'Animal Chiropractic' earns Yellow Pages heading

St. Louis, Mo. — Chiropractic treatment for animals has become so popular that the nation's largest directory publisher now gives the term its own heading.

AT&T Yellow Pages says it added the "Animal Chiropractic" heading and nearly 30 others in response to a large number of business requests.

Traditional veterinary headings are the 15th most accessed in Yellow Pages, so "Animal Chiropractic" is a natural addition, Marketing Director Bob Mueller says.

One potential problem: Yellow Pages fails to weed out chiropractors who practice on animals illegally. While laws vary among states, most regulatory agencies require special licensure and/or DVM oversight of chiropractic treatment performed on animals by non-veterinarians.

The rise in chiropractic services for animals is fueled by consumer demand, says Leslie Means, head of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. The group has certified 950 licensed doctors of chiropractic and DVMs to work on animals. About 340 are veterinarians, she says.

"We're advising our doctors to mention they are certified and that they are licensed doctors of veterinary medicine or chiropractic in the ads," she says. "Certainly illegal practice is a concern, and veterinary licensing boards across the country are taking a more active role in identifying this."

Mueller explains that although it isn't Yellow Pages' job to identify illegal practices, more information in advertising works to legitimize animal chiropractic and veterinary services.

"New research shows that 20 percent of people surveyed say there's not enough content in veterinary advertising," he says. "If you're a veterinarian and you want your ad to be seen, size and content are critical."