Hug It Out: Giraffe Snuggles With Chiropractor After Most Adorable Adjustment Ever
Let's address the elephant in the room, or should I say, the giraffe.
Everyone is all "unicorns this" and "dragons that" and here we have these towering, real-life children's drawings roaming about, totally overlooked. No need to go looking in dark caves within magic forests because the most magical creatures are right here in our own backyard (figuratively speaking). Thank you for coming to my giraffe rant.
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Just Being a Giraffe Can be Hard on a Giraffe's Body
Now, let's get to the issue at hand: You need to get to chiropractor Dr. Joren Whitley's social media STAT and watch him work his magical hands (and arms, and all his weight) on a giraffe in need of some TLC. Wouldn't you require an adjustment if you carried a 600-pound 6-foot-long neck around all day?
The best part? This gentle giant seems to give the doctor some well-deserved fuzzy snuggles in return. Or it was just scratching its chin. Either way, it's cute!
This beautiful beast seems to know that good ol' Doc Whitley is going to make him/her feel brand new after some firm pushes and pulls—all from the second-floor mezzanine.
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Giraffes Sure Are Cute But They Can Pack a Big Punch
That said, the animal chiropractor based in Edmond, Oklahoma is sure to point out that while everything seems gentle and sweet, he needs to exercise massive caution with such an enormous and unpredictable animal.
While very friendly this giraffe could become defensive and use his ossicones against me at any moment. This is why I take my adjustments slowly and delicately.
I read that and thought, "I'd hate to have ossicones used against me - what the heck are ossicones?" Turns out that's what those horn-like things between a giraffe's ears are called, and they are made out of hard cartilage covered in skin and hair. You definitely do not want them used against you.
This video showcases an adjustment performed on a giraffe to realign its jaw.
And just to show that it isn't always serious business, Doc gets pranked by Gerald the Giraffe who stole his cap while being fed giant crackers. I would pay to do this.
In addition to making adjustments on giraffes, Dr. Whitley works with many other species, ranging from giving horses tail pulls (!), and realigning the lower backs of show pigs to even providing some much-needed relief to a chicken named Mirabella because why not?
FUN FACT: Did you know giraffes have seven neck vertebrae, which means they have the same number of neck bones as humans? Here are some other amazing animal facts you might not have been aware of.
Why do giraffes have long necks? Answers to 25 animal evolution questions:
Gallery Credit: Stacker
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Gallery Credit: Katherine Gallagher