Colorado
Animal Chiropractic Laws
Colorado | Animal Chiropractic Summary
In general in Colorado, the animal chiropractor authority is under the Chiropractic licensing board. An animal chiropractor will have to add an adjunct to their human chiropractic license that requires 20 hours of continuing education per license period and a malpractice rider added to your regular malpractice insurance specific for animals.
- To apply for your Animal Chiropractic License, CLICK HERE
- To view the application checklist, CLICK HERE
Laws
Most animal chiropractic language is in statute in Colorado.
The most recent laws can be found under 12-215-127
Link to all statutes, laws and policies
Certification Requirements
Completion of a 210-hour course from one the following approved schools/courses:
Scope of Practice
You may perform chiropractic on fully awake dogs and equids, under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.
An animal chiropractor must send an initiation of treatment to the animal primary veterinarian within 7 business days of initiation of care. If an animal chiropractor suspects the animal has a mandated reportable disease, you must contact the animal’s primary veterinarian’s office and the Colorado State Veterinarian’s office.
Direct Access is granted for Animal Chiropractors to adjust Dogs and Equids (Donkeys, zebras, horses, mules, etc,) only upon completion of a one-time 8-hour Zoonotic, Contagious & Infectious disease course approved by the Colorado State Veterinarian and a one-time, 1-hour Animal Chiropractic Jurisprudence course approved by the Colorado State Veterinarian office. Until successful completion of this course is achieved, an animal chiropractor must obtain a Veterinarian Medical Clearance form prior to treatment of Dogs and Equids.
Continuing Education reqirements
A licensed chiropractor who is registered to perform animal chiropractic shall complete 20 hours of continuing education per licensing period that is specific to the diagnosis and treatment of animals. All continuing education courses must be in the fields of study listed in subsections (4) and (5) of 12-215-127 of the practice act. If you are practicing both human and animal chiropractic, you must complete a total of fifty (50) continuing education hours per licensing period.
The twenty (20) hours of required continuing education must include a two-hour course on contagious, infectious, and zoonotic diseases, including current information about the incidence rates of rabies virus, West Nile virus, equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, canine brucellosis, plague, and tularemia in Colorado and in other locations that might affect a licensed chiropractor’s animal patients.