About
Hi — I'm Dr. Whitney Phillips.
I'm an AVCA-certified animal chiropractor, and I've been helping pets in Portland and Vancouver move and feel better since 2016.
Animals taught me what good care looks like.
I grew up on a horse farm in southwest Washington and competed in professional rodeo before I ever thought about being a doctor. The chiropractor my family called was who first showed me what conservative, hands-on care could do — for the horses I rode and, eventually, for me.
That experience shaped how I practice now. I went to the University of Western States for my doctorate in chiropractic and a master's in sports medicine, and I co-founded Move Better in 2016 with the goal of treating people the way I'd been treated: with time, with care, and with a real plan.
When I added animal chiropractic to my practice, it felt like coming full circle. Most of the animals I see have a problem that's been stumping their owner — and often their vet — for months. Watching that animal walk out of the clinic looking like itself again is the most satisfying thing I do.
What I'm trained to do, and what I'm not.
Animal chiropractic is a real, regulated field. The credential that matters is from the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) — it's the only certification that requires post-doctoral coursework specifically in animal anatomy, biomechanics, and adjusting technique.
Certifications
- AVCA Certification in Animal Chiropractic
- Advanced Animal Chiropractic, Level 1
- Doctor of Chiropractic — University of Western States, 2015
- Master's in Sports Medicine
- Webster Technique for Perinatal Care
- Pediatric Full Spine Evaluation & Adjusting (ICPA)
- Continuing certifications in DNS, Rocktape FMT, FMT Blades, and others
What I do
Evaluate, adjust, and refer when it's not a chiropractic case.
What I don't do
Diagnose disease, prescribe medication, or perform surgery. That's your veterinarian's job, and I'll happily work alongside them.
Mostly dogs and cats. But the door is open.
The bulk of my animal practice is dogs and cats — they make up about 90% of what walks through the door. I've also adjusted bunnies, rats, ducks, and a few cases that surprised even me. If you're not sure whether I can help your pet, just ask.
The work itself looks different than what I do for human patients. The adjustments are gentler, the visits are shorter (about 20 minutes for a follow-up), and a lot of my time goes into helping the animal feel safe enough to be touched in the places that need attention. Trust comes first; the adjustment comes second.
Chiropractic care doesn't replace veterinary care. It complements it.
A veterinarian is the right call for emergencies, infections, internal issues, severe trauma, and anything that needs medication, imaging, or surgery. Always.
But for the long list of things that are musculoskeletal — the slowdown, the stiffness, the limp that doesn't quite go away — chiropractic is often a more direct path. In Oregon, your vet has to provide a referral before I can treat your animal. Most vets are happy to give one when they see what we can offer.
If your animal isn't responding to what I do within about three visits, I'll refer back to your vet for further workup. That's a feature, not a failure — it means we've narrowed down what's going on.
Outside the clinic.
I have three dogs at home — Wiley, Hobbes, and Lando — who are all very well-adjusted, mostly. I ski, ride when I can, and try to live the philosophy I teach: movement is essential to our survival and quality of life.