What is Veterinary Osteopathy?
Advanced Biomechanical Care Grounded in Medical Science
Veterinary Osteopathy is an integrative manual therapy that bridges precise, functional anatomical knowledge with clinical sports medicine. As an integral part of comprehensive veterinary care, osteopathy goes beyond surface-level tension. It is designed to identify and resolve the root biomechanical restrictions limiting an animal’s performance.Through highly trained dynamic observation and expert tissue palpation, areas of restriction and compensation are localized. We then utilize gentle, targeted physical manipulations of joints, fascia, and soft tissues to relieve pain, restore normal mobility, and support the body's inherent ability to heal. The result is a complete return to optimal function across muscles, tendons, ligaments, and articular surfaces.
Our Core Philosophy
The Surgeon’s Eye.
The Osteopath’s Touch.
True athletic performance is a symphony of perfect biomechanics. When motion is restricted, compensation occurs, leading to poor performance, resistance under saddle, and eventually, structural lameness.
As a Board-Certified Large Animal Surgeon, Dr. Emma Seitz-Cherner evaluates your horse and pet through a unique clinical lens. VetAlign combines a deep, definitive understanding of surgical anatomy and sport horse lameness with the restorative, hands-on power of veterinary osteopathy. We don’t just treat symptoms; we realign the whole horse to unlock peak athletic potential and accelerate post-injury recovery.
CLINICAL INDICATIONS: WHEN TO CALL VETALIGN
Because structural restrictions directly disrupt normal biomechanics, compensation shows up long before structural lameness does. Look for these subtle, early signs that your animal is struggling with a biomechanical restriction.
For Your Horse
Consider a Veterinary Osteopathic evaluation if you notice any of the following performance declines or physical changes under saddle:Under-Saddle Resistance: Rearing, bucking, generalized back pain, or a sudden resistance to collecting or bending appropriately.Contact & Bridle Issues: A noticeable change in bit contact, or the horse sticking its tongue out while being ridden.Altered Gaits & Mechanics: Shortness of stride, toe-dragging, or asymmetric muscle development across the top-line or hindquarters.Behavioral Red Flags: Sudden changes in attitude, irritability while being groomed or tacked up, or an unwillingness to work.
For Your Small Animal Companion
Dogs and cats are master compensators. Consider an osteopathic assessment if your pet is showing signs of mobility discomfort or systemic stress:Loss of Mobility: Difficulty jumping onto the couch, navigating steps, or a general reluctance to play and run.Gait & Structural Changes: A shortened stride, a roached (hunched) back, or obvious signs of neck and back tension.Systemic & GI Disruption: Because osteopathy supports autonomic nerve pathways, it is highly beneficial for altered gastrointestinal health—including intermittent episodes of unexplained vomiting or diarrhea.Subtle Behavioral Shifts: Increased restlessness, a change in how they sleep or rest, or irritability when being touched in certain areas.
About Us
Emma Seitz-Cherner, BVSc Diplomate ACVS-LA
Originally from New York City, Dr. Seitz-Cherner is a Board-Certified Equine Surgeon with a lifelong dedication to equestrian sport. She earned her veterinary degree from the University of Sydney before completing a highly sought-after neonatal medicine fellowship and rotating hospital internship at the world-renowned Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY. She then completed her intensive surgical residency at Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, FL. After serving as an associate surgeon back at Rood and Riddle in Wellington, she achieved her ACVS Diplomate status in 2023.While she loved helping horses through her surgical training, she recognized a critical gap in traditional veterinary medicine when it came to treating mild performance issues, back pain, behavioral resistance, and post-operative recovery. Drawing from her European upbringing—where osteopathy is a standard of routine medical care—and her work with international veterinarians, she saw the profound link between form and function.Realizing that advanced manual therapy, joint mobilization, and soft tissue manipulation are rarely used as first-line treatments in the US, she integrated osteopathy into her practice. Today, Dr. Seitz-Cherner leverages her extensive orthopedic and surgical background to provide highly precise, biomechanical care to elite equine athletes. Furthermore, she applies these clinical principles to small animal companions, treating dogs and cats for structural lesions and mobility restrictions that respond beautifully to osteopathy. When she is not treating patients, she can usually be found kitesurfing, practicing yoga, or traveling.
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