About Our Doctor
Dr. Debby Burnett
Dr. Burnett's Personal Journey
In the fifth grade, after reading All Creatures Great and Small by Dr. James Herriot, I knew with all of my heart and soul I wanted to be a veterinarian. I wanted to do what he did—from that very first paragraph of the first chapter of the first book. I wanted to be him, laying on a cold, stone floor in the middle of a winter night, struggling to deliver a stubborn calf. He succeeded in tending to cow and calf, and I wanted that feeling. After a very long and squiggly road, I was able to pursue that childhood dream. Veterinary school was everything I’d hoped it would be. Veterinary practice was not. I had successes, like Dr. Herriot. But I had frustrations too. I felt no matter what I did, I wasn’t helping animals heal and live their
best lives.
Deep down I knew there had to be a better way—there had to be a path in veterinary medicine that would allow me to use my hands in such a way to bring health and happiness to my patients—and their humans. I enrolled in the veterinary acupuncture course at Colorado State University and became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist.
That course opened a door for me to begin to walk the path I desperately wanted to be on. In the background I kept encountering the subject of chiropractic. I had my young daughter at the chiropractor early on in her life. We loved our Dr. Cathy and Dr. Brian as they worked magic for both my daughter and myself.
After a wholehearted attempt at general veterinary practice, I realized I hadn’t quite completed my education on the path to providing the best possible care for my animal patients. Many factors finally coalesced into one shining moment that propelled me to begin my journey into animal chiropractic care. I am grateful to the Universe and to the Innate Intelligence through which I have arrived at this juncture.
I am thrilled to now be able to add animal chiropractic to my toolbox of veterinary acupuncture and animal physical therapy so that I may help the animals to live their best lives—happy, joyous and free.
EDUCATION
• Northwestern University Medical School, Master Physical Therapy, 1995
• Texas A & M University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2003
• Equine Internship, Performance Equine Associates, Whitesboro, TX 2003-2004
• Certification in Veterinary Acupuncture, 2006
• A.C.E.S. Animal Chiropractic Course, 2024
ADDITIONAL PURSUITS
• Iditarod Trail Veterinarian 2023, 2024
About AVCA Trained Doctors
Once you realize that chiropractic is right for your animal, the most important thing when choosing your Animal Chiropractor is to make sure they are both licensed as a DVM or DC, and certified through the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. Beware of unqualified people claiming to be animal adjusters. Even licensed chiropractors and veterinarians aren't prepared to adjust animals when they get their DVM or DC degree. Veterinarians receive no training in the art, science and philosophy of chiropractic, whereas Chiropractors receive no training in animal anatomy, physiology or pathology. This is why it is so important to find an AVCA certified practitioner.
AVCA certified doctors are trained in motion and static palpation, gait analysis, and proper animal biomechanics, as well as specific adjusting techniques. They use their hands, not mallets and two-by-fours to adjust your horse. They have also been trained to recognize pathology that may cause chiropractic care to be contraindicated. In these cases, they will work with your veterinarian to return your animal to optimal health.
AVCA certified doctors have undergone an intensive postgraduate course that requires a minimum of 200 hours of study and have passed numerous examinations similar to state licensing exams. After certification there is also continuing education on a yearly basis to keep up on current and new adjusting techniques. This is why you should only have a certified AVCA doctor as your Animal Chiropractor.
