Animal osteopathy, chiropractic, and manual therapies: A bibliometric analysis (1949–2025)

Animal manual therapies (osteopathy and chiropractic) are developing internationally, but their regulation and scientific output vary considerably from country to country. This study aims to analyze the state of the scientific literature relating to this emerging field. A bibliometric analysis was conducted, including 86 articles published between 1980 and 2025, distributed across 34 international scientific journals and written by 194 authors. Publications were categorized by publication date, study design, and target animal species. Authors were analyzed by publication number, profession, affiliation, and location. The journals that published these articles were analyzed by location, impact factors, application cost (APC), and submission deadlines.

The publications are predominantly clinical review articles, journal articles, and narrative reviews of the literature focused on horses and dogs, with a strong predominance of authors and journals located in the United States. International journals are expensive and rigorous, limiting access for independent practitioners, particularly in France, who lack institutions able to fund these costs. A trend is thus emerging in favor of gray literature, which remains an essential tool for practical development and professional exchange.