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You enjoy massage. You use it to work out stress, deal with aches and pains and boost your immune system. Ever wonder if your pet needed it as well? Fido says, “Yes!” Over the past few years, pet massage has become more and more available, and in many cases, has moved beyond “spa for pets” to therapeutic work recommended by veterinarians.
How Can Massage Help Pets?
The same ways it helps humans. Massage increases blood flow, and decreases soreness and pain associated with muscle injury or joint problems. It relaxes tense, overworked muscles, and assists in the removal metabolic waste products of muscle contraction. It can also boost the immune system, decrease swelling and increase blood flow. Just like on a human, massage also decreases stress and promotes relaxation. The main difference in work on animals rather than humans is the reduced pressure of the strokes for animals, and the focus on different muscles based on the anatomy of the pet.
Massage of an animal is not just petting the animal. With knowledge of the anatomy of animals, the way their bodies work and their physiology, a trained animal massage therapist uses that knowledge to direct her strokes and approach. Although some muscles are the same in animals, many are different, and even ones with the same name perform different functions because animal are quadrupeds rather than bipeds. Focus to ambulatory muscles, tight muscles or injured areas with the proper pressure can do wonders for a pet. In addition, animal massage therapists receive training in approaching animals and assessing their needs in initial sessions. This may include a physical examination, or watching the pet as the owner plays with it to assess mobility, gait and range of motion.
Pet massage can be very useful in rehabilitation situations. Pets recovering from injuries or pets with chronic/degenerative diseases can benefit from massage. As with humans, the increase in blood flow, gentle stretching and pressure on the muscles can increase range of motion, decrease discomfort and pain, and assist the animal’s mobility. A good pet massage therapist can work with the vet in designing a massage therapy protocol for your pet.
Who Becomes an Animal Massage Therapist?
Sometimes licensed massage therapists receive additional training in order to become an animal massage therapist, but because there are currently no state or federal guidelines for certification, licensure as a human therapist is not required (at least in the state of Tennessee). There are several training programs across the country developed to assist in the education of people wishing to become an animal massage therapist.
Some of the oldest training programs are equine massage programs. Because of the physical nature of the work that so many horses do, and because of the money involved in racing and showing horses, equine massage was a natural first extension of the field of massage therapy to animals. Since then it has expanded to companion animals such as cats and dogs.
How Do I Find a Massage Therapist for my Pet?
Ask your veterinarian. Although animal massage therapists are not terribly common, vets are often a good place to start. If they don’t know of an animal massage therapist, you can ask them for the name of a vet interested in holistic therapies, and can call that vet to see if they have contacts. If you are working on injuries or chronic pain issues, ask your vet before engaging a massage therapist. Just as in humans, there area some conditions that contraindicate massage. The vet may give you some directions on areas to focus on or areas to avoid.
Often, upscale kennels will offer it as part of their services, and may be able to refer you to an animal massage therapist. Professional groomers and breeders will sometimes know pet massage therapists as well. In fact, sometimes on-site groomers are also trained in pet massage and can perform the massage as part of their grooming package.
Make sure the person you hire has had training. This should include small animal anatomy/physiology, as well as massage therapy techniques for animals. Ask for the name of the training program they attended and for the number of hours of the training program. Many of these animal training programs have sites online – so view their website and take a look at the philosophy and training of the pet massage therapist. Attending a single weekend class might be a great start, but the more extensive training of the animal massage therapist, the better he/she will be able to deal with the specific issues of your animal and modify the approach for the problems of your pet.
Websites for More Information
A Really Cool Article on Massaging Your Own Pets
Associations and Organizations of Animal Massage Therapists
Schools and Training Programs
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