinAnn Lauer

Maria and Fletch

We rescued Fletch in March of 2015 at the age of about 10 weeks old. He was in rough shape, having spent much of his life in a cage. He was malnourished, had little use of his back legs due to atrophy, plus he had a case of mange that left his immune system so low that he was extremely weak.

We brought him to Dr. Christine a few weeks later and her care started him back on the road to recovery. Fletch received both acupuncture and chiropractic care, which not only helped him to regain some mobility from being in such a cramped space, the acupuncture helped to open up his energy field to gaining well-needed strength.

Over the past year, we have had Fletch treated by Dr. Christine as needed. At the age of one, he is now an amazing pet that enlightens our family each day. He is strong, well, and such a love!

Thank you Dr. Woodford for helping Fletch along the way - the acupuncture and chiropractic care Fletch received from you made a huge difference for our pet and his well-being!

Sincerely,

The Dummermuth Family

Cindy and Johnny

Besides being a wonderful family pet, Johnny is a great agility dog! He visits Dr. Christine a few times a year to stay fit and comfortable for his agility competitions. Thanks Dr. Christine!

Heather Stroud and Earl

I took my Great Dane, Earl, to Dr. Christine in June. He was having trouble with a dropped vertebra, just behind his hips. She gave him an adjustment and acupuncture along with Magna Wave treatment. Earl loves his visits and feels so much better afterwards. He is able to "feel" his feet and dances out of her office. Earl gets excited when I tell him we are going to see Dr. Christine!
Heather Stroud and Earl

Nish and Suzan Limaye

We wanted to let you know how pleased we are with the outcome of our visits. As you know, our 13 year old, female, Dachshund, Emily, had been having serious back issues for 3 months. These problems lead to a significant loss of control of her back two legs. This impacted her ability to walk as well as go to the bath room. It also caused her a great deal of pain.

We spent a considerable amount of time (4 visits to our Veterinarian) and expense over the 3 month period. Our vet prescribed several medications for her. We needed to give her 3 pills, twice a day for several months. Although we saw some improvement, it was marginal and did not return her to a more normal life style. It was even discussed, at times, that if she did not experience a significant improvement in mobility and quality of life, that our options were back surgery (approximately $3,000 - $5,000) or even putting her to sleep.

As you can imagine, either courses of action were very unappealing to us. Our vet also suggested that we try acupuncture, and referred us to your office. So, we brought her to you based on that suggestion. All we can say was "Wow". Emily had returned to about 75% of her normal mobility after the first visit. Then, after her second visit, she seemed to be back to normal. It was very clear to us that she was not only more mobile, but pain free. She was back to darting around the house and outside. The funny curvature in her spine was gone and she was back to her usual "antics" (like most food driven pets!).

We can't thank you enough for your help. The treatments made the difference and were very affordable, especially compared to what we spent on numerous vet visits and courses of meds. We have decided to put her on once a month treatment regime as we truly see these as "preventative" from a reoccurrence of the back problem.

Thanks so much for your discovery of the novel treatment and your ability to administer it in a positive, low key environment that is easy for our dog to handle.

Verlene and Emma

Emma is a seven year old Dachshund. She is the beloved pet of Don and Verlene Hanson. Like most Doxies, Emma is happy and active. In June, Emma injured her neck. Verlene found her with her back hunched, unable to turn her neck and head down, nose on the ground. Emma was also crying out in pain. Don and Verlene took Emma to their local vet. Emma's regular veterinarian was out of town and had someone filling in for him. The relief vet prescribed pain medication and suggested a visit to Dr. Christine.

Emma has seen Dr. Christine for four treatments of chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave since June. Verlene said they noticed improvement after the first visit. Emma's back is no longer hunched. Her neck is free and she is almost off the pain medication. Emma does have to be careful not to be too overly active. Verlene makes sure Emma does her leg stretches and follow the treat stretch for her neck. Verlene and Don were so scared Emma would not recover. They are more than pleased.

Kelly and Hally

Hally is a happy, active Chocolate Lab. She is 11 years old and the pet of Kelly Shoudy. This past winter Hally slipped on the ice and began limping on her front leg. Kelly took Hally to the veterinarian. She was given doggy ibuprofen. It helped some but Hally still limped. Another trip back to the vet and Hally was given another drug but it made her sleepy. Kelly didn't like that his pet was drowsy all the time and still limping. He had heard some good things about acupuncture. He went online, Googled it and found Dr. Christine's website. After reading several of the testimonials, he called to make an appointment.

Hally was treated with chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave therapies. Kelly noticed a difference in Hally after the first treatment. They returned for a 2nd appointment and Hally is back to running and jumping in the park. Kelly admitted he doesn't have time to do the stretches Dr. Christine suggested but Hally takes lots of walks. Kelly has noticed Hally is no longer stiff or sore and acts like she is five. Kelly operates his own business and often takes Hally to work. He reports that Hally is almost too active for the office. The results seen in Hally have been "amazing" and Hally's "quality of life is dramatically better, that's what I was looking for" says Kelly.

Kelly also tried the Magna Wave on his shoulders while holding Hally during her treatments. He noted that his shoulders feel much better.

Kelly(August 2015)

Robin and Joe

Joe is an 11 year old Boxer who is a part of our family. Easter weekend, Joe couldn't get up, eat or go outside to potty by himself. We took Joe to our veterinarian who diagnosed him with Canine Degenerative Myelopathy. CDM is a progressive disease of the spinal cord and presents with hind leg weakness and incoordination. It affects dogs over 7 years old and is commonly seen in German Shepherds and Boxers but affects other breeds as well.

Our veterinarian's receptionist told us she had heard of others who used alternative therapies on their dogs with good success. We figured we had nothing to lose and brought Joe to see Dr. Christine.

Dr. Christine treated Joe with chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave therapies. After the first treatment Joe rested quietly the rest of the day. The following evening Joe was able to get up and walk on his own! He was wobbly and weak but he was walking in his own. As the days progressed he got better and better.

At home we have followed up with short, leash controlled walks. We also do range of motion exercises with Joe's neck and legs twice a day. Dr. Christine showed us these exercises and they are easier to do.

We highly recommend Dr. Christine to many others as her therapies are non-invasive and what do you have to lose!

Robin(May 2015)

Jackie and Lily

It was love at first sight when we met Lily, a sweet 11-year old American Eskimo mix. Lily was found as a stray in Florida. She made her way to Iowa thanks to Last Hope Rescue. She was living in foster care for about a year before we adopted her in January. Lily is deaf due to an untreated ear infection and has cataracts in both eyes. She has nerve damage to her front legs and ACL damage to her back legs. She also broke one of her back legs.

After observing Lily walk, we knew Lily could benefit from Dr. Christine's services. Dr. Christine provided treatment to our first dog, Belle. Lily was very stiff when Dr. Christine first examined her. However, after just a couple treatments, Lily was walking much better and was able to sit (something she could not do before). With Dr. Christine's treatments, Lily has improved her mobility so she can just be a dog and enjoy a dog's life of exploring her environment, following the trail of a good scent and walking with her pack. The combination of Lily's unyielding spirit and determination and Dr. Christine's expertise and care have led to a high quality of life for a former stray from Florida.

Jackie Mason

(April 2015)

Cathy and Gage Buenzow

Hi! I'm Gage. I am a Deutsch Langhaar. I love to hunt pheasants, ducks, rabbits and just about anything else that runs! Last spring I hurt my iliopsoas muscle. I don't know what that is, but it hurt when I ran and played. My mom talked to some people who said Dr. Christine could help me feel better. We went to see her in May and she poked me with some little needles. I didn't like it at first, but after a little bit it was very calming. I just wanted to lie down and relax. Dr. Christine was very nice to me, I like her very much. (I also like to visit her office and see the horses, but they are big and scary.) After about 5 visits I was feeling much better and everyone said I could run and play again just like before. I want to thank Dr. Christine for helping me and tell others to go see her if they have a hurt iliopsoas muscle. She really cares about us pups and knows how to make us feel better. Carla is super great too! She makes it very easy for my mom to schedule our appointments and we love the text reminders too! We recommend both of them, paws down!

(February 2015)

Holly and Lucky

Lucky is a beloved family pet. He is an 11 ½ yr. old Bichon/Maltese cross. Back in October Lucky had sudden onset of loss of function in his rear legs. We took Lucky to our vet for x-rays. The x-rays showed spinal disease, herniated discs, common to his breed. This was causing the paralysis. Our vet gave us the option of kennel rest or surgery. Surgery would be hard on Lucky, due to his age. It is also very expensive. So we opted for 3 weeks kennel rest and medication.

A friend told us about Dr. Christine. Dr. Christine treated Lucky with chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave. Lucky saw Dr. Christine every week for 3 weeks. Every week Lucky showed improvement and gained back the use of his rear legs! He is still a little wobbly and lacks control at times but he is able to walk and run.

We carefully monitor Lucky's activity at home. Dr. Christine has suggested no steps or jumping on and off furniture. We are surprised and elated that the treatments have worked so well!

(December 2014)

Muriel and Nushka

Nushka is a three year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback. She shows in conformation. When Nushka was 13 months old she suffered a broken leg. She had surgery and had a plate put in to aid in aligning the bones. It was a long road to healing for Nushka. Muriel, Nushka's owner, sought out physical therapy and rehab from some of the best veterinary practices throughout the Midwest. Despite Muriel's extra efforts, as the leg had healed, it still turned out slightly and Nushka was stiff gaited.

After a year of searching for therapies to help Nushka, Muriel found Dr. Christine in April of 2014. After a lengthy discussion of the case history, Dr. Christine referred Nushka to Dr. McCauley, DVM at TOPS Veterinary Rehabilitation in Grayslake, IL. Dr. McCauley, one of the leading veterinarians in the nation in canine rehabilitation, found Nushka had several areas of muscle and joint strain from compensating after she broke her leg, including a strained iliopsoas muscle in the left groin area. Dr. McCauley recommended continued chiropractic and acupuncture therapy with Dr. Christine and specific strength building exercises for Nushka to do at home.

Nushka has had a long road to recovery but Muriel has always persisted in finding the best therapies to aid Nushka. Muriel is now starting to see all her dedication pay off as Nushka is standing straighter and traveling much more comfortably.

(November 2014)

Paisley is an eight year old, female Boxer who shows in Confirmation, Obedience and Rally competitions. Early this spring, Paisley started vomiting with abdominal pain. She wouldn't eat, didn't feel well and rapidly lost weight. She was taken to her regular veterinarian and diagnosed with pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. A high fat diet is often an exasperating cause. Diagnostic radiographs revealed that Paisley had arthritis in her spine. She was given medication to alleviate her symptoms and put on a low fat diet with more exercise. There are no proven medications for pancreatitis and no cures.

Ruth was concerned about the arthritis in Paisley's spine so she did some research into chiropractic and found Dr. Christine. Paisley was treated with chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave therapies. She has shown a big improvement in her movement. Paisley even won "Best Veteran" in Conformation competition this summer!

Ruth stretches Paisley's legs 3-4 times a week as Dr. Christine has shown her. She also does hiking and rally training with Paisley to augment Dr. Christine's program. Paisley sees Dr. Christine on a monthly basis to keep her limber and feeling good!

Deb and Minnie

Minnie Mouse is a 10 year old black, Pug. She was hit by a car when she was 4 months old and broke her hip. Minnie healed with only some slight stiffness in her hip. We knew as she aged she would have some problems with mobility. This spring, I noticed Minnie's back leg dragging. The harsh winter and lack of exercise had taken its toll. She was having enough difficulty getting around that I thought we may have to put her to sleep. I took Minnie to my local veterinarian with minimal results.

Dr. Christine adjusts our mounted shooting horses. I remembered a story I read in one of her newsletters. So I had Dr. Christine treat Minnie with chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave therapies. After the first treatment, I noticed Minnie was able to move her leg forward and was steadier on her feet. She was moving around more and had less trouble going to the bathroom. I swam Minnie in the bath tub as Dr. Christine suggested. After 2 more treatments, Minnie is running and enjoying life again! She still has that slight stiffness in her hip but I am very happy and impressed with her improvement. I feel Minnie is much happier too. I truly believe without Dr. Christine's treatment and care, Minnie wouldn't be here with us.

Deb Vesperman

Jade, my 12 year old Corgi, has always been happy and healthy. Approximately a month ago she started dragging her right leg on Saturday and by the next day she had very limited use of both back legs. She would stand up but fall back down within a step or two. It was obvious she was losing use of both back legs, but did not seem in pain. Instead she seemed confused and unable to determine why her legs were not working as normal. I had worked with Dr. Christine Woodford in the past with my dressage horse Casey and she had done a few treatments on Jade, but that was many years go. I called Christine and she agreed to meet me on Monday at my office for treatment. I saw a canine veterinarian earlier that Monday who stated my dog had no reflex response in both back legs and my only options were surgery or euthanasia.

That afternoon Dr. Christine arrived at my office and started testing Jade's reflexes to determine the extent of her injury. At that point she moved forward with treatment to include chiropractic, followed by acupuncture. Finally she used the Magna Wave treatment to compliment the acupuncture and chiropractic. The treatment was very quiet and peaceful, which kept Jade at ease. It was also very helpful that Dr. Christine could come to me for the treatment, acknowledging how important the treatment was for myself and Jade. By Tuesday Jade had begun to use both legs again and could stand on both legs longer than the previous day. By Wednesday she was back to 40% use of both back legs. We continued to do more treatments since then and have had no set backs. Jade is up to 80% use of both back legs with only some slight dragging of the one leg and occasionally she sits down unexpectedly. Dr. Christine also gave me a special diet to assist Jade in reducing her weight. She is not overweight, but we discussed how any additional weight on her spine and back legs is not helpful.

I cannot thank Dr. Christine enough for all of her hard work and knowledge about how her services can assist conditions like Jade's. She provided a comprehensive care program that was affordable and did not require pain medications. Dr. Christine gave me options for treatment that did not include the permanent decision of surgery or euthanasia. Every day I see small improvements in Jade and I look forward to many more years with a healthy dog.

Sincerely,
Ali Hayford

Hank, a year and a half old Great Dane, is very friendly with people, children and other dogs and is also one of the biggest lap dogs you'll ever meet! At the end of July last year, Hank and Tony were at one of the local dog parks, interacting with some of the other people and their fur kids. Hank was running pretty fast, caught one of his front paws in a divot and ended up landing face first in the grass. Tony examined him immediately and Hank seemed fine. He actually got up and kept running around with the other dogs. Anthony and Tony continued to monitor Hank the next day, and he still seemed to be getting around like normal. On the second night, Hank seemed to have some discomfort and whimpered anytime he attempted to turn over, before finally falling asleep. Around 2:00 am, he was in extreme discomfort and was whimpering almost nonstop. Hank ended up being admitted to the Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Center for an exam, was diagnosed with Soft Tissue Trauma and given medicine for pain relief. It was also advised to restrict his exercise/outdoor activity to bathroom breaks only, for the next 3-4 weeks. Tony had reached out to an old friend, Lauren Gronemeyer, who was working on completing Veterinary School. She also had a lot of experience with animals, from cats and dogs to birds and fish. She recommended taking Hank to see Dr. Woodford, for possible Chiropractic and Acupuncture care. After visiting the VIPS website and reading a handful of the testimonials, Anthony and Tony called to set up an appointment with Dr. Woodford.

Since his first appointment back in August of last year, Hank has seen Dr. Woodford for Chiropractic and Acupuncture care every 5-6 weeks, along with Magna Wave treatment during each appointment. This wave helps to regenerate damaged tissue and is effective in relieving muscle soreness.

At home, we work on range of motion exercises such as stretching his paws and legs. This tends to be easiest when Hank is sprawled out on the couch, sleeping. We simply take a paw or leg and gently move it around in a circular motion, to help stretch it out and increase blood flow to the tissues.

We couldn't be happier with Dr. Woodford! She is very compassionate with her work and is a true advocate for all animals, big or small. Dr. Woodford is knowledgeable in what she does and is great with Hank. Carl, her assistant, is fantastic as well, and scheduling our appointments could not be easier thanks to her! We would recommend these two, paws down!

Susan and Sam

Sam is a happy and active 8 year old Golden Retriever. Sam loves to chase birds and romp on the beach. Susan is a balloonist and Sam rides along in the chase vehicle. In 2011 Sam was involved in a car accident when the balloon chase vehicle she was riding in was struck by another car. She was thrown about the vehicle. Sam suffered a lame front leg and sore back.

Susan was referred to Dr. Christine by a friend and her hairdresser. Sam was treated with chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave. Susan has followed thru with monthly appointments to ensure that Sam is able to be more mobile to run and jump and lead an active lifestyle. Susan also does neck and leg stretches with massage at home.

Sam does not like to visit the vet's office but she enjoys coming to see Dr. Christine!

My name is Mary Erschen and my husband and I own FidoFit in Dubuque, Iowa. FidoFit is a structured daycare and boarding facility featuring an indoor canine fitness gym with pet specific equipment. Our gym services are enjoyed by dogs of all ages, sizes and abilities. It was thrilling for our business when we met Dr. Christine Woodford. She presented two workshops at FidoFit. The first workshop was a Dog Owners Workshop. The second workshop was for area veterinarians that offered them continuing education units. What a great opportunity for learning! It was fun meeting veterinarians and pet owners who share similar interests in pet care. Dr. Woodford then added the bonus benefit of scheduling monthly appointments at FidoFit. Our clients greatly appreciate Dr. Woodford's services. Mark and I also utilize Dr. Woodford's services for our own pets. Our two geriatric Boxers, a three year old Boxer, and a two year old French Bulldog. The have all benefitted from chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave therapy for athletic maintenance and specific age related issues. Our most memorable experience of Dr. Woodford's services was for my husband's Wheaton Terrier, "Tchaibowsky" (Bowsky). Bowsky, 12 years old, was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Our veterinarian, Dr. Bergfeld, at Key West Veterinarian Clinic, suggested adding Dr. Woodford's services while continuing care with her clinic as well as a 24 hour specialty clinic in Cedar Rapids. Hearing Dr. Bergfeld's recommendation for Bowsky, I recalled witnessing the remarkable comfort measures and quality of life that Dr. Woodford provided a pet owned by one of our clients, June Hass. June had an Airedale named Lance. Lance was diagnosed with the same type of cancer. We immediately scheduled Bowsky for his first appointment. He responded well to chiropractic, acupuncture, Magna Wave therapy and a change in diet. Several months past his cancer diagnosis, Bowsky developed Idiopathic Vestibular Disease. Symptoms of unknown cause and sudden onset are most commonly seen in geriatric dogs. Symptoms include loss of balance, staggering gait and tilted head. I began to research this disease. Ironically, the same week Bowsky presented symptoms; I saw a television clip featuring this disease. All the sources related that there is no known medical veterinary treatment. Some of my books, newsletters and the television clip mentioned acupuncture could provide relief for some dogs suffering from this condition. Dr. Woodford targeted Bowsky's next acupuncture for the issues specifically related to his Idiopathic Vestibular Disease. Bowsky's symptoms resolved immediately after acupuncture. His head tilt did not disappear but was greatly improved. He offered Dr. Woodford a shake off and play bow in thanksgiving! Bowsky continued to see Dr. Woodford monthly while living a happy quality life, nine months past his cancer diagnosis. Bowsky passed February 9, 2014, sleeping with his head on the same pillow as his beloved "dad", Mark. Thank you Dr. Woodford for the care you provided our precious Tchaibowsky (Bowsky). Your care improved his quality of life and provided obvious comfort measures well past his predicted prognosis.

Mary Erschen

Daisy Mae is a 6 year old English Mastiff. When she was quite young, she had two surgeries on the same back leg so there have always been issues with that particular leg. We had been taking Daisy to FidoFit in Dubuque for physio therapy (which has been wonderful). Mary at FidoFit suggested we try Dr. Christine's services on Daisy to enhance the therapy work. Since mid-2013, Daisy has been receiving monthly chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave treatments from Dr. Christine. Daisy has had an amazing response! We believe these treatments make her feel better and "loosen" her up. For the first time in several years, Daisy runs more and has more energy. We do regular walking and occasional stretching with Daisy at home. As a 6 year old Mastiff, she is considered middle-aged. Our goal is to keep her moving and engaged in as much as possible. The chiropractic and acupuncture treatments were a "new" concept for us with Daisy. We weren't sure about it at first. We whole-heartedly endorse it now. Between the efforts and attention of Mary & Mark at FidoFit, Dr. Christine, and our regular vets at PedMed, we feel that Daisy has the best of care. Everyone who provides care for Daisy is quite attentive to her needs and quick to address our questions and concerns.

Kim Brandt

My 12 year-old Pug, Ziggy was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and arthritis many years ago. To ensure the best quality of life in his golden years, I take him to Dr. Christine Woodford. Her treatments consist of a chiropractic adjustment, acupuncture and Magna Wave. Ziggy can walk poorly due to his hip problems and arthritis, but with his monthly treatment with Dr. Christine the problems subside and he is able to enjoy life.

I highly recommend Dr. Christine. Dr. Christine is caring, compassionate and effective. She has a great presence with Ziggy and she does a marvelous job treating him.

Thank you very much Dr. Christine!

Meghan Brewer

Mackie is a 12 year old female boxer who came to Dr. Christine for help with tight hips and lack of mobility in her neck. With one treatment she was able to fully move her head side to side and her cervical spine was able to lengthen so she could hold her head high. Due to the tightness in Mackie’s hips she preferred to stand or lie down. Sitting was something she had not done in months, even for her favorite treat. Following her first treatment she came home and was sitting so pretty on her favorite rug and holding her head with freedom to move her neck. We are so thankful to Dr. Christine and her gift to help mature dogs gain increase movement in their joints. Her talents gave our Mackie brighter eyes, more spunk and energy to enjoy life. Dr. Christine, thank you very much for sharing your time and expertise with our beloved animals.

Jen and Mackie

Around the end of May, 2012, our Cocker Spaniel, Maggie developed an immune-mediated disease. Her little body began attacking itself. She went from walking 5 or 6 half mile trips around the block to barely making it to the end of our street. We were lucky that we caught it in time but the treatment of Prednisone caused her to almost double her weight. She was had renewing signs of energy when her right hind leg went limp on a walk. I picked her up and rushed her to our vet and they determined she had an ACL, (anterior cruciate ligament), or knee injury in terms that I can understand. Their resolution was to have surgery as soon as she would be strong enough to handle it.

We had had a Cocker Spaniel before and she had undergone acupuncture with excellent results. We were determined to see if we could locate someone that could help her while she was still recuperating from the immune disease. We were fortunate enough to locate Dr. Christine Woodford. She performed acupuncture, magna wave and chiropractic care on her. Maggie responded well and on one of her check ups with her regular vet, they had forgotten all about her leg until I mentioned it to them. They were impressed with the results.

Fast forward to this summer. We were looking forward to a normal summer this year, but Maggie needed to have a growth removed on a front paw. Again while recuperating, she injured her other hind leg with the same prognosis as the other. One treatment later with Dr. Woodford and Maggie was up and going on all fours again, better than ever. I was amazed since she could barely toe touch when Dr. Woodford saw her. I think even Dr. Woodford was amazed. It’s great to see her running around again, just as fast as ever. This is truly a miracle and we are thankful that Maggie responds so well to the care that she administers. We definitely want the best of care for her and are thankful that we are able to find noninvasive care that works and is reasonably priced too. Thank you Dr. Woodford and Maggie thanks you too.

Mike, Shelley and Maggie Massell

In January Izzy and I were playing tug-o-war on the bed. She caught her foot in a blanket and yelped. This must have been the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. When I took Izzy to her veterinarian, he said she had disc pain. We tried a round of steriod shots. My final straw came when I laid with Izzy on the floor and she whimpered continually. I felt I was going to have to put her down than see her in constant pain. I have used a chiropractor for myself so I figured why not for my dog. I got on the internet and found Dr. Christine Woodford. When I took Izzy for her first appointment she walked out a happier dog. Two more appointments and Izzy had a new life! I make sure to follow through with the exercises Dr. Christine gave us and bring Izzy for periodic maintenance. Dr. Christine gave Izzy a new life with her "magic fingers".

Susan Kedley

Lauren and Phil

A few years ago while hiking, I heard my 4 year old Vizsla yelp and come back to me hobbling on 3 legs. I rested him for a week and a half and when he did not fully recover, I suspected a cruciate rupture. I took him to my veterinarian and she did all the tests to conclude his knee was fine. I was still noticing a minor gait abnormality in his movement. Still concerned about an injury, I took him to ISU for an appointment with an orthopedist. The orthopedist could not diagnose anything wrong with Phil. He sent in a neurologist to look at him and after spending 3 hours with him, walking up and down the halls, up and down stairs, turning circles, etc., he concluded he most likely had a lumbar spinal injury. He suggested I get an MRI and a myelenectomy which "could help or may make it worse." I would be spending almost $2000 to give my dog surgery on an undiagnosed condition that may have made him worse. No thanks. I opted to contact Dr. Woodford and bring Phil in for acupuncture. After Phil's first appointment, I noticed immediately that his gait abnormality was gone. After 2 visits he was looking better than ever. I can now notice in Phil's gait when he is in need of a chiropractic or acupuncture adjustment. It is almost a night and day difference in his general attitude, appetite, sleep quality, and movement after every appointment with Dr. Christine. I am so glad I opted for this method of allowing the body to heal itself, rather than a drastic and expensive surgery. Phil is 7 years old now and still acts like a teenager. I am so glad that with Dr. Christine's help I have been able to keep my best friend feeling his best.  

Susan and Molly

I have known Dr. Woodford from when she previously worked with Dr. Abraham.

Knowing that she now practiced Chiropractic and Acupuncture, when our 6 year old, rescue Boston Terrier, Molly, needed help, I called Dr. Woodford. Molly was not socialized properly as a youngster and gets leary and worried about strangers. Initially, she was worried, but by the time Dr. Christine finished with her treatment, Molly was happy and so incredibly relaxed.

Her treatment was about 3 weeks ago. The chiropractic treatment helped her leg so much that she is sound again. The acupunture treatment made her so relaxed that she slept the rest of the day. The next day Molly was back to normal activity but her attitude is still much more relaxed than prior to the acupuncture treatment.

Yesterday, I took my Lab for a chiropractic adjustment and acupuncture treatment. Interestingly, when we returned, Molly sniffed wildly and excitedly asked "when am I going to see Aunt Dr. Christine?"

Thank you very much, Dr. Christine!  

Susan Haupt

Jane Wickler and Nubby

A stiff, old Lady, owned by a stiff, old Lady

I work at PetSmart in Dubuque and have a lot of dealings with the Jackson County Humane Society. In September of 2011, the president invited me to see their facility. When we got to the quarantine kennels, I met "her." She was a 9 year old German Boxer who had been a breeder for some bad pet parents. Her body was so disfigured. Her nipples were longer than my fingers. The only word to describe them were "udders." She had been unable to stop bleeding after her last litter of puppies and was dumped on the street. When I met her, she still had blood running out of her. As if that wasn't enough, she had no fur on her backside from untreated allergies. I adopted her immediately. When I describe her to people, I tell them honestly, she was the most God-awful looking dog I had ever seen. I didn't even know if she liked other dogs (I had 2), cats (I had 2) or if she could walk steps (I live on the 2nd floor) but that didn't matter. She was now mine. I named her Anika which mean sweetness of face.

I've switched to calling her Nubby since then. The fact that her "nubby" of a tail never stops, is what people notice most about her. In Fall of 2012 I attended a seminar given by Dr. Woodford regarding canine chiropractic and a "light-bulb" went off. I'm an "old girl" with stiff joints and I see a chiropractor. Why shouldn't Nubby? The next day, Dr. Woodford called to let me know she had a cancellation and could get Nubby in. For the first few treatments, she only had chiropractic as we improved her movement.

Then we added acupuncture and magnawave to improve her overall health. The improvement has been nothing short of amazing. At 10 ½ years old now, Nubby's visits to work always bring forth comments about how great she looks and moves.  At home she used to go up one step at a time, now she runs up them along with her siblings who are 1/10 her age. As I stand behind her, I think that even her Nubby tail moves easier.... 

Jane Wickler

Annette and Chase

In March of 2012, our 13 year old Maltese / Miniature Schnauzer dog, Chance, started experiencing problems walking with his hind legs. His legs would slide apart when he would stand. He started walking with a "hump back" and he was obviously experiencing discomfort.

We took him to our local vet. After x-ray and evaluation, our vet stated the area of Chance’s spine where the rib cage support of the spine ends and his hips begin, was arthritic.  In his expert opinion, Chance was experiencing sciatica type nerve pain which was causing him to lose sensation in his hind legs. The only option our vet suggested was regular usage of Rimadyl. I wasn’t willing to give, or keep Chance on this drug, so I asked our vet if he thought Chiropractic care would benefit Chance. Our local vet said it was definitely worth a try.  He gave me the name of a veterinarian he had gone to school with.

Christine Woodford, DVM was his former classmate. I immediately gave Christine a call and she was able to see Chance within a week of his diagnosis. Christine gave Chance a chiropractic, acupuncture, and magnawave treatment two times the first week. After the second treatment there was IMMEDIATE improvement. Chance then had a weekly treatment with Christine for the next couple of weeks, and he began taking the Petthrive product Christine carries. Within a month, Chance was back to normal, and has never experienced a return of his original symptoms.

We continue to take Chance for treatment with Christine about every 6-8 weeks, because we believe it promotes his overall health. Chance will be 15 years old in October 2013. He even keeps up with his 7 year old dog sibling, Lucy Lou.

We have recommended Christine to friends who have used her services for their fur babies.  They have realized the same success as Chance has.

I 100% recommend Christine’s services, simply because THEY WORK!

Annette Kunde
Strawberry Point, IA

In December, 2011, Choju, our almost 3 year old Akita, had been been out playing with my husband.  There was some light snow on the ground, but the walks were cleared.  She ran up the deck steps to go inside in a hurry for that treat she knew she would get.  Halfway up the steps, her back legs slipped and she ended up hitting both legs on the  steps, the left one hard enough that she didn't put weight on it for a few minutes.  We took her into our traditional vet and after x-rays, she was given anti-inflammatory medication.  This helped while she was on them, but she clearly wasn't improving quickly. Choju does agility, and we skipped her workouts until she was off the medication.  Then we started her out slowly, but she was not able to jump and even going up and down inclines were painful for her.

Then we went to a seminar at Pawsitive Paws Academy, where Choju trains.  Dr. Christine gave a presentation on how Chiropractic care can help performance dogs.  After that, I made an appointment for Dr Christine to see Choju.  This was about 4 months after her accident.  After one chiropractic and magnawave treatment, we saw noticeable improvement in Choju.  She was not as stiff and moving better.   Dr. Christine gave us stretches to do with her to help her improve.  Then we came back 2 more times, again seeing some improvement, but not the improvement Dr Christine wanted.  Dr. Christine then added acupuncture to her treatment and finally Choju was making steady progress.  We have done monthly treatments progressing to maintenance treatments every 6 - 8 weeks.

  As she started her recovery, we needed to strengthen her muscle tone and we started Fit Paws training at Pawsitive Paws Academy to build up her core and leg muscles.  After she learned to balance on the equipment, she has shown steady improvement.  Her muscles are stronger than they were and she has learned better balance.  She has started her Agility workouts again and is stronger than before she was hurt.  Working with Dr Christine and with the trainers at Pawsitive Paws Academy, our beautiful Akita is back to full strength and full activity.  I am so happy that I went to that seminar and I found Dr. Christine.  I would recommend her to anyone looking to keep their pets in top shape!

  Jennifer Hunt

We have a 9 year old mixed breed dog named Franklin that has been treated by Dr. Christine Woodford at VIPsvet. Franklin's initial issue was a significant periodic limp from his right front leg that started in the spring of 2012. The approach was 4-fold: acupuncture, magnawave, prescribed stretching exercises (during office visits and daily at home) and the herb Protandim.

We have witnessed an impressive improvement in the last 6 weeks with the limp nearly invisible. Which of the 4 approaches produced this wonderful improvement is anyone's guess. However, it should be stated that about 8 weeks ago, in addition to the other 3 approaches, we strengthened our commitment to a steady dose (1/2 tablet/day) of the Protandim without missing a day. Perhaps the Protandim herb needed that much time to take effect on Franklin's system.

The important thing is that the results are very visible and we appreciate your professional service.

Ann and Amy
"We are so grateful to Dr. Christine for saving our dog's life. Last fall, our vibrant and energetic, 8 year old Border Collie, Amy, had become very weak. She was not steady on her feet, could not walk up or down stairs, and had to be fed lying down. Her head was tilted to one side and was stuck in that position. Her quality of life was declining and it broke our hearts seeing her this way. We thought of having her put down if she didn't improve. A friend suggested we find a chiropractic veterinarian to treat her. I did an internet search and found Dr. Christine and made an appointment. Dr. Christine's techniques helped Amy and improved her quality of life in one session. Amy regained her strength, could walk well, and could move her head. It was a miracle. She was no longer a sick dog. She now is able to run and play like she used to. We continue with monthly maintenance treatments to keep Amy feeling good. Dr. Christine, thank you so much for bringing our precious dog back to life."

Our dog Olive, a mix of Poodle and Shih Tzu, was almost 13 years old before receiving a combination of chiropractic care and Petthrive soft chews. After having had the chiropractic care and Petthrive, she seems more like 13 years young. Her mobility, disposition, and energy level have noticeably improved. It is our intention to continue these treatments due to their positive results.

Kathy Conlon

We first brought our 8 year old English bulldog, Ginger to Dr. Woodford in May of 2012. Our main concern at that point was her mobility. She suffers from arthritis and was limping and seemed to be in some discomfort. Our vet, Dr. Bergfeld suggested Dr. Woodford's medical expertise.

At our first meeting Dr. Woodford did a thorough exam. We discussed Ginger's other health issues including seasonal allergies. On that first visit we did it all, chiropractic adjustment, acupuncture and magnawave therapy. Ginger tolerated it all extremely well.

We went home hoping to see some improvement in her mobility. We were amazed as Ginger's health improved in all areas. Not only was she more mobile, her energy level increased and her breathing improved significantly. After her treatments she practically jumps into the car. She enjoys playing and running around the farm again.

The acupuncture has helped with her allergies. She does not need as much medication as in previous years. She breathes easier and sleeps more soundly at night. In fact, her snoring has diminished. This is a benefit to the whole family!

Dr. Woodford's expertise and treatments have given Ginger a new lease on life. We are extremely grateful and would highly recommend her services. Ginger agrees.

With appreciation, Deb Burgess

Theresa Wilson and CH KOTUR'S Riche and Royale I did it! I bred the most competitive conformation French Bulldog I'd seen in years in just two generations. KOTUR's Riche and Royale is as close to the written standard as any Frenchie I've seen. He has a classic head, substantial bone, the perfect Frenchie silhouette, and beautiful movement. I knew when he was an eight week old puppy that this was my national specialty competition dog.

In one unthinking moment, when he was a seven month old pup Royale slipped and severely wrenched his back while I was considerately washing off his fanny in kitchen sink. Although I knew something was wrong, the damage was not immediately apparent. Later that day, the local vet misdiagnosed Royale with stomach upset. At 3:30 AM I packed him up and headed for the specialist four hours north.

Royale had all the classic signs of a severe back injury. Conventional treatment consists of enforced rest, anti-inflammatory drugs, pain medication, muscle relaxants, and tranquilizers to keep the dog quietly resting. We followed this protocol for 16 weeks. Then, Royale could walk but was chronically lame and sore compensating for the pain in his back. I was determined to explore alternative treatment to get this dog sound again. I remembered speaking to a woman at a local show that operated a canine fitness center. I found her card and made contact.

Mary and Mark Erschen, owners of FidoFit in Dubuque took up my quest to get Royale fit again. Mary detailed a strengthening routine and connected me to Dr. Christine Woodford, certified animal chiropractic and acupuncture, who makes routine visits to see canine patients at FidoFit.

I was blown away by Royale's response to our very session with Dr. Woodford. Her use of the powerful combination of chiropractic adjustment, muscle work, acupuncture and the magna wave provided immediate results. Royale limped into FidoFit and trotted out bearing weight equally on all fours. It was obvious to me that these synergistic treatments were the ticket to relieving his pain and restoring function.

Mary supported Royale's recovery by teaching him to swim and do the strengthening exercises. Dr. Woodford worked her magic using all the tools in her wellness repertoire. Royale got stronger and stronger.

Long story short, I've attached one of the photos of Royale's recent wins at French Bulldog Club of America's National Specialty show under esteemed judge Michelle Billings taken in Portland OR. Royale swept the Bred-By-Exhibitor classes under two different judges and was awarded the coveted Best Bred-By-Exhibitor dog in show!

No one in Portland could truly appreciate these wins like our team at VIP and FidoFit! I am so grateful we found Dr. Christine and Mary and Mark Erschen to help us achieve these prestigious wins, competing with the best French Bulldogs in the country. Do I look proud of this beautiful dog?

More importantly, Royale is the perfect example of what having the right intention, doing the right therapy, combined with the right strengthening work can do for a severely injured dog. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Dr. Christine for your help in restoring this beautiful dog back (pun intended) to his full potential!

Belle, our 11-year old lab, has been a patient of Dr. Christine's for a few months. When we first took Belle to Dr. Christine, Belle could not walk, stand, or turn around without falling. She had no strength in her back legs due to arthritis.

Thanks to Dr. Christine's chiropractic, acupuncture and magnawave treatments, Belle is once again able to do the things she loves to do--going on road trips and enjoying walks in the park. Belle's quality of life is the life of a lab; exploring new sights and smells and accompanying us (her pack) on our adventures. Belle enjoys her therapy and is very calm during her visits due to the calm, nurturing nature of Dr. Christine.

Recently Belle injured her shoulder and was unable to put any weight on her left front leg. Dr. Christine treated Belle's shoulder with acupuncture and magnawave. After the therapy, Belle was able to walk better and return to her daily routine.

In addition, we purchased the Help 'Em Up Harness (www.helpemup.com) to assist us when Belle has difficulty getting up from the floor. The front handle and hip lift make it easy to for us to get Belle in and out of the car or up and down the steps while alleviating physical stress on us and Belle.

We are thrilled with the results Belle has achieved from Dr. Christine's therapy. It is wonderful to see Belle actively enjoying her days as she did before arthritis limited her mobility.

Jackie and Rick Mason

Christine, Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a difference you made in our little guy Buddy. Buddy is a 2-year-old Schnoodle who had a nervous tick for the last month. He moved his head up and down in rapid movements. Our regular vet suggest we bring Buddy to a chiropractor, that he might have a pinched nerve. After one treatment, what an incredible difference we've seen in him. He was so very relaxed when we left your office and for the rest of that evening. He's not doing his nervous tick thing and his whole demeanor has changed for the better. I truly believe whatever you did helped our Buddy and we WILL be back.

Thanks to Dr. Woodford's chiropractic care and acupuncture treatments our dog Lily did not have to have major spinal surgery. Regular chiropractic and acupuncture treatments have improved Lily's quality of life and her disposition. We have peace of mind knowing that Lily feels better and is getting the care she needs to stay health.

Ernie & Betty Smith

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