You love your dog. That’s why you faithfully bring him to the vet at least once a year and ensure he’s protected against intruders like heartworm, fleas, ticks, and ear mites. It’s also why you ensure he’s fed a wholesome food that meets his nutritional needs.
Canine physical health and wellness start4 with proper vet care and good food, but it certainly doesn’t end there. Staying active and treating or preventing physical health and body issues that crop up as your dog ages is also important. Those daily walks around the block really do help!
What can also be incredibly beneficial to dogs of every age is chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage therapy treatments. Just as these treatment protocols help you release tense muscles and restore posture, so, too, can they help your pup. Here’s how!
Acupuncture Improves Mobility
At nearly 2,000 years old, acupuncture is hardly a new treatment. What once began as a Chinese art designed to release pent-up energy and get Chi flowing now has a base of evidence that shows it to be effective for everything from chronic pain to mobility issues.
There is evidence to show that acupuncture may restore function due to locked-up or overly lax muscles by triggering specific nerve bundles, especially in dogs. Extremely tiny needles (think almost as thin as a hair) are inserted into specific pressure point areas with nerve junctions, where they either encourage the surrounding muscles to “wake up” or relax.
In a post for Modern Dog Magazine, Dr. Laurie McCauley (who specializes in both chiropractic and acupuncture treatments) gave the example of a case where she managed to restore function in a Bichon who was effectively paralyzed in the hind end.
“He couldn’t stand. He was incontinent. We put needles in and literally when we pulled the needles out, he was able to stand and take steps.”
McCauley reports that after just a few acupuncture treatments, the dog was not only standing again but was also able to run and play.
For dogs with chronic pain, osteoarthritis, or even certain neurological conditions (such as post-stroke weakness), acupuncture could encourage improved mobility. Although this study focused on humans, it highlighted that acupuncture produced real changes in both nerve signals and brain plasticity, too — both of which may benefit patients by changing how they interpret and handle pain or mobility.
That’s a big success!
One final note: needles aren’t always needed. Acupressure serves many of the same functional benefits but relies upon manual pressure instead, and laser acupuncture penetrates the first few layers of skin without entering the body. Both may be ideal treatments for nervous or high-risk dogs.
Chiropractic Reduces Joint Issues
Chiropractic care focuses on restoring mobility and function, mostly to the joints but sometimes also to the muscles. In humans, doctors use it to treat chronic lower back pain, degenerated or herniated discs, patellofemoral syndrome, osteoarthritis, and a whole host of other pain-inducing, mobility-limiting conditions that can drag you down and limit your freedom.
In dogs, doctors use chiropractic care in much the same way. By physically adjusting the body at various points between the neck and tail, they can realign the spine, knees, ankles shoulders, and hips — all joints that are especially prone to breed and age-specific degeneration. It has distinct benefits for high-activity hunting dogs, agility and show dogs, and any dog that suffers from a breed-specific issue like hip dysplasia.
Whole Dog Journal reports that, while chiropractic treatments should be used with care, treatments may have the ability to reduce everything from hotspots to reproductive problems if used correctly. The article also highlights how chiropractic treatments focus on alignment, not only from an anatomical perspective but also from an energy perspective.
By creating alignment in the body, your dog’s body functions at an improved level, improving the speed of healing and recovery from nearly any illness.
Chiropractic treatments aren’t without risk, especially if you see someone who really isn’t qualified to be giving it in the first place. You should avoid seeing a human chiropractor who doesn’t have prior experience with animals. Instead, see someone who is accredited by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA).
Massage Therapy Relaxes (Muscles & Dogs)
Who doesn’t love a good massage? Whether it’s relaxation or deep tissue treatments, massage therapy can release tension, encourage relaxation, and even sometimes reduce emotional issues like anxiety and depression. It’s suitable for healthy and unhealthy dogs, and comes with very few potential side effects because the therapist can tailor treatments to the dog, no matter what his condition.
The first and most obvious benefit from massage is that it improves overall circulation. Better blood and lymph circulation can increase energy, reduce stiffness and sore muscles, and in some cases, even correct mobility issues that stem from spasms and muscle knots. A limping dog who suffers from mild dysplasia or osteoarthritis, for example, may benefit from massage because it allows the muscles to better support the weakened joint.
Canine massage therapy also has distinct benefits for the working dog. Massages just before agility shows, races, or hunting outings keep the muscles warm, loose, and limber — the same effect humans achieve by “warming up” before they work out. PetWave reports that massage after accidents or injuries may also speed healing and help your working dog get back into action faster.
For dogs who are recovering from canine surgeries, massage will improve blood circulation to the area which can have the intended side effect of reducing inflammation and infection risk. For high-risk dogs, that may be the difference between a protracted recovery and a short, easy period of rest.
Last, but certainly not least, is the relaxation benefit. If you own a dog who struggles with anxieties, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PICA, and other emotional issues, massage may help your dog learn to relax and even self-soothe over time. Even if your dog is healthy and spry, massage can still be intensely pleasurable and relaxing.
How & When To Use These Treatments
Acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy all have a place in your dog’s overall wellness plan. But it is important (critical even) for you to use them correctly at the right point in time. Incorrectly or inappropriately used, they may cause more harm than good or even injure your dog.
Most importantly, never attempt to give your dog acupuncture, chiropractic or advanced massage treatments from home by yourself, even if you think you understand the basics. Have a qualified treatment provider show you basic strategies first and keep at-home treatments simple.
Finally, don’t take your dog to a practitioner without seeing your vet for a thorough investigation first, especially if you suspect advanced degeneration, breaks, tumors, fractures, and other canine musculoskeletal issues. Often, these three treatments can and will help your dog in situations like these, but he or she may need medication and/or other surgical interventions first.