While it dates back to ancient times, canine massage has recently seen an increase in popularity among owners and canine rehabilitators. In the US, canine massage has been gaining popularity in the past ten years, while in other countries, massage became more popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In some countries such as India, canine massage has been around for thousands of years! Massage has its benefits in people, and the same benefits can be seen in our canine companions as well. Keep reading to learn more about what canine massage is, ways to do it at home, and how it can help your dog live a longer, healthier life.
What Is Dog Massage?
Massage, in its simplest definition, is: “the rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints of the body with the hands, especially to relieve tension or pain”. Massage helps to reduce stress in the body, help the joints, muscles and bones heal, provides basic pain relief, and may assist in the rehabilitation and regeneration of muscle tissue.
For dogs, canine massage has similar benefits. It can be used at home for relaxation and stress relief, to help dogs with anxiety or nervous disorders, to provide relief for arthritis, and to aid in the healing of muscles, joints and bones.
Canine massage is often prescribed by many veterinarians to assist in post-surgical recovery, and is part of canine physical therapies to help improve function, reduce pain and aid in rehabilitation.
The popularity of canine massage is growing so quickly that canine rehabilitation has become its own certification, and veterinary staff can obtain certifications in canine massage along with therapy.
What Are The Benefits Of Canine Massage?
The benefits of canine therapy can have a wide range, from basic stress and pain relief, to full-blown surgical recovery. Goals of canine massage therapy include: relief of pain, reduction of tissue swelling, reduction of muscle tension, improvement of circulation and tissue healing, reduction of fibrous adhesions and improvement of range of motion.
Pain relief and reduction of muscle tension are important factors in calming down a nervous or anxious dog. Dogs that have had trauma in a previous home, are dealing with the stress of a shelter environment, have separation anxiety and more can all benefit from these effects. Massaging your dog is also a great bonding experience to help bring the two of you closer together.
Improvement of circulation, tissue healing and reduction of adhesions are all important factors in surgical recovery. Massage will help circulate blood better, bringing nutrients and tissue healing factors that speed up recovery and allow the injury to heal. Reduction of adhesions means the recovered limb will have greater range of motion with less chances for arthritis and pain.
Improving the range of motion is an important factor in any dog. It can help elderly or senior pets improve function with less pain, reduce the need for medications, can help athletic dogs recover from injury more quickly, and can help any pet stay healthy and fit.
Other Ways To Help Sore Muscles
In addition to canine massage, supplemental medications, therapies and remedies may be useful in relief of pain and injury recovery. Canine massage can help reduce the need for these additional aids, however using both together may provide a better whole-body treatment plan. Be sure to always talk to your veterinarian prior to starting a medication or supplement regimen.
Medication
Medications that provide pain relief such as canine non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) as well as pain medications can help to relieve the pain for surgery or severe arthritis. Examples of medications can include tramadol, and opioid pain reliever, gabapentin to target the nervous system, and adequan to help relieve pain while repairing the affected tissues. These medications are often used in conjunction with natural supplements, exercise and massage.
Supplementation
Natural supplements are also beneficial to the relief of pain and repair of tissues. Most owners know of supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin, which are in most arthritis medications as well as diets formulated for senior or large breed dogs. There’s also research that suggests omega-3 supplementation can help support dogs with osteoarthritis.
Other supplements to consider include astaxanthin, creatine, MSM and green lipped mussel. Check out or other article on various canine joint supplements!
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a growing sector of canine veterinary treatment, and certifications of both veterinary technicians, canine massage therapists and veterinary professionals has increased. In addition to massage, therapy techniques can include the use of treadmills, especially underwater treadmills that help reduce weight bearing while allowing the joints to move, and the use of shallow pools for swimming with reduced impact.
Many veterinary teaching hospitals associated with veterinary schools are now adding and increasing the size of their therapy programs. In addition to professional therapies, simple increases in exercise can help to relieve arthritis, improve health and mobility and help you bond with your dog.
Canine massage is a great bonding experience that can have many wonderful health benefits for your dog (and for you!) Pain relief, arthritis relief, injury recovery and more are all just some of the benefits of this non-invasive procedure. Help your dog feel his or her best and enjoy spending some quality time together!
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