Oklahoma chiropractor Joren Whitley visited Gerry, a 16-foot giraffe, after his owner, Missy Nowell, noticed he was not chewing properly. A May 3, 2024 report by Futurism says Gerry appeared to chew normally after Whitley manipulated his neck and jaw. That was an anecdotal, short-term observation—not a veterinary diagnosis or proof that the manipulation caused an improvement.
Why did Gerry’s owner call a chiropractor?
Futurism reported that Nowell called Whitley because Gerry was having trouble chewing. Whitley worked with the 16-foot male giraffe from a raised platform, manipulating his neck and jaw. The report describes Gerry as apparently chewing normally afterward.
Nowell characterized the response as “an immediate positive response.” Whitley, in turn, said, “Being able to work on a giraffe is a chiropractor’s dream.” These are remarks attributed to the owner and chiropractor in the report; they do not establish what was medically wrong with Gerry.
Did the treatment work?
The report describes an apparent improvement in chewing, but it does not establish a veterinary diagnosis, show that manipulation caused the change, or document Gerry’s longer-term condition. A video or an owner’s account can describe what seemed to happen at the time; neither substitutes for veterinary assessment or clinical evidence.
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The story is not evidence that chiropractic treatment is effective or safe for giraffes, other animals, or people. It should be understood as an unusual reported event, not a treatment recommendation.
What did the report say about neck-manipulation risks?
Futurism described research on a possible association between neck or spinal manipulation and arterial dissection as mixed. It relayed two estimates, but they have different attributions and denominators, and the article does not provide enough detail to reconcile their methods or populations.
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| Estimate reported | Attribution in Futurism’s account | What can be concluded |
|---|---|---|
| One event per 5.8 million spinal adjustments | Attributed to chiropractors | This is an estimate with a denominator of spinal adjustments; the account does not establish it as a settled current risk rate. |
| One event per 1,000 cases | Attributed to a 2014 paper, as summarized by Futurism | The denominator is described as cases, not adjustments. The underlying paper and its methods are not established by Futurism’s summary. |
Because these figures refer to different denominators and have distinct sources, they should not be treated as directly comparable rates or as a definitive measure of risk.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known—and what is not
- Reported: Gerry was having trouble chewing; Whitley manipulated his neck and jaw; and he apparently chewed normally afterward.
- Not established by the report: a veterinary diagnosis, a causal link between manipulation and the apparent change, or a long-term outcome.
- Safety context: the account characterizes evidence about arterial dissection and neck manipulation as mixed, while offering estimates that cannot be reconciled from the details provided.
Futurism’s May 2024 article attributes portions of its account to The Washington Post and CNN, but those underlying reports are not assessed here. The event and outcome above are therefore described as Futurism reported them, not as independently established veterinary findings.
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