Canine massage therapy, also known as ‘therapeutic massage’, is becoming more and more common and available nowadays. Canine massage therapy may be recommended by your Veterinarian to support your dog’s muscular system, aiding their rehabilitation, maintenance or assisting with pain management. There are many other times when canine massage is also recommended and this article will explore these, as well as discussing what massage therapy is, the benefits, when and  who it can be performed by.

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What is canine massage therapy?

You may have heard of and be familiar with massage therapy and physiotherapy in humans as it is often recommended by many GP’s to provide rehabilitation for many orthopaedic conditions. Well, the principle is exactly the same for animals! This article will discuss massage therapy in our canine friends only, however, use of this within the Veterinary field is expanding and it is now extremely popular amongst the equine world!

Amazingly, massage therapy in humans’ dates back to 200BC! This type of clinical therapy involves the application of manual techniques including compression, friction, stroking and percussion of muscles and soft tissues (Corti, 2014). 

Canine massage therapy should not be painful to your dog as it uses non-invasive methods, however, similar to people it may be slightly uncomfortable for them at times, especially when deeper muscle massages are performed.

What are the benefits and what is it used for?

Conditions where massage therapy is often recommended include: post orthopaedic surgery, spinal pain, tendon/ligament strains, muscle damage, nerve damage and arthritis. A good way to think about it is that massage therapy is a tool used to treat over-loaded muscles, but it does not treat the cause of the muscle overload (Wall, 2014). 

The benefits of massage therapy are huge and it can be useful as a supportive mechanism often alongside other therapies including pain medications and anti-inflammatories. Below lists some of these important health benefits (this list is not exhaustive):

Improves the range of movement

For joints, and supporting orthopaedic conditions such as hip dysplasia (Cuervo et al, 2014), arthritis, spondylosis and luxating patella. 

Helps to alleviate pain 

Massage significantly improves overall quality of life post-treatment (Riley et al, 2021).

Encourages healing of muscles and soft tissues

This is particularly desirable following orthopaedic surgery such as cranial cruciate ligament surgery. This post-operative period is crucial in ensuring long-term success and massage therapy can support a better outcome. 

Improves performance 

Especially in dogs which take part in strenuous activities such as agility of Police work.

Improves circulation and blood supply 

Because the pressure created by the massage techniques moves the blood towards congested areas.

Helps to restore function in neuropathic and spinal disease 

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a common spinal condition over represented in dachshunds. Dogs with this condition (depending on the severity) can experience reduced limb movements. Massage therapy can help to improve the strength of the underused limbs by strengthening muscles to assist with rebuilding of the atrophied/wasted muscles.

The overall aim of massage therapy is to encourage the patient to maintain functionality for as long as possible and of course be happy.

Who can perform massage therapy and does it require a Veterinary referral?

Your Veterinarian will be able to guide you to the right people as it is important to ensure that the massage therapy for your dog is conducted by a suitable qualified and trained person such as a musculoskeletal therapist (MSK) or a physiotherapist. Be cautious, if massage therapy is conducted by unqualified people, it could result in harm for your dog. Massage therapy should only be carried out by skilled, trained and insured professionals. Each therapist may work slightly differently but they will all utilise the same underlying principles with mutual aims.

Veterinary physiotherapists were previously only allowed to treat an animal under the direction of a Veterinary Surgeon who initially examined the animal. This was always the case even with healthy patients who were having massage therapy performed as a maintenance therapy, not treating any form of disease.

However, more recently approved RCVS guidance allows musculoskeletal maintenance such as massage to be carried out on a healthy animal without a referral from a Veterinary Surgeon, although it still requires the patient to be registered at a Veterinary Practice.

Animals who are ‘treated’ or ‘manipulated’ by an MSK must be registered with a Veterinary Surgeon and the patient must have been examined by a Veterinary Surgeon first, before any massage therapy is carried out (RCVS, Veterinary Surgeons Exemptions Order 2015). Why is this the case? It is vitally important that massage therapy is not detrimental towards your dog’s health as there are occasions where this type of therapy is not recommended. Your Vet may also discuss with the massage therapists the overall desirable outcomes for your dog.

Conclusion

To conclude, I hope that this article encourages Owners to consider massage therapy to support their dog. Whether it is used as a rehabilitation or a maintenance aid, the array of benefits have been proven. Massage therapy is now being used globally as a recognised and established treatment option which complements and enhances Veterinary care. Speak to your Veterinarian to discuss this further to ensure that massage therapy is suitable for your canine friend. In response to the question ‘is massage therapy allowed in dogs?’ the answer is yes, but if used for the treatment or management of certain conditions, a Veterinary referral must be completed.

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